The left alternative to the FN | 17 comments (17 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: The left alternative to the FN (4.00 / 2)

Cécile Duflot replies to Jean-Luc Mélenchon:

L'Allemagne n'est pas notre ennemie - Libération		Germany is not our enemy - Libération
Tu es un animal politique trop doué et un intellectuel trop avisé pour que je ne me dise pas que le ton employé relève d'une stratégie de conquête des coeurs. En mettant ta critique de l'Allemagne au diapason de la nostalgie identitaire, tu penses, peut-être de bonne foi, détourner la colère populaire des sirènes national-populistes. Il n'en sera rien. Mettre le doigt dans cet engrenage sémantique, c'est se préparer à avoir bientôt tout le corps entraîné dans la germanophobie la plus élémentaire. Tu te défends de cette critique en renvoyant, par avance, tous ceux qui seraient choqués par tes propos dans le camp des tenants du système.		You're a way too skilled political animal and such a well advised intellectual that I can't help thinking that the tone employed is akin to a strategy of "conquest of the hearts". By putting your criticism of Germany in tune with identity nostalgia, you think, maybe in good faith, to turn the popular anger from the sirens of National-populism. It won't happen. Putting a finger in this semantics spiral, is looking at having soon your whole body dragged into the most primary Germanophobia. You are fending this criticism off, by referring, in advance, all those who would be shocked by your words to the camp of the system proponents.

Mélenchon recently published a pamphlet, Le hareng de Bismarck (Bismarck's herring), a virulent critique of Germany.

by Bernard (bernard) on Wed May 20th, 2015 at 04:54:15 PM EST

Re: The left alternative to the FN (none / 0)

"Bismarck's herring"

So his problems are culinary?

by IM on Wed May 20th, 2015 at 06:13:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The left alternative to the FN (none / 1)

Well, it's well known that French people like culinary based metaphors just like USians like gun based metaphors.

It that case, I understand the book's title is referring to last year's visit of F.Hollande to A.Merkel.

by Bernard (bernard) on Thu May 21st, 2015 at 04:46:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The left alternative to the FN (none / 0)

Seems to ne a purely french debate. So "Germany" seems to be just a metaphor.

Is it true that he accuses Germany of militarism?

Funny.

by IM on Wed May 20th, 2015 at 06:47:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The left alternative to the FN (4.00 / 2)

Here's the blurb supplied by his publisher:

Ouvrage \| Plon Jean-Luc MELENCHON		Books \| Plon Jean-Luc MELENCHON
Le « poison allemand » est celui que la politique du gouvernement Merkel diffuse dans l'économie de ses voisins. Un poison asphyxiant qui condamne ceux-ci à la misère, au chaos social et politique. Dans ce pamphlet, Jean-Luc Mélenchon appelle à assumer une confrontation franche des points de vue avec l'Allemagne actuelle pour stopper la marche au chaos en cours.		The « German poison » is the one that Merkel's government policy is diffusing into the economy of its neighbors. An asphyxiating poison that condemns them to poverty, social and political chaos. In this pamphlet, Jean-Luc Mélenchon calls to a frank confrontation of views with today's Germany to stop the ongoing march to chaos.
Ceci est un pamphlet. Mon but est de percer le blindage des béatitudes de tant de commentateurs fascinés par l'Allemagne. Je prends la plume pour alerter : un monstre est né sous yeux, l'enfant de la finance dérégulée et d'un pays qui s'est voué à elle, nécrosé par le vieillissement accéléré de sa population. L'un ne serait rien sans l'autre. Cette alliance est en train de remodeler l'Europe à sa main. Dès lors, l'Allemagne est, de nouveau, un danger. Le modèle qu'elle impose est, une fois de plus, un recul pour notre civilisation. Ce poison allemand est l'opium des riches. Changer la donne politique et faire changer l'Allemagne sont devenus une seule et même chose. Il faut le faire avant qu'il ne soit trop tard.		This is a pamphlet. My goal is to pierce the armor of bliss of so many commentators fascinated by Germany. I'm taking up my pen to alert: a monster is born under your eyes, the child of deregulated finance and a country that has committed to it, necrotic by the accelerated aging of its population. One would be nothing without the other. This alliance is reshaping Europe under its thumb. From then on, Germany is once again a threat. The model it is imposing is, once again, a step backwards for civilization. This German poison is the opium of the rich. Change the political landscape and make Germany change have become one and the same. This must be done before it is too late.

Le Monde has run a "fact-checking" exercise on his main claims: polluters, bee killers, etc... but militarism isn't on that list (and I haven't seen that particular claim on any of the coverage I've seen).

by Bernard (bernard) on Thu May 21st, 2015 at 05:03:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The left alternative to the FN (none / 0)

I did read in the WELT that there was a chapter on militarism.

Whatever, Germany is just a symbol:

" My goal is to pierce the armor of bliss of so many commentators fascinated by Germany. "

by IM on Sun May 24th, 2015 at 05:24:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The left alternative to the FN (4.00 / 2)

However much the general argument may risk an unwarranted conflation of the German policy to commit to the neoliberal agenda with "Germany" as such, reading this passage:

"the child of deregulated finance and a country that has committed to it"

... the only substantial sin in this particular passage would appear to be accuracy.

I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Tue May 26th, 2015 at 01:29:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The left alternative to the FN (none / 1)

The financial sector in Germany is not as deregulated as in Britain or the USA, nor moving in that direction now AFAIK. I think the main goal in Europe is not further financial deregulation but labour market deregulation, privatisation and the regulation of the public sector (speak: put it into a straitjacket).

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sat Jun 6th, 2015 at 02:47:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The left alternative to the FN | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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