thanks. ocm: for the record, i think that the american system is not good and is certainly