Nihilism

The French Revolution remade not only France but Europe, some 230-odd years ago. Even Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo was not really the end of what the rebellious Estates General had set in motion in 1789. The Revolution proved that an ancien régime could be overthrown and, once that was demonstrated, no king anywhere could feel completely safe. The Revolution continued as an ideological struggle long after the shooting ceased. Indeed, the world wars of the 20th century were arguably a late phase of the processes begun by the Revolution. Now France faces a different kind of revolution: the prospect that Marine Le Pen will win next year’s presidential contest. Le Pen is considered absolutely haram by liberals everywhere, not only in her own country but throughout Europe.

Given its corpulent government and inexplicably entitled populace, I’ve long been in awe of the fact that France functions at all. In the past four weeks, the verdict is belatedly in: it doesn’t. Early estimates of the riots: 1,500 shops damaged, destroyed and/or looted; 1,000 police officers injured; at least 1,800 arrests; innumerable cars burned; multiple architecturally irreplaceable public buildings set alight or vandalized. Two versions of the “unrest” have emerged. For the left-wing press, “mostly peaceful” minors protesting poor educational provision were joined by “mostly peaceful” adults protesting the cost of living – who were then infiltrated by masked outside “agitators” of totally unknown identity who looted and set stuff on fire.