Run the French economy

[Banquo's Ghost]

This'll cheer some of you up - a game where you can get to run the French economy.

Cyber-budget

Conservatives - See for yourselves if you can get those cheese-eaters to work 27 hours a day without many of them dying or becoming maimed.


(You'll need to read French, BTW).

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Seriously, I think this is an excellent idea to encourage citizens to understand the choices a government has to make. You even have the press getting on your back!

[macsen rufus]

Damn, misread the thread title -- I wanted to RUIN the French economy....

[L'Impresario]

I think the most characteristic lesson regarding the French way of running things is that you aren't allowed to use a 3-letter name when the game starts:P

But it's a decent one, had the opportunity to learn a few financial terms in French that I hadn't bothered to look up before.

[rory_20_uk]

One in English? That way the other 99% of the world can use it.

[Devastatin Dave]

Damn, misread the thread title -- I wanted to RUIN the French economy....

Don't worry, the French can do that on their own.

[Brenus]

Not only have you had to read French but to UNDERSTAND French… It isn’t about the French Economy but about French Finances. Basically how the State spend your taxes…

“if you can get those cheese-eaters to work 27 hours a day without many of them dying or becoming maimed.” 27 hours per DAY… I want to see a tea-drinker or a hamburger-eater doing it…

“Don't worry, the French can do that on their own”: True, learning from USA and UK how to do it… Got a government which succeeded to ruin the country and increase unemployment in less time than Bush to ruin the USA… Well done to all Conservatives United…

[Crazed Rabbit]

You are aware that the US economy has been improving for several years, aren't you?

Crazed Rabbit

[Vladimir]

You are aware that the US economy has been improving for several years, aren't you?

Crazed Rabbit

Quiet you!!!

[Banquo's Ghost]

Not only have you had to read French but to UNDERSTAND French… It isn’t about the French Economy but about French Finances. Basically how the State spend your taxes…

“if you can get those cheese-eaters to work 27 hours a day without many of them dying or becoming maimed.” 27 hours per DAY… I want to see a tea-drinker or a hamburger-eater doing it…

“Don't worry, the French can do that on their own”: True, learning from USA and UK how to do it… Got a government which succeeded to ruin the country and increase unemployment in less time than Bush to ruin the USA… Well done to all Conservatives United…

You're a bit too sensitive, Brenus, old fruit. I was making light of the conservative desire to change France into the Anglo-saxon model. 'Cheese-eaters' is a common term of disparagement which ignores the accomplishments of your country - and as my spoiler hoped to show, I am impressed that the French government tries to educate its citizens this way. It was a sideways poke at the conservative mind-set, not a dig at France.

BTW, the line '27 hours a day..' comes from an excellent satirical book, '1066 and All That - All the History You can Remember.' Terrifically British, it warps history into those bits one remembers vaguely from school.

For example (from memory): "The Industrial Revelation*. The industrial revelation was the discovery made by all the factory owners at once, that women and children could be worked 27 hours a day without many of them dying or becoming excessively maimed."

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

* Please no-one complain it's spelt wrong - it's a joke

[Samurai Waki]

I wouldn't put much confidence into the slowly re-emerging US Economy. Come a few more years and things now will look rather enviable... A Horrifying Crash-is-a-Comin'

[thrashaholic]

...Got a government which succeeded to ruin the country and increase unemployment...

Yet another DIY economist who doesn't know or understand what they're talking about.

Employment isn't the be all and end all of an economy, in fact one shouldn't try to tamper too much in the labour market at all because any attempt to lower unemployent is inflationary (Phillips Curve - look it up) and in the long run employment will fall back to the natural rate, but the inflation will remain (rightward shift of the Phillips Curve). Consequently, the only way to remedy this problem is to expand the capacity of the economy, shifting the Phillips Curve back left so that the natural rate of unemployment is attained without inflationary pressure. This expansion in economic capacity can be attained in a number of ways, but one is through the liberalisation of markets, which is what Maggie did (or her economic advisors encouraged her to do) and that is why Continental Europe are in the doldrums economically, whilst Britain continues to be successful (New Labour are riding a nice Tory wave).

