France, Socialism and Car Burnings

[BeAChooser]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60010D20100101


Car burnings are regular occurrences in poor suburbs that ring France's big cities, but the arson is especially prevalent during New Year's Eve revelry.
The number of vehicles torched was only 10 short of the record 1,147 burned this time last year, even though the Interior Ministry mobilized 45,000 police during the night -- 10,000 more than 12 months ago.


Everyone is so happy under socialism. A roof on every head. A chicken in every pot. And free healthcare. :D

[GreenLines]

Bet the cars were cheaper this year.

[Arcade22]

I wonder what ethnicity the assailants were...

[BeAChooser]

Bet the cars were cheaper this year.

Thanks to capitalism. :D

[Redtail]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60010D20100101



Everyone is so happy under socialism. A roof on every head. A chicken in every pot. And free healthcare. :D

http://www.campusgrotto.com/the-7-biggest-college-riots-of-all-time.html
:D

[Thunder]

I wonder what ethnicity the assailants were...

France should kick out all foreigners. Starting with the Swedes.

[Travis]

The immigrant ghetto's are being blamed on socialism?????

Isn't there still a lot of that capitalism stuff going on in France too?

[Cavemonster]

Wow, I wonder how bad the car burnings are in Sweden, a markedly more socialist country than France?

Is your point that since France has more of a social safety net than the US, and that hasn't solved all social ills that could possibly occur, then socialism is bad/ineffective? What a poorly conceived notion!

Here's a good one, let's look at the level of socialism in various countries and the number of people who go bankrupt due to medical costs. I'll bet there might be a nice correlation there, and a far more meaningful one.

[Uzzy]

The immigrant ghetto's are being blamed on socialism?????

Isn't there still a lot of that capitalism stuff going on in France too?

Unfortunately not. All of Europe is apparently hardline Communist, you see. :D
But, somehow we manage to have a vibrant private sector, with many innovative industries (including Car manufacturers) and a GDP higher then then the United States. ;)

Still, I do have to wonder, BaC. How many cars were burned in Detroit recently? Or is it only we socialists who have social problems, hmm? :p

[Redtail]

Unfortunately not. All of Europe is apparently hardline Communist, you see. :D
But, somehow we manage to have a vibrant private sector, with many innovative industries (including Car manufacturers) and a GDP higher then then the United States. ;)

Still, I do have to wonder, BaC. How many cars were burned in Detroit recently? Or is it only we socialists who have social problems, hmm? :p

You have social problems!

We win National Championships!

[Bob Blaylock]

I guess this is the French version of Comrade Obama's “Cash for Clunkers” scam. The execution may be somewhat cruder, but the effect is the same. Destroy valuable automobiles, and that part of industry that profits from making new automobiles to replace those that are destroyed will prosper. I bet Puegot and Citroën love this aspect of French society.

Of course, the Parable of the Broken Window (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_broken_window) applies here, as well as to the more-civilized American version of this scam.

[Morrigan]

Wait... you're seriously claiming there is a link between France's social programs and the suburban car burnings? I mean, it didn't occur to you that the car burnings are a social problem specific to France and that other "socialist" countries like Canada or Sweden don't have it?

Oh, wait, I forgot who posted the OP. Nevermind...

[Arcade22]

Wow, I wonder how bad the car burnings are in Sweden, a markedly more socialist country than France?

It's bad.

Here's some links:

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpolitisktinkorrekt.wordpress.com%2F 2009%2F12%2F19%2Fbrandkaren-far-kameror-pa-sina-bilar-i-rosengard%2F&sl=sv&tl=en

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpolitisktinkorrekt.wordpress.com%2F 2009%2F11%2F16%2Fraketer-stora-stenar-och-molovtov-mot-brandkaren-i-gbg%2F

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpolitisktinkorrekt.wordpress.com%2F 2009%2F10%2F24%2Fdet-nya-sverige-130-fordon-brann-pa-tva-manader-i-goteborg%2F

[Puppycow]

The immigrant ghetto's are being blamed on socialism?????

Aren't they public housing projects? AKA "socialism"?

For whatever reason, areas with public housing seem to have higher rates of crime.

[Bikewer]

As in the miserably-failed public-housing projects here in St. Louis. (Pruett-Igoe)

As I understand it, these slum areas are almost totally populated by foriegn immigrants who are very poorly integrated into French society. Although partaking of whatever welfare/socialist programs are available, they are on the lowest levels of income, have poor French language skills, and feel isolated from society in general on racial/ethnic grounds.
Sounds a lot like ghetto life here, where we also have occasional outbreaks of such incidents.

[Travis]

Aren't they public housing projects? AKA "socialism"?

For whatever reason, areas with public housing seem to have higher rates of crime.

Yes, but there were also slums in the very capitalistic New York City of the 1890's.

[TragicMonkey]

The problem with French socialism isn't the socialism, it's the French.

[Cavemonster]

It's bad.

