Bombarded daily with incessant sniping and salacious allegations, Americans are weary of the high drama constantly spinning out of Washington, so we have little interest or patience for all the bickering and nonsense from Europe. Who cares if Germany’s Angela Merkel survives yet another no confidence vote or settles another million migrants in the Fatherland? Who cares if Britain obtains an amicable equitable divorce from the European Union? And who cares if French protestors burn Paris to the ground?
Perhaps we should. While Europe is a vastly different society of dying cultures, the socio-economic and political factors in motion there are not unlike those this side of the Atlantic. Though way ahead of us in globalism, humanism, and socialism, we can learn from their experiences as our American progressive movement is earnestly trying to follow them. Hopefully, America won’t follow them over the leftist cliff.
The last four weeks, violent protests have been spreading to cities across France and even into Belgium and the Netherlands. While someone is always outraged and protesting something, these particularly persistent virulent protests are somewhat of an enigma. Supposedly all the burning and looting has been stoked by an impending tax hike on fuel. French drivers pay about $7 per gallon for gas and about half that is taxes. About a $0.25 per gallon tax increase was scheduled to take effect, so for a less than 10% gas tax increase, thousands of French have taken to the streets to burn hundreds of cars the past month.
Of course, Americans started a revolution over a tax on tea, but this sounds somewhat extreme for already heavily taxed Europeans. Who are these protestors? In a persistently annoying pattern, the media offers scant evidence into who and why. They are content with sensationalizing whatever discontent. The hedonistic looting and vandalism reminds us of ANTIFA, so are these French hooligans malcontent misled young socialists and run of the mill anarchists always spoiling for a fight? The tactics would imply so, but a few reports tell us they are overburdened over taxed middle class workers. The middle class typically does not subscribe to riotous destruction, but could it be the average Frenchman is finally fed up?
In rich irony, French President Macron has been scolding President Trump that France would put the interests of the planet above the interests of its citizens. They would uphold the Paris Climate Agreement and implement this fuel tax hike as a carbon tax to fight climate change. The French people apparently didn’t get the memo. French hordes are willing to riot until Macron resigns rather than save the planet from certain climate catastrophe.
The media seems intent on labeling the ferocious unrest as far right or populist, but why are there riots in Belgium and The Netherlands where there is no gas tax hike? This has the hallmarks of ANTIFA, but why would leftists contest higher taxes and more state power?
We are not getting the whole story yet, but despite the conflicting motivations, we can be sure there is widespread discontent in France and Europe for that matter. We also know the socialists are already dissatisfied and clamoring for more leftist policies even though it has been decades of leftist policies that has left European economies stagnant and struggling. Opportunity and prosperity have proved elusive for most European millennials, but since they have been taught capitalism is cruel, they demand more socialism.
Capitalism has created very large carcasses for European socialists to feast on, but could it be Europe is getting down to the bones much sooner than expected? Millennials have great difficulty finding opportunity in Europe. Millennial unemployment is still high and many must live with their parents well into their thirties, so they are unhappy with their governments. But also middle class workers are taxed to death and can’t get their kids moved out. The common issue is the over regulated leftist economies are severely underperforming, so the socialists can’t find enough wealth to redistribute.
What we may be seeing is common folks coming from different perspectives are concluding government policies are woefully lacking. Millennials are eager for opportunity and the middle class is desperate for relief, but European socialism fails both. European socialism will ultimately collapse, but are we seeing the cracks already? They must have ever more taxes to maintain their enormous welfare states, but the weight of those taxes is crushing their middle classes. Watch the French fires; they might just be another frenzy over fuel, but they just might be burning for freedom.
"Your father was a hard master," they said. "Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects." 1 Kings 12:4
