Gilets Jaunes and Rebellion in 2018

Les Misérables

Arming the barricades at dawn has always evoked romantic visions for me. But now that I live in Paris, I understand far more about what Hugo was honoring. That is, before it got packaged into a more mass-market and simplified beginning-middle-end. Musicals and highschool history class do a poor job of conveying the journey that ends in rebellion, or even revolution, almost always starts with modest gatherings in public spaces. The Gilets Jaunes (#giletsjaunes) demonstrations of the last few weeks appear to have come out of the blue because, as an expat, I’m not part of those initial conversations that eventually spark fire.

And, when I am involved, my investment is academic and intellectual. I have not lived this country’s history. Nor am I far enough along in my assimilation to step out into the streets with rebellion in my heart. In fact, becoming an expat is my form of it. But, I pay attention.

Manifestation perfection

As an American, I do not come from a culture of mass public demonstrations, at least not in the Old World sense. France, on the other hand, has perfected them.

Every spring there are a few days of street closures, marching and chanting about some socio-econo-political issue. And every fall, just after the rentrée (return from summer vacation and beginning of the school year), the pattern repeats, usually around a different issue. Visit the Place de République on an average weekend, and you’re likely to find some group or other congregated around a banner and bullhorn. 

Usually,  these manifestations (demonstrations) create a traffic nuisance, make Paris smell a bit more ripe and motivate the creation or safeguard of a public service. C’est la vie.

But, every once in a while, they become something more. Every once in a while, they shut down the system, stir fear, feed on themselves and motivate violence.

Gilets Jaunes

The gilets jaunes (yellow jackets) are those florescent yellow, reflective, protective vests road crews wear to avoid getting hit by passing cars. Here in France, you are required to have them in your car next to that forgotten spare tire. But, now, they’ve taken on a symbolic meaning. They refers to a movement.

As an expat, my perception of politics — of everything, really — is filtered through a cultural bias steeped in my upbringing someplace else. As an American, that cultural bias is often as nuanced as a well-placed right hook to the chin. The United States, after all, is a Super Power. Ignoring the absurdity of the title, what that means is that I come from a culture where diplomacy is largely unnecessary — other than to help solve the problems of “unfortunate” countries across the ocean — and violence is personal rather than political. 

This is a still a prevalent (and incorrect) world view for Americans: we solve other people’s problems. And those other people should only be so lucky to be us. Unfortunately, we’ve also sold this world view quite well on the global market.

Collectively, Americans’ memories are short. When you only have 250 year of acknowledged history to work with, after all, a month can seem the equivalent of a century. For the French, however, World War II rests large in the collective memory. Changes to neighborhoods that were made in the 19th century are referred to as “recent.” And the French Revolution was just a shift in power, not the beginning of a nation state.

Which means it’s not so very outlandish to think shifts in power of that magnitude can happen again. This, I believe, explains one of the underlying frissons of tension nurturing the Gilets Jaunes movement.

Taxes and Technology

France isn’t alone in having growing pains due to the massive disruption of technology, over-population and environmental degradation in the world. But, among wealthy European countries, they are throwing the largest tantrum over its impact.

The gilets jaunes got pulled out of car trunks ostensibly because of outrage over a gas tax. In the U.S., we grumble about higher taxes, of course. Occasionally, we may even step away from our TVs long enough to call our congressional representative. Sometimes, someone loses a re-election over our “outrage.” But not since that party in Boston Harbor have we hit the streets, much less destroyed property or caused injury, over taxes.

The Macron government proposed this gas tax (which they’ve now dropped for the time being, in an attempt to avoid further violence) to penalize the country’s reliance on fossil fuels — theoretically motivating innovation in other resources and modes of transportation — and to offset expenses created by the increased financial demands on a social system spread to thin. Or that was their pitch, delivered poorly.

A portion of the French population heard this plan with the same welcome as those famed 18th century peasants upon learning of Marie Antoinette’s recommendation that they eat cake. Which, by the way, she never said. Only American history book authors would mistake brioche for cake.

Rebellion in the Wings

There is a disconnect.You can see it around the globe. The world is changing. At warp speed. People feel unsafe — psychologically as well as physically. There are few honest conversations about the underlying issues, or the even fewer viable solutions. Empathy is waning. And we have less and less motivation to interact face-to-face.

At least in France, the public square is still full of people rather than just electronic billboards. So for now, at least, I watch the #GiletsJaunes movement with hope and curiosity (flavored with caution) but not fear. The rebellion is (not yet) here.