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Impose economic austerity to the working classes and women, but not to the rich, is the
essence of the thought of our government and economic institutions these days. All means
are good to sell to workers (employed or unemployed) a poison cocktail mixing
privatization of public services, cuts in government spending and destruction of social
safety nets. To repay the debt sacrosanct, some countries, including Greece is the most
eloquent example, should set in motion a series of measures (privatizations, cuts, etc.)
to obtain money lending institutions like International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the
European Central Bank (ECB). This is the famous structural adjustment plans. In turn,
governments are "rewarded" by slices using several million dollars they can use to pay
their creditors. However, the issue is far from settled. The debt the government owed the
bankers, now moves on the part of institutions such as the IMF and the ECB. They will soon
require repayment of loans to governments "need". Finally: a vicious circle that benefits
large companies through privatization cheap, and banks.
The affliction is that this ideology is not only advocated and implemented by right-wing
governments. Several "left" involved in autoritaire waltz without flinching. In Greece,
the Socialist Party is a member of the ruling coalition following the finger and eye
applications Berlin and the Troika (IMF, ECB and European Union). Same in Spain where the
Spanish Socialist Workers, then in power, announced a series of austerity measures in May
2010 to respond to the economic crisis. The country is in is still recovering. Such a
scenario is being repeated in France with the Socialist government of Fran?ois Hollande.
All this without the country is plunged into an economic crisis.
"I like the company! "- Manuel Valls, Prime Minister of the Republic.
It was at the summer school of the Mouvement des entreprises de France (MEDEF), an
organization representing the French bosses that Valls recalled the love that exists
between business and the ruling Socialist Party history. During the inaugural speech, the
PM has made his point. Thus, from the outset, Valls said " I like the company, I love the
company! "He followed with" France needs you. The return to growth will first by business
support . " " State and enterprises, entrepreneurs and employees, employer organizations
and trade unions. Our country is dying of these postures. Cease to systematically oppose
rather seek to cooperate. "(1)
The message is clear. The class struggle is over, stop wanting to put a spoke in the
wheels of patrons with working conditions too favorable for employee-es. It's time to
deconstruct to make life easier for businesses. Emmanuel Macron, new economy minister in
the government Valls, do not hesitate to say so. The former banker at Rothschild mentioned
without hiding: he " assumed to revisit a reflex of the left, that now is the location of
the class struggle and profound misalignment of interests " . It continues unabated with
" The battle is not to be carried out within the company, but to conquer new markets and
new customers. (...) If we stay in a classic test of class struggle, and thus dividing the
human community in the business, so we will continue to dig the impasse in which we find
ourselves. "(2)
The millionaire called to the sacred between employers and employees in the name of
economic competitiveness union. This is to the delight of the employers who rubs his hands
and already saliva. The pact of responsibility put forward by the Netherlands government
has something to cringe. On one hand, 50 billion euros in savings will be realized by 2017
(the year marking the end of five years of the PS) and another 40 billion euros given to
companies via the famous pact and competitive employment tax credit (CICE). Anything goes.
3.7 billion less on allocations to local authorities, - 4.1% of budget allocation for the
Ministry of Agriculture - 3% credit for work and employment, less EUR 500 million for the
Department of Ecology in 2014 - 450 million for 2015, etc. The 2015 budget provides $ 21
billion savings in utilities. (3)
The same goes for job creation that is supposed to be the "priority" of the government.
11,879 jobs will disappear for 10,601 new jobs, a loss of 1,278 full time. Austerity, but
not for everyone. As always, big companies pick up the big pieces of the pie. 50 million
for Carrefour (retail sector) and $ 300 million to banks are only a few examples. The
money is given to them without any obligation in return. The government hopes that
companies will take the money to hire more people. Of course, this account lies to
himself. Thus Auchan, present in the retail group, reached $ 120 million through the CICE
for 2013-2014 and in exchange, 300 positions will be eliminated ... Same story on the side
of Marseille. Les Grands Moulins Maurel, who belong to the group Nutrixo are threatened
with closure despite the fact that he receives money CICE to enable it to create jobs ...
In addition, the group refuses to meet a buyer serious potential that would keep the plant
open. By acquiring the plant Panzani, Nutrixo just wanted to kill the competition and have
a monopoly on the Marseille region. All this with the support of the province (and the
state owns 12% of Nutrixo ...). The main beneficiaries of these measures are the
shareholders. In the second quarter of 2014, France was the champion of the dividends paid
to them with an increase of 30.3%, the best performance in Europe. Meanwhile, the real
business investment was down 1.1%. (4)
Still, some ministers 'socialist' believe that all this is not enough and that the PS must
go even further. Fran?ois Rebsamen, Minister of Labour, says she converted to the "
liberal vision of the economy . " He criticizes his party for not doing its " ideological
driven "and to reject all advances to strengthen controls (the unemployed), to relax the
thresholds in social enterprises and allow work on Sundays. (5) This same Rebsamen flicage
which calls for the unemployed. " I ask the employment center to strengthen controls to
ensure that people seek good jobs , "said the minister. Now, employees of the employment
center (public institution responsible for employment in France) spend more time doing the
witch hunt that really support the unemployed in their efforts to find a job.
For a counselor of the employment center who has worked for eight years in a popular
district of Paris: " Today, the priority of management is to register people, to
compensate them, control them, not to accompany ! Because of the lack of staff, I 200
unemployed in my wallet, I'm not going to see them succeed once between September and
December, this is not how we can get them to work! And we do not have time for another
major activity to meet businesses to collect jobs . " There would be 3 million jobs for 5
million unemployed. All these efforts flicage while unemployment fraud accounts for just
0.8% of total fraud in France. It's tiny compared to 3.66 billion tax evasion ...
Fire sale of the assets of the French state ...
Despite the good performance of state assets in several companies, the government wants to
divest a portion thereof to bail out without the need to touch the gifts bosses. Thus 20%
of the 72% held by the State in the French games (JDF) are about to be sold. However, the
turnover (12.3 billion euros) has doubled since 2000 Public Investment Bank will divest
1.9% of Orange whose capital stock has gained 32% since the beginning of the year! In
2013, the Socialist government has offloaded 3.1% of aerospace group Safran, 3.7% of EADS
(now Airbus) and 9.5% of A?roports de Paris. A year earlier, asset prices had skyrocketed
with 54 +, 96 +% of Safran and 89.19% at Airbus Group. By selling its assets, the
government hopes to recover 4bn euros this year. However, this is part of a short-term
perspective as it deprives them of a steady source of income (4.2 billion in dividends in
2013 and 3.8 billion in 2014) that there will be more in coming years if it continues to
sell its assets, remember, are very prolific. The French state holds shares in 74
companies including Air France, Orange, Renault and SNCF, or EUR 110 billion.
This wave of privatization is reminiscent of the private sale of French motorways in 2006
According to the Competition Authority (report published in September 2014), the net
profitability varies from 20-24%. Since privatization is 14.9 billion dividend that went
into the pockets of private groups such as Vinci, Eiffage and Abertis. This is besides the
Motorways Concessionaires Corporation (FCC), formed three companies named earlier, the key
competitive employment tax credit (CICE) even as it made billions of profit and she began
to the gate agents for 2776 a reduction of 17% of the staff! There are the incessant and
unwarranted increases in tolls. Finally, Vinci also has a branch in the building, so no
need to ask the question about who will go the contract to repair highways ... After
emptying the buffer, these big companies are asking the population to tighten the belt ...
Valls bilingual!
It was during his time at the City of London the Prime Minister Manuel Valls took the
opportunity to remind his love of the business (yes, again!). " My government is
pro-business "is the phrase that launched Financial came to listen. He reassured by
putting forward the gift of 40 billion given to businesses, abolish the 75% tax on the
income of the very rich and the tax cuts. He recalled that the British (via investments)
are welcome in France. Speaking to the media Valls stated he wants to " defend the brand
France. "" I'm tired of french bashing ". After the speech of PM, a British financial even
said on camera that Valls was not a socialist and he liked her as well. This leaves more
left in the PS ...
Couillard advocates the "same remedy."
In La Belle Province, the government struck with the same disease of austerity. This fall,
two "commissions" were trained to find millions if not billions of dollars. One has a
mandate to review the tax in Quebec and the other to review all social programs.
Considering the "experts" chosen to serve on these committees, and their favorable for
reducing the size of the bias condition, pricing, and privatization, we should expect a
slaughter rule in public services and programs social.
And it's already started! Before the findings of commissions, or even in fact, even before
the start of their work. There is one more week or the government announced cuts in social
programs or launch a political football. First, in programs for disadvantaged children
(recall the statement of the Minister before his about face on the budget books in school
libraries), budgets in schools that pass wringer, cuts to welfare, cuts in wildlife
protection, health, culture, education, etc.
Austerity, everywhere!
Austerity no boundaries and tends to emerge as the new unique business model to boost
capitalist machine stopped. An offshoot of neo-liberalism triumphant and worn by political
and business leaders. All this, supported by major bilateral institutions such as the IMF,
the ECB and the World Trade Organization, which shall ensure dictate the way forward.
Change governments by other solves nothing. Left and right, political parties are kneeling
before their god Capital. At best, the descent into hell is slower ... but it happens like
that. Do not rely on polls to hopefully make a difference by putting in power with
politicians who first due course return their jackets and fall in line. The examples are
too many to make the same mistake. Instead, we must begin to organize our anger and unite
to counter not only austerity measures that inevitably come but go on the offensive.
Because our goals should not simply prevent layoffs, service cuts, fare increases, etc. It
takes that through our struggles we sow the seeds of a true transformation of society. It
is by building alternatives and against-powers really in the hands of many, we can achieve
it. This involves the takeover of companies by and for workers-Artists and implementation
of self-production tools. But also self-management of our living spaces and study. We must
regain control of the economy, our neighborhoods, building democratic powers
against-(committees, groups, general assemblies, etc.), serving all. So we will lay the
foundations for a truly democratic and egalitarian people's power.
More than ever, it is in the street as it happens!
1. http://www.humanite.fr/universite dete-du-medef Gattaz-and-valls-unison-550219
2.
http://www.humanite.fr/macron-wants-revisit-the-left-in-the-erasing-fight-of-classes-550273
3. L'Humanit? on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014.
4.
http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/economie/20140822.OBS6938/infographie-la-france-championne-des-dividendes-verses-aux-actionnaires.html
5. Mankind, Monday, Oct. 6, 2014.
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