Thoughts On France

I received a comment a while back at the post entitled "Another Website Withdraws". I needed time to think about my answer, but could not really come up with anything substantial. Here is the comment:

The real problem in Europe is the passing comment "France is still the center of Europe." It is, but by all rights it should not be - Germany is the real core of Europe. France lost both world wars to Germany only to have "the Anglos" salvage an illusory victory for them. Huge, HUGE, mistake to allow DeGaulle to march into Paris. France should have been occupied and de-Nazified with the same vigor as Germany. When have the French confronted Petain and the concentration camps on French soil? Instead it was allowed the pretension of a victor. Its poisonous pacifist, misunderstood existential crap still pollutes academies across the world. Culturally, in matters of thought, philosophy, music and yes ART, France has been a backwater to Germany since the Revolution.

France still punches way above its weight politically. In time, Germany must reassert itself and assume its rightful place in the world. Part of the problem today is that France remains dominant artificially. It owes everything to America and Britain, and so has profound self-doubt expressed as passive aggression against us, its betters. Modern France is a sham...and the French know this deep down.

The fight to keep the light burning will go in central and eastern Europe, in Denmark and Italy, long after France succumbs to Islam, which it effectively has already done through its foreign policy and Eurabian project. Eurabia is a French creation, literally: 1973 France decided on dhimmitude. Why not? What did they do in 1940 after all? Behave like modern Frenchmen, that's what.

This is my rather vague response. Some readers may have something to add, either to what he said, or to my reply:

This is a very late answer. I wanted to think about what you said before responding, but I have not come up with anything really substantial to add. Economically, no question Germany has been the center of Europe. No question, the rampant, and now almost congenital socialism, has destroyed the will of the French to create enterprise and the desire to enjoy the fruits of one's own labor. And it has lured to France's shores the millions of greedy and violent immigrants who want a piece of the cake.

I still regard the America's gesture to allow DeGaulle to march into Paris as an example of gallantry and elegance on our part. But this is a subjective feeling. Your analysis is probably more accurate, and I'm sure many Americans feel as you do.

When I was in France in the 60's they certainly had confronted Pétain, though they sometimes hated to admit it. With time, and a lowering of educational standards, they came to "forget", and to hate America and to sympathize with the anti-American forces of the world, whatever they may be: Islamic countries, environmentalists, pacifists, Cuba, socialism, etc... Then Chirac began a policy of repentance, forcing them to repent excessively and artificially for crimes they did not commit, creating a new social pathology - false guilt and overcompensation through pandering to minorities, affirmative action (both official and unofficial).

This entangled mess will probably worsen under Sarkozy.

The French "philosophies" that are taught in our universities are the responsibility of our universities, not the French themselves. No college is obligated to teach "Deconstructionism" or whatever... The colleges are to blame for that.

As for French vs German culture, I'm no expert. In music, yes, Germany certainly is the towering contributor, thanks in part to Wagner. But I have great fondness for both Debussy and Ravel and Bizet. There are other fine French composers... but of course, Richard Strauss, Bruckner, Mahler (if you count him as German - he was Austrian) dominate the 20th century musical scene.

I know little about 19th century German art, so I cannot even express a subjective opinion. But (subjectively) French art of the 19th century remains one of the glories of their cultural output.

"Modern France is a sham..." Yes, I agree. It has lost its soul. The monarchy should be restored.

I'm aware of the "Eurabia" project - it has been much talked about at the French websites since I began reading them 4 years ago. They are fully aware of the plan to destroy their country through population substitution - at least those who live in heavily Islamized areas of France are aware. They are the ones who voted (naively I'm afraid) for Sarkozy.

The reason why I don't feel that we are their "betters" (although I do understand why historically someone might feel that way) is that we have the same process of cultural destruction here - only it is less obvious and less concentrated. My prison term in the public schools brought me into daily contact with: population substitution, forced guilt for crimes I didn't commit, violence, daily degradation, affirmative action (giving high grades to low achievers), cultural Marxism, destructive educational theories akin to deconstructionism, etc...

I feel I know what they are going through. The counter-cultural revolution of 1968 set into motion the process of cultural decay, both here and there. But we unquestionably had a superior economy and we surged ahead economically, thus kindling French jealousy. Without the cultural upheaval of the 60's things would be quite different. We all would have had the fortitude to fight Islam and other enemies.

The old photo of the great day is on auction at e-bay for those interested...

Also, here is a long webpage of discussions about France's role in WWII, posted at Lawrence Auster's VFR. It is not complimentary to France, but provides much food for thought and conversation.