Here's some links:

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpolitisktinkorrekt.wordpress.com%2F 2009%2F12%2F19%2Fbrandkaren-far-kameror-pa-sina-bilar-i-rosengard%2F&sl=sv&tl=en

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpolitisktinkorrekt.wordpress.com%2F 2009%2F11%2F16%2Fraketer-stora-stenar-och-molovtov-mot-brandkaren-i-gbg%2F

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpolitisktinkorrekt.wordpress.com%2F 2009%2F10%2F24%2Fdet-nya-sverige-130-fordon-brann-pa-tva-manader-i-goteborg%2F

Yeah, I'm not sure how seriously I can take a news site that has a section in the main menu bar for posting information on why Islam is horrible.

Really Arcade?

[Arcade22]

Yeah, I'm not sure how seriously I can take a news site that has a section in the main menu bar for posting information on why Islam is horrible.

Really Arcade?

It's a news aggregator, you can read the original articles if you follow the links.

[casebro]

Here's a good one, let's look at the level of socialism in various countries and the number of people who go bankrupt due to medical costs. ....

By definition of bankruptcy, all those examples you are trying to point out did get FREE MEDICAL CARE!

[BeAChooser]

Still, I do have to wonder, BaC. How many cars were burned in Detroit recently?

You tell us, Uzzy. Last I heard experts are puzzling as to why the crime rate has gone down so much in the US, even during a deep recession. Perhaps because Capitalism gives hope whereas socialism does not? :D

[Cavemonster]

By definition of bankruptcy, all those examples you are trying to point out did get FREE MEDICAL CARE!

Well, free after they had lost their houses, their savings, and everything else.

You seem to have an odd notion of bankruptcy.

[lomiller]

Here's a good one, let's look at the level of socialism in various countries and the number of people who go bankrupt due to medical costs. I'll bet there might be a nice correlation there, and a far more meaningful one.

Better yet, why not compare “level of socialism” with economic mobility. The US has some of the lowest economic mobility of any western country. France isn’t great either but easily outperforms the US. (Both are still far better then most developing countries.)

[tyr_13]

You tell us, Uzzy. Last I heard experts are puzzling as to why the crime rate has gone down so much in the US, even during a deep recession. Perhaps because Capitalism gives hope whereas socialism does not? :D

During a deep recession with all those evil 'Obama as prefix' programs of death-socialism. Yes, the hope is really coming from capitalism. :rolleyes:

[Lukraak_Sisser]

I'm confused, I thought the current french government is of the capitalist variety, the socialist party having lost the election about 2 years ago? To be fair I have no clue which parties ruled before that, but current problems are always the fault of the current government as evidenced by complaints about any government ever in human history.
And its shocking that the socialist press here has neglected to mention that in the last few years capitalism has totally abolished slums, high crime rate areas and all other social ills that have plagued humanity for as long as we've bothered to write.
Should I ever have need to come to the US I'm sure happy to know I can walk through any part of any city unarmed and alone.

[Uzzy]

You tell us, Uzzy. Last I heard experts are puzzling as to why the crime rate has gone down so much in the US, even during a deep recession. Perhaps because Capitalism gives hope whereas socialism does not? :D

Ah, I see you avoided my question and asked something else. Of course, that's an easy one to answer, given that the crime rate in the UK goes down year on year, as demonstrated here. (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/crime-statistics/index.html) As for why the US crime rate went down, I thought that was obvious. You finally spent more money on hiring cops. That tends to help.

Now, does the US have social problems, or is it only socialist countries who do that?

[Cavemonster]

Here is a list of notable riots occuring in the 21st century.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_riots#21st_century

If you're actually trying to forge a link from socialism to civil unrest, use all this data and present a case, then we'll listen to you.

[Rogue1stclass]

Yeah, but these are (presumably) French cars, so who really cares.

[Undesired Walrus]

You tell us, Uzzy. Last I heard experts are puzzling as to why the crime rate has gone down so much in the US, even during a deep recession. Perhaps because Capitalism gives hope whereas socialism does not? :D

Specious reasoning.

France is not socialist btw.

[Redtail]

Specious reasoning.

France is not socialist btw.

Any country with universal health care is socialist... Fox 3:16 tells us so.;)

[Childlike Empress]

The french started taking CEO's as hostages last year.

[funk de fino]

Another stupendously ignorant and epic failure of an OP.

A great start to the year.

[KingMerv00]

America has an unusually high murder rate for an industrialized nation...obviously because of capitalism.

[Cleon]

OK, I think I've got it now.

National health system = death panels = socialism = teh evil = car explosions.


This must be what goes on in Sarah Palin's head.

[Jono]

France should kick out all foreigners. Starting with the Swedes.

Well they gave Normandy to the vikings, but after they had settled there long enogh, they got itchy fingers and decided to head over and conquer England, who later went back and conquered parts of France, who then... Oi vey.

[Cleon]

Well they gave Normandy to the vikings, but after they had settled there long enogh, they got itchy fingers and decided to head over and conquer England, who later went back and conquered parts of France, who then... Oi vey.

Then came the cat who ate the kid,
My father bought for two zuzim.

Chad Gadya, chad gadya...