Too much state control or interference ruins the pluralism that makes market sytems effective. Mind you, untempered market systems can often manage to lose pluralism themselves. That's why government intervention can only really be justified in monopoly prevention (and correction of externalities if you're that way inclined).

[ShadesWolf]

But its in French

[Louis VI the Fat]

Nice find, Banquo.

Of course, as a kind gesture to our Anglosaxon friends, the French government translates a lot of its press-releases in English.
It gives a lot of information about the game, but unfortunately the game itself is only in French.

I think this game is a good initiative by Jean-François Copé, the minister responsible for the budget. He faces a daunting task. On the one hand, the state deficit has not been below the three percent line since 2001. To the horror of budget-conscious citizens, despite clear European agreements, and at the expense of France's foreign prestige and trustworthiness.
On the other hand, the tax-burden already stands at an internationally very high 44%, thanks to a bloated public sector, and can't possibly be raised any higher.

His dilemma is:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Increasing the tax-burden is political suicide. The voters won't have it.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Decreasing spending is political suicide. The voters won't have it either.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

So the spoiled brats could do with a little budgetary education. I remember from a recent survey that some 75% of voters didn't even know the difference between national debt and national deficit. So this game will hopefully help lessen their educational deficit somewhat.

As for the game itself, it is a bit elementary. Though I got more things wrong than I care to admit.
I love the press comments, complete with the Canard. And the reaction from the opposition if you do manage to get most correct: 'Louis has a lot of right answers. Unfortunately, he asks the wrong questions'.

[Louis VI the Fat]

*Cheese-eater Louis stops nibbling his Ossau-Iraty Brebis from Fromagerie Agour in Helette(1) for long enough to post a reply *

Come on, Brenus. Banquo speaks French fluently. Plus he's a self-declared Francophile, not at all out to have a bash at France.
If you MUST take issue with 'cheese-eater', just give them rosbifs a good poke back, eh - they can take it. They love a good brawl but are a bit impatient with overly sensitive behaviour.

And in the event that you should fail to come up with a clever response, put your nose up in the air, raise your eyebrows a bit, sigh as if you're a bit bored, and treat them to some arrogant, pedantic expose about this or that. Let's say, for example, a snobbish expose about how Anglosaxon work ethics are incompatible with enjoying Pyrenees cheeses.

It never fails to irritate them.





(1) Rightfully voted the best cheese in the world.

But no, you won't find it in your local supermarket. It is produced only on a single family farm in the Pyrenees, in small quantities.

And no, you don't have time to go there. Spending two days to go check out divine cheeses is the sole privilege of those with six weeks paid holiday.

And even if you could go there, it wouldn't make a difference. Those with more than a 35-hour working week are condemned to a life of tv-dinners. They do not have the opportunity to develop the exquisite taste necessary for appreciating the finer things in life, like spending countless afternoons and evenings celebrating wine, cheese and good company.

[GoreBag]

Come on, Brenus. Banquo speaks French fluently. Plus he's a self-declared Francophile, not at all out to have a bash at France.
If you MUST take issue with 'cheese-eater', just give them rosbifs a good poke back, eh - they can take it. They love a good brawl but are a bit impatient with overly sensitive behaviour.

Whoa, whoa. People actually use the term 'rosbif'?

[AntiochusIII]

Whoa, whoa. People actually use the term 'rosbif'?

What does that mean? I'm curious.

[Banquo's Ghost]

What does that mean? I'm curious.

Rosbif is a Gallic-accented play on 'roast beef'. The French quite rightly consider that the Brits only ever eat roast beef (with the abomination known as gravy) and thus use rosbif as a not-so-subtle dig at the culinary and cultural achievements of their dearly beloved neighbours.