Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Cultural Democracy?
So, if management by appeasement is the way France is going, what do the riots tell us about democracy?
For starters, surviving is not the same as thriving. It is part of the human condition that people want to thrive. It is part of the democratic ideal that all citizens have the right to pursue happiness. A democracy assures the right to thrive, if not the opportunity. This is the government’s job.
If the government's appeasement ensures survival, and democracy supports an opportunity to thrive, then government needs to enforce an equal opportunity to pursue happiness. When the divide falls along racial, or ethnic lines, the government has failed. To be fair, this is a tough nut to crack. We've tried it for generations in the US and still have room for improvement. I must admit, I don't mind seeing Europeans struggle with these issues given how harshly they've criticized us in the past.
What remains to be seen is whether the French can redefine what it means to be French. It’s easy to assimilate a few minorities and brag about your success. But, as Europe is finding, it is much harder to assimilate large groups with different religions, ethnicities, and cultures in numbers so large that they will reshape your culture. The challenge posed by riots has become a cultural one. Can the French people be culturally democratic? We’ll see. So far, mainstream French citizens can’t see themselves wearing bhurkas. With all the baggage Islam carries from its radical sect, who can blame them? But, even without baggage such change is difficult. To watch your society move from it’s traditional center is mind-bending. Instead of re-examining one’s identity, culture and values, it makes one want to defend them.
Again, this is a good time to not be a French politician.
For starters, surviving is not the same as thriving. It is part of the human condition that people want to thrive. It is part of the democratic ideal that all citizens have the right to pursue happiness. A democracy assures the right to thrive, if not the opportunity. This is the government’s job.
If the government's appeasement ensures survival, and democracy supports an opportunity to thrive, then government needs to enforce an equal opportunity to pursue happiness. When the divide falls along racial, or ethnic lines, the government has failed. To be fair, this is a tough nut to crack. We've tried it for generations in the US and still have room for improvement. I must admit, I don't mind seeing Europeans struggle with these issues given how harshly they've criticized us in the past.
What remains to be seen is whether the French can redefine what it means to be French. It’s easy to assimilate a few minorities and brag about your success. But, as Europe is finding, it is much harder to assimilate large groups with different religions, ethnicities, and cultures in numbers so large that they will reshape your culture. The challenge posed by riots has become a cultural one. Can the French people be culturally democratic? We’ll see. So far, mainstream French citizens can’t see themselves wearing bhurkas. With all the baggage Islam carries from its radical sect, who can blame them? But, even without baggage such change is difficult. To watch your society move from it’s traditional center is mind-bending. Instead of re-examining one’s identity, culture and values, it makes one want to defend them.
Again, this is a good time to not be a French politician.
