Transcript
JUSTIN VAISSE: Beyond the jokes lies a serious question about the possible turn of the American experiment. Two months ago, when President Obama unveiled his proposed budget and his far-reaching reforms, many commentators decided this amounted to a radical departure from the past, putting the US on the road to becoming a European social democracy.
Roger Cohen (from the New York Times) wrote that "One France Is Enough", and assured the reader that "in America's core values, un-Gallicized, lies the long road to redemption", while David Brooks warned against "a transformative relationship that turns us into France."
And it is true that in setting aside funding for universal healthcare and high-speed trains, increasing federal intervention in the markets, embracing green industrial policy and greater social equality, the new administration bears more than a passing resemblance to countries like France. But before jumping to conclusion, there are at least three questions to answer about the current turn of events. The first one is the following:
Is there such a thing as an "Obama revolution" – are the reforms contemplated by this administration far-reaching enough in their scope to be compared to the historical changes that presidents like Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson or Ronald Reagan brought about?
Second question: Are these changes putting America on the path of becoming a European social democracy – and if the answer is yes, is that a good or a bad thing?
The third question: Does it help to think in terms of models and metaphors, or are these misleading oversimplifications? It is not only that Americans don't like to think of themselves as anything other than Americans or, worse, as following a model. It is also that maybe we are operating on stereotypes rather than realities – whether for France and Europe or for the US.
View Full Transcript »