this post was submitted on 23 Aug 2026
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Work Reform

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[–] KryptonNerd@slrpnk.net 14 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I will say though that the presence of private healthcare in the UK does make me very uncomfortable, especially with how much the NHS is struggling for money

[–] MonkeMischief@lemmy.today 17 points 3 days ago (3 children)

It kinda feels like our postal service in the U.S.

They defund it, then complain about it, then start ranting that it "Doesn't even make a profit" even though the whole point is that it's supposed to be an affordable and accessible mail service.

They're even doing the same thing with schools. The entire conservo-righty playbook anymore is to get rid of our public services so they and their rich buddies have more to gain at our expense.

[–] jtrek@startrek.website 3 points 2 days ago

This is how conservatives operate. The wealthy want more wealth and don't care who gets hurt. Their bootlickers are drunk on authoritarianism, and get off on bowing to their superiors and kicking the people under them. There's something wrong with the bootlickers brains. You'd probably be an asshole, too, if you came every time you bowed down to a rich man or hurt someone poorer than you.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

kinda funny with post because if it was done totally privately the more rural and remote you get the higher the cost would be.

[–] MonkeMischief@lemmy.today 3 points 2 days ago

Precisely!

It's so weird how the "Communism is when the government gives people stuff" crowd just so happens to be concentrated in places where, were the surrounding states and federal government to stop subsidizing public services or industries or funding, they'd be almost completely destitute over night.

Like you said, it just wouldn't be worth it to private interests to reach an already-poorer population in the middle of nowhere with services like hospitals, shipping, or telecom.

I really wish they could understand this. Not in a "See what we do for you?" kind of way, but more like "See? Things are actually better when we're working together with government to take care of each other." Kind of way...

If they succeed and all those benefits get pulled in favor of private parasites, they'll be even poorer, even angrier, and still blame the Democrats.

[–] untropvertimide@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The same strategy is used in France. Our social welfare, including retirement funding and medical care, is being dismantled this way.

[–] MonkeMischief@lemmy.today 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That's awful! :(

We're pulling for you guys! Anyone will a brain here in the U.S looks up to and admires how fiercely the French people defend their rights. You don't roll over and let the suits do as they please.

Please keep being that shining example to us all! The world is very dark for the working person right now. We need you!

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité! ✊🇫🇷

Thank you, but the pessimist I am cannot reassure you on this point.

Currently France and most of its population are very far from that fierce image, and that's not new.

Our so-called "leaders" follow objectives and methods similar to their U.S. counterparts, with an apparent lag / delay. Our ten years president is a neo liberal with also some traditionalist catholic views on social norms. The asymetry in apparent power is such that those politicians don't have too much to fear from the general population. (For now at least.) They just have to get enough people to vote for them once in a while, and manipulative communcation campaign do the job real fine.

Demonstrations and strikes don't often work: they are generally ignored, circumvented, or smeared, criminalized, and sometimes violently repressed. (With accusations of terrorism). We even have a very violent "police" unit seemingly fully dedicated to beat up demonstrators. (The "BRAV-M".) More powers, more tools, more weaponery and legal protections are given to the police (or similar) forces.

The fatigue and discouragement from our worsening living conditions depowered the fights for general interest causes. (against domination and exploitation systems, for example)

But !.. the same worsening living conditions are becoming bad enough that people become more afraid of being passive than of the consequences of opposing the "elites" and their goons. I sure hope the balance will tip in favor of those who fight for a better life before the faschist-style authoritarism is fully installed.

2027's elections will be quite a battleground, but honestly we're in need of more than some "providential" elected president with a good program. The framework of our current institutions system is rotten, focused on presidential power, and must be discarded to a framework based on equality of rights, equality of opportunities, solidarity, freedom, respect, compassion.


TL;DR:

France is currently not as much a land of rights and successful social fights as some believe or claim it is. It is also not a land of freedom anymore. (See freedom of press rankings, for example.) It's rapidly (d)evolving into a fully fledged capitalist owned, highly repressive, police state. There are reasons for despair, but also some reasons for hope. All is not lost, but the fight will be arduous.