France’s Socialist government irritated and perhaps frightened millionaires across the world when it confirmed its intention to implement a temporary top Income Tax band of 75% on income above €1,000,000 per year. Many British observers predicted that the tax would damage the French economy, as the Laffer Curve took effect (the idea that if such taxes are raised too far above the international norm, revenues will fall as high earners flee the country). Even I was somewhat unsure, but eager to see if France could pull it off.
The 75% band has yet to come into effect- the courts blocked legislation on a minor issue, and a new bill will take a few months to pass. Nevertheless, the French ultra-rich have entered into a class warfare mentality. The arrogance that over a decade and a half of UMP government encouraged has yet to fade: multiple public threats to emigrate have been made, and not just about matters of tax.
Gérard Depardieu, the loathsome actor, originally pledged to scurry off to Belgium. Unfortunately, he didn’t bank on the fact Belgium might not want him. Fortunately, his pal Vladimir Putin was happy to help him out, granting the multimillionaire Russian citizenship. Fortunately, France has only lost an exploitative, unpatriotic tax dodger who feels so little for his country that he fled from it over the prospect he might have to help it financially in tough economic times.
However, he has given his wealthy peers the false idea that they are so valuable to France that the government will alter its legislative agenda according to their wishes. In dissimilarltly melodramatic fashion, the Socialists are ignoring them.
Take the case of the Tuberculosis-infected elephants. The two animals who are used in a circus in southern France have had a government order placed on them ordering that they be killed this Friday. President Hollande has said he cannot intervene (unlike in Russia, the President cannot cheerfully override the law on important matters such as, say, citizenship at the drop of a hat), and that the owner is free to appeal via the proper channels.
This is not good enough for actress (notice a pattern here?) Brigitte Bardot, who has now also threatened to creep off to Russia should the President fail to breach the constitution and “pardon” the elephants, leaving the unfortunate creatures free to infect humans with TB. She is quite literally asking the impossible.
How long will it take these people to grasp that the French public voted to take back ownership of the country last year? They are free to seek out corrupt tax havens if they are unwilling to contribute, for all the nation will lose are those who show no loyalty to their country anyway. But in Russia there isn’t the option not to be onside with one’s political masters. Freedom of speech is invaluable, and yet these people are throwing it away.
1. The 75% tax idea has been a populist trick, incapable to help France’s financial system.
2. Hollande is NOT taking France back in the hands of the French, it is again a populist trick to seduce idealists.
3. Bardo has gone crazy. It happens with age.
4. Depardieu is a bit loony from all the personal distress and alcohol who would welcome any demonstrations of love towards himself.
5. Putin would welcome any love towards himself from anyone.
6. There’s no freedom of speech in Russia.
Depardieu’s patriotism has really nothing to do in this scheme of things, organised by loony, or populist or totalitarian (or all of the above) people. You try to find logic and reason in a situation that defies them )))
Thank you for your blunt but interesting contribution! I would have to differ with your first two points but the latter four are broadly true.
I will always try to see logic and reason: it is in my nature. And I do see thinly veiled class warfare taking place in France. Clearly you don’t. Thanks for dropping by!
It is a class warfare between the pauperised and the rest. And it is not thinly veiled. Spending a lot of time in France, I can not but notice this warfare for welfare ) In my country, giving the country back to the proletariat (“the people” in populist lingo) was attempted once. No good came out of it )
Western Europe managed social democracy for several decades without the undemocratic disaster that was the Soviet system. I’ve always thought that its a shame that Russia never experienced a centre-left government, but it is evident that that is not what the majority want.
I’ve always thought of communism as being false in its claim to distribute power to the people. I agree that all it does is gives too much power to those likely to misuse it.
Do you think that the social democracy of Western Europe would be possible without the frightening presence of the Soviet system? You know, like some frightening ghost (or a policeman) some parents use to make their kids behave well?
Sorry for the late reply. My answer would be yes, the effect the Soviet system had was probably to moderate some of the more left wing convictions people might have held. That said, I daresay it did make conservative elites more co-operative in exactly the way you have described! So yes, social democracy would have looked different in the West, but I’m not certain as to how different.
I could picture a ghostly Lenin figure in one of those cartoons tapping the shoulders of kings and (inevitably overweight and balding) bankers.
I love the ghostly Lenin picture! )