The bourgeoisie and the conservative right have always largely favored the automobile in mobility policies. However, under the impetus of the North American far right, the car has gone from being a vehicle to a symbol of a lifestyle to be defended. ---- The concept of the "15-minute city" is championed in particular by French social democracy and especially by Anne Hidalgo, who has become its international face. It is a set of urban policies that aim to make various everyday services accessible within a 15-minute walk. But some of these policies are subject to the whims of capital or insufficiently take into account the issue of work[1]. This criticism is also voiced by Rachida Dati, for whom the urban planning of the Paris City Hall is geared towards "bourgeois bohemians on bicycles."
Culture Wars
The term "culture wars" now refers to a political strategy of ideological combat waged by the far right. Today, particularly prevalent in the United States, this phenomenon aims to place polarizing controversies at the forefront of public debate. Politics is thus transformed into a clash of values rather than class interests. It can now rely on a media network concentrated in the hands of capitalists who support the reactionary movement.
This war on cars, like any cultural war, needs enemies, in this case the environmental movement, often embodied by the figure of the "bourgeois bohemian." However, to fuel a genuine cultural war narrative, the reactionary camp must position itself as the victim. This is how cities, states, and even supranational institutions suddenly become allies of environmental movements in their war on cars. It matters little that the environmental movement opposes the liberal policies of municipalities and is the target of numerous repressive measures. The most important thing is to create a powerful enemy, a bourgeois, city-center elite supposedly seeking to oppress the "real people"-the suburban and rural drivers.
Rejecting the Idealistic Framing
While this rhetoric is beginning to gain traction and be adopted in France, it is not yet as mobilizing as it is in the Anglo-Saxon world. For reactionary Anglophone circles, from which this "war on cars" framing originates, policies for sharing urban road space are seen as having the real objective of depriving car owners of their freedom. "15-minute city" policies are central to this narrative. Depending on the degree of conspiracy theory, these policies are actually a plan to prevent people from leaving their homes beyond a 15-minute walk.
As long as the global far right continues to pursue its cultural warfare strategy in the wake of that of the United States, it is unlikely that this discourse will disappear on its own. So how do we counter it? In our view, it is important to develop a materialist analysis of mobility issues. The vast majority of choices regarding where to get around are the result of constraints and infrastructure, not ideological preferences. The vast majority of people do not enjoy being dependent on their cars in rural areas! The culture war is a far-right framing that pits lifestyles resulting from different geographical locations against each other, presenting them as values. On the contrary, we must move forward from the conditions of our class in its geographical diversity and propose, through our struggles, a transformative vision towards greater social justice and environmental protection.
Corentin (UCL Kreiz-Breizh)
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[1]"Right to the City: Capital Assaulting Our Spaces," Alternative libertaire no. 366, December 2025.
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Automobile-La-guerre-culturelle-appuie-sur-l-accelerateur
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Link: (en) France, UCL AL #367 - Ecology - Automobiles: The Culture War Steps Up the Accelerator (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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