The reform headache

"In the land of Descartes, the 'Discourse on method' remains the philosophical touchstone of choice for those in government. So much so that a prime minister is more often judged on his style than on his policies ... Dominique de Villepin is confronting this reality today in the showdown over the CPE," writes journalist Guillaume Tabard, noting the impossibilty for France to "reform peacefully". "Could Dominique de Villepin's approach have been anything other than what it was, the reception given to the CPE any different? It's doubtful. One need only consider the economic, social, political and 'societal' history of France over the past 30 years: there has not been a single profound reform that has not disturbed some established order and which has therefore not been subject to trial by protest. To believe that there exists an approach that makes reform acceptable is to nourish an illusion."

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