Neoliberal capitalism has not hit France: Another explanation for the social tensions must be found

The OECD as a whole began to switch to neoliberal capitalism in the early 1980s: weakening of wage earners’ bargaining power and skewing of income distribution against wage earners, which drove up inequalities and poverty; shrinking of government, less genero us social welfare, declining redistributive policies, reduction in corporate taxes; free trade and free movement of capital. It is often said in France that the current acute social tensions can be traced back to this shift to neoliberal capitalism, which eliminated the solidarity policies of the past . But none of the negative effects associated with neoliberal capitalism are visible in France: Income distribution is skewed in favour of wage earners; Inequalities are low and stable; Social welfare is highly generous, and substantial redistributive policies are in place; The decline in manufacturing employment cannot be attributed to the opening up of trade with emerging countries. France’s social tensions therefore require other explanations that are not linked to neoliberal capitalism (labour market polarisation, low social mobility, problems with the education system, housing costs, etc.).