Neo-Bonapartism? A parallel between Nicolas Sarkozy and ...

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Neo-Bonapartism? A parallel between Nicolas Sarkozy and Napoleon III ever followed a determinedly liberal economic policy: during the 1860s, when the authoritarian Napoleon III, in alliance with Britain, set up the first west-European common market and created an embryonic common currency” (Tombs, 2008). The tariff reduction he implemented seemed to be influenced both by one of his closest collaborators, Pereire, a prominent French capitalist, and by Haussman, the architect of contemporary Paris, as recorded by Wright (1938). Another motive, the imperial concern vis a vis popular classes, as expressed in his book “L’Extinction du Paupérisme”, mistakenly convinced him that a liberalized economy will benefit primarily the masses and relief him from any political riot consequent to poverty and unemployment. In all cases, the end result was the flourishing of trade and the overall refiguring of both of the French agricultural and industrial base. This imperial neo-liberalism “resembles that of Sarkozy”, explains Baillet, « who also considered that economic growth will contribute in improving the social conditions of the French” (2007). Considering the European Union as a convenient zone of commercial exchanges, Sarkozy advocates the virtues of the Anglo-Saxon model of free trade and questions by this way the Socialist acquis in contradiction with such a theoretical perspective. The reconsideration of the 35 hours, the social pensions reforming, the transforming of the universities into attractive poles of competitiveness are some examples of his “authoritarian liberalism that is more linked to Napoleonic principles than to the authentic republican and democratic ones” (2007) continues Baillet. On the social chapter, Sarkozy progressively shelled a complete set of measures aiming at reducing the welfare role of the French state and the valorization of the “France’s that wakes up early”. The French tradition of social assistantship was thus shaked in its foundations. Firstly, Sarkozy “made very public his desire to facilitate firing (calling for A website dedicated to this project is available starting Dec 7 th 2010 at: http://www.aui.ma/personal/~Y.Assaoui/ 46
Neo-Bonapartism? A parallel between Nicolas Sarkozy and Napoleon III “amicable separation” between employees and firms) within the modernization of the employment contract” (Clift, 2008). The rationale behind this reforming was his neo-liberal lens according to which increasing the elasticity of the human capital lightens the workforce’s burden from the employers. He thus advocated the need for the French workers to show more professional flexibility; a criterion determined by the market and not by the employers in such a conception. Second, the taxation chapter also obeyed “the hyperglobal (neo-liberal) capital flight argument: “if we tax labor too much, it delocalizes, if we tax capital too much, it delocalizes” (Clift, 2008). In the same move, Sarkozy launched a very incisive campaign against the “tax heavens”, either at the European Union or the G20 level (while paradoxically asking for the implementation of the Tobin Tax on financial transactions). The president also called upon the “ending of inheritance taxes for all small and medium-sized estates that is 90-95% of them” (Gizzi, 2007). A huge fiscal gift (of approximately 4 billion Euros as estimated by Le Point) was also proposed to the wealthiest: Sarkozy intends to considerably reduce the taxation on the ISF (Impot sur la Fortune), a gesture aiming at preventing the France’s fortunes from escaping to more clement countries in terms of taxation (by this way, Sarkozy declared in a political talk show broadcasted by France 2 the 24 th of May 2009, that he was “disappointed” by the departure of his friend Johnny Halliday to Belgium because of taxation’s concerns). Another neo-liberal battle fought by Sarkozy was his reforming of the social pensions system, and mainly the changing of the pension’s departure from 60 to 62 years. It is worth mentioning that this very unpopular reform set the French streets ablaze for several weeks, and ended up with a paralyzing shortage in fuel (the workers of the main oil refineries being in strike) but was forcefully adopted by both of the Parliament and the Senate (since the president holds the A website dedicated to this project is available starting Dec 7 th 2010 at: http://www.aui.ma/personal/~Y.Assaoui/ 47
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