The French: Too Much Pampering

French lawmakers went ahead and approved an online copyright bill Tuesday that would force Apple Computer to break open the exclusive format behind its market-leading iTunes music store and iPod players. It seems they cannot stomach the "monopoly" and popularity of the US-made iPod player, and they want to give their own French mp3 or compatible players a piece of this online music market. The National Assembly, France's lower house, approved the bill by 296 to 193. It goes to their Senate for a final reading and vote before becoming law.

Steve Jobs may choose to either withdraw from the French online music market rather than share the proprietary technology. I rather he should choose to former. Even though you can "rip" audio Cd's into mp3 or Apple format songs into your iPod, the French just do not want to deal with trying to make their own proprietary product. They are more intent in producing policies and rules that guarantee that French companies get a substantial piece of the online music market.

Does this example portray France as a country of economic difficulty and a lack of innovators and creators? Could you still say that France is a capitalist country or a more socialist one? Clearly, it has become one of the least vibrant economies in the industrialized world, as well as one of the least equitable. Private companies are just needles in the large haystack of public or government-owned industries. State workers enjoy the lavish offerings of a 35-hour workweek, six weeks of paid vacation, state-mandated profit sharing, and being able to retire at the age of 60. You have to wonder if working hard is not the French way.

Innovation is probably the loser here because the state workers just do not see the need to be competitive with their private counterparts. They are currently enjoying the full luxury of worker protections, but this group is currently shrinking. Then why are these companies not hiring more workers? Economic risk. It seems that any level of risk that could happen is an absolute no to the French worker and they would stage a national strike for any type of reason that threatens their job. If the government wanted to raise the work week back to 40 hours, watch out for strikes and protests in every major French city.

Recently, a new government law would give employers up to two years before deciding whether to give new young employees the kind of lifetime job security conferred by French law. This made most of the younger people quite upset. They do not want reforms that could generate more jobs and income. They just want to continue to enjoy the economic fantasy of living in the same job all their life and not worry about losing it. Quite a selfish fantasy. It makes it so easier since after attending University, you got a job already waiting for you.

Clearly, it is way too much pampering and no wonder French university students just only know how to stage a protest, and not actually do something useful and find a job and actually look at advancing yourself up the ladder. The words "imagination," "creativity," and "innovation" are just blank meanings to them. No wonder they cannot find a good job.

A poll released in January by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland found that only 36 percent of French respondents felt that "the free enterprise system and free market economy" is the best system.

CNN.com - France to Apple: Share Technology

Washington Post - French Take to the Streets to Preserve Their Economic Fantasy