Clichy-sous-Bois, ses 28 000 habitants, ses 80 % de logements collectifs. De la cité verdoyante des années 1960, aux abords du bois de Bondy, à 15 km au nord de Paris, il ne reste qu'un paysage de tours et de barres délabrées. Les classes moyennes et les cadres 4,7 % des habitants ont déserté la ville qui compte 50 % de moins de 25 ans et un taux de chômage de 25 %.
A la population diversifiée d'origine a succédé une majorité de ménages à très faibles revenus, en grande précarité. Parmi elles, un tiers de familles étrangères, originaires de tous les continents, installées de longue date ou arrivées récemment, réfugiés politiques, sans-papiers débarqués dès leur descente d'avion à Roissy.
Les HLM ne représentent que 30 % des logements et ces populations ont trouvé refuge dans une multitude d'appartements surpeuplés, de copropriétés laissées à l'abandon, dans des squats ou chez des marchands de sommeil. La ville est impuissante : "Le parc privé dégradé se trouve sollicité pour loger les personnes les plus pauvres de la région parisienne qui n'ont pas accès au parc social public" , souligne Claude Dilain, maire (PS) depuis 1995. Selon les enquêtes, 30 % des ménages de ces copropriétés ne disposent pas des revenus suffisants pour un HLM.
Le potentiel fiscal de la commune est inférieur de 40 % à celui des villes équivalente Fuite des classes moyennes, chômage à 25 % : Clichy-sous-Bois, radiographie d'une ville pauvre
You also say that the 'suburbs' are not cut off from the rest of the country - well neither are the American 'inner cities.' And like the 'suburbs', the inner cities do have some middle class residents.
I am just trying to give a different view. It's not THE TRUTH, but it's not so far away either. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Actually I'm primarily following the story in the French press - Le Monde and Libe to be exact. I will note that the two topic headings for the issue in Le Monde are 'Les banlieues en crise' and 'Les banlieues en colere. Aux origines de la crise'. The current lead title on the Libe site is 'Les banlieues s'embrasent'
So in that respect, many (but not all) of these cities are turning into some kind of ghettos, but these are primarily social class and income level ghettos, not (that's maybe what Jerome meant) ethnically defined ghettos. Even though arabs and blacks are over-represented among the rioters, the most defining characteristics are the ever growing poverty, despair and lack of prospects (especially job prospects) and most of all a general ostracism in the rest of French society.
Even the few of them who manage to get college degrees still face employment discrimination because they come from a "cité", whether they're black, brown or white.
Just heard on TV: a cartoon in one of tomorrow's papers shows Sarkosy (himself a son of immigrants) issuing a travel advisory: French citizens are urged to avoid "travelling" to the banlieues... Sure looks like a foreign country to the ruling class.
BTW, Marek: Sarkozy is said to take model on Rudy Gulliani and his law & order policy in NYC. If you live there, can you share your thoughts on that. Thanks. Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.
Make that one. Reducing crime could be much more strongly connected to the police boss, William J. Bratton, whom Giuliani fired for fear that he'll take the spotlight. Then the original zero-tolerance method (which Bratton started before Giuliani named him NYC police chief, on the subways) was converted to just being tough. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Your assessment of Bloomberg is interesting; Steve Gilliard doesn't think much of the guy. Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.
Steve's opposition to Bloomberg seems to be based on three factors.
If the race were close I'd vote for Bloomberg. As it is I might vote for Ferrer as a protest vote since I'm not sure I want Bloomberg to win in a landslide.
Same for the 40% less fiscal potential. That's definitely lower, but it's not lower by an order of magnitude either. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
