France - Terminal decline, or just misunderstood

[The Viceroy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3252907.stm

Is France in terminal decline ?? A once proud European imperial power, its Language and culture exported to all parts of the world, now struggling to find its place,with ethnic troubles at home, and sepratist movements in Corsica.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3198065.stm

Or is this a picture of France you do not recognise ?

Where do you see France in 20 years time ?

Stronger ? Weaker ?

[Q Classic]

i see france in 20 years a colony of germany.

well, if germany decides to actually try to be germanic conquerors again.

[Paul Hanson]

I think you could apply a lot of that to Britain, and no-one seems to be complaining there.

[The Viceroy]

Sure.. yes you could, but lets talk about France..

[nato]

I like France.

However, I think they have a big need to show the world that they are strong and independent. Everyone has this need, but I think France has it more than most.

I think because of this need they sometimes do annoying things, just to show how independent they are.

Just my opinion. My own country does stupid things (who's doesn't?) but for different motivations.

In 20 years time I think France will just be closer and closer to Germany (and the rest of Europe.) This:
1. makes sense for them to do
2. seems to be something they can live with, as opposed to being closer to the US.

I don't think they will be dramatically weaker or stronger than they are today. Other nations are changing much faster, like China.

[The Viceroy]

My own personal opinion is that, having been to France a few times, it looks as though its had worse times, and still lived to tell the tale.

Sure there are problems, social, economic .. but where isn't there ??

There is no need for a French person born today to be ashamed of their past, and every reason for them to look forward to an interesting future.

I agree, Frances future is firmly in the EU, and they are right to put a great deal of emphisis on that relationship.

I don't see France being any weaker or stronger. Ethnic troubles will come and go, but on the whole all people realise its in their own interest to get along.

Im sure our childrens children (and I say this as a Brit) will still be learning French in school, and developing love hate relationships with the place, just as we do today.

Long live France, and long live the distrust that binds us (UK/France) together within the EU .. the day we agree, I fear we may go our seperate ways.

[BeBMan]

So they are ashamed today because Vichy meant defeat to them, and we are ashamed today because we defeated them Makes Germany and France a perfect duo

[Provost Harrison]

20 years time? Won't it be on the 23rd or 24th Republic by then?

[chequita guevara]

I wanna go to France.

[Sandman]

France has the highest birth rate in the EU. They regularly jostle with Britain for 4th largest economy status. They have the best healthcare system and rail network in the world.

On the other hand, France could be seen of as something of a failure historically. It lost out to Britain colonially, thus sealing English as the world language. Its population growth, though reasonable now, trailed behind Britain and Germany, making it second-rate in Europe as well as colonially. Could have had 100m people had the demographic conditions been different.

Corsica is hardly an issue; the vast majority of the population don't support independence.

[Menlas]

I agree with nato and Viceroy here...we've had much worse times before, don't expect the Grande Nation to fall like that so fast

I hope I'll live old enough to see a strong and united Europe, which is clearly the way to go for my country (too bad some politicians don't realize it ).

[Pekka]

France is not going anywhere anytime soon.. like it or not.

[Japher]

They have the best healthcare system ...in the world.

I guess last summer was a bad example, eh?

France is fine, I just like picking on them. I do, however, think that if they can't bend with the wind they will break. It always perplexes me how France, as a dominant influence in the EU, can have people that are so Xenophobic while supporting a continental unity. IF they cannot learn to excpet the changing times they will be left behind, or absorbed as a puppet by Germany.

[Sandman]

I guess last summer was a bad example, eh?

They weren't used to the heat, and didn't have the infrastructure to cope with it. As someone said, do you think Florida would do any better if it suffered from a prolonged cold snap?

[Japher]

I'm not claiming that Florida has a great healthcare system. Stating that a good health care system and good rail system has anything to do with the stability of country is, IMO, noncomplimentary. Yet, a weak infrastructure, poor (or seemingly poor) foreign relations, along with an inability or lack of desire for a country to change with the times are good benchmarks for the decline of a country.