France has been wonderful to us these past few weeks. The Dordogne's beauty and fare beguiled and Paris, despite crowds and unseasonably cool weather, charms as always. Ann's new interest in the history of Western Civ has been gratified at every turn.
After three weeks of getting our news via web from the NYT and Seattle Times; from TV via BBC, Sky, France Anglais, and Al Jazeera (which maintains the most consistent focus on news); and from what we can make of headlines (my three years of French half-a-century ago long since failed me) clear impressions form.
First, all the western democracies are in reactive mode, and overwhelmingly reacting to internal strains rather than externalities. While Xi and Putin are each looking outward, toward consolidating their natural hegemonies, the US is only partially looking out, and that in reaction to mid-east turmoils, North Pacific tensions, and entanglement in Afghanistan. But the Europeans? Entirely inward (with exception of Hollande's transparent and feeble attempt to distract the French public by mis-adventure in Mali, which only underscored France's weakness.) In light of Europe's unemployment highs (more than half-again as high as in the States, and in Southern Europe, higher than levels of the Great Depression,) persistent banking crises, and the public's eroding confidence in the concept of a United Europe, the US doesn't look so bad. But none of the Western Democracies is proactively addressing its challenges and opportunities.
Second, our Boston tragedy evokes sympathy but also a slight schadenfreude since terrorists have struck here more often and usually with larger body counts, not to mention the daily horrifics in the mid-East and Pakistan. The Europeans follow our gun debate with the same morbid, fascinated revulsion one indulges in at the county fair freak show. Our Congressional dysfunction doesn't merit much comment here, not given the political burlesque in Italy, rising jingoism in many EU countries, bickering with Brussels, incessant second-guessing by shadow governments in Germany and the UK, and the steadily deteriorating Euro.
So, relatively, we don't look so bad but the point is that the unity and strength of Western democracies is thin gruel compared to what once was. With its self-inflicted wound of austerity, Europe is quietly becoming more and more dependent upon the strengths of the US economy and US military. One hears questions being raised at home about the equity and affordability of this dependency; whither goest NATO?
Whither goest France? Deeply troubled, but still important. Important for their gifts to the West: Lascaux; religious tolerance (finally, after horrific lessons of intolerance); The Enlightenment philosophers; the ideals of Egalite', Fraternite', Liberte'; esteem for artists, writers, musicians, dramatists; the romance of romance ... and wine, bread and cheese. Important still, for they know wines, breads and cheeses.
A Political PS:
Is Europe's malaise a precursor for us? No, our economy, our demographics, our immigration will keep leading us out. But given that Obama has abandoned the fight to change the way Washington works (not that he ever launched it) and has given up on a democratic republic and embraced the funder republic, as "Lester" Lessig terms it, there is little promise of our soon becoming proactive. Congress' day-before-flying-home reversal of FAA cuts exemplifys the self-interest that drives our representatives. Can we expect those who care more about their party than their country to rein in K St., reform campaign financing, address education and inequality, work to make health care real, or re-size and restrict the too-big-to-manage/too-big-to-fail banks? Not likely; not this bunch.
So, how do we look from here? Well, maybe better than Europe, but not so damn hot.
