Within the morose context of a European Union beset by a continuing financial and economic crisis, France should emerge as a beacon of relative optimism. Was not the country of Colbert reinforced in her conviction that state interventionism was much more part of the solution than the problem? It was massive state intervention, after all, that saved the world from unfettered finance.
France is faring much better amid the crisis than most of its neighbours, with the possible exception of Germany. The French only have to look to Spain and Greece to see how privileged they are to have an internationally strong and functioning state, with modern infrastructure and enviable public services. It starts with a health system that, while not what it was, remains a model of efficiency and humanity especially for someone returning to France after a relatively long stay in the US.
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