The recent regional elections in France have sent President Sarkozy and his government reeling. I asked a French friend to explain what's going on. What I got was a splendid précis of the political culture in France, which I post here.
The Caste System of France
In the centuries since the 1789 revolution, the bourgeoisie, left and right, have restored, by manner and habit, the ancien regime of the Bourbon monarchy, the political system they purportedly abolished.
Political élites and professional members of the high administration, educated in the famous Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA), are a caste, endogamous and incestuous, reproducing themselves by the distribution of roles and privileges. Often politicians in France are former "civil administration" out of the ENA. Some examples to the right: Jacques Chirac, Alain Juppé, Dominique de Villepin ... Left: Lionel Jospin, Laurent Fabius, François Hollande, Ségolène Royal, Martine Aubry ... In fact, they are very numerous and occupy the majority of key positions in France -- in finance, industry, international trade, in the media.
This caste is the highest élite. This is the "Court". They live in Paris, the "New Versailles". The children of these "great servants of the state" (a term typically French) systematically become artists, journalists, writers, TV and film producers, financiers, etc. Raymond Barre, former prime minister in the 70s, called this world the "microcosm". All being said and thought in Paris comes from this caste -- "good taste," political correctness, especially anti-Americanism, socialism, the utopian "caviar left," who would give all the poor of the whole Earth asylum in France -- pocket money, free housing, free medical care, etc. -- the élites' generosity paid for by the people of France.
There is also a caste system of secondary, wider province. It consists of the "elects of decentralization": the chairpersons of the Regions and departments, MPs, mayors of major cities. This is the part of the feudal system. It functions as the system of the Roman Empire. These are families of notables who have elected politicians sometimes from father to son, often for decades. They are loving people, practicing patronage (you know: the way the Sicilian Don Corleone helped people in The Godfather). It is also here (in regions and departments) that political party money is manufactured, because these mini-republics spend a lot of money on public projects. That brings them substantial income hidden by the method of false invoices or billings cleverly disguised.
Sarkozy and his family are from this second caste. More specifically, the part of the feudal caste that represents the "lords" of the territories closer to Paris. Like those of his caste, he behaves as a nouveau riche. He hates the members of the old elite, the "Court" and ENA in general. It has not refined their manners or their connivance. He dares to think and say things considered shocking in circles of the "Court". He is also very close to a very special caste of French politics: "Corsicans". He was brought into politics by members of this special caste. Not for nothing was he the "spiritual son" of people like Charles Pasqua. I dare not write here what to think of politicians from the "caste Corsica," for fear tomorrow I'll find a horse's head in my bed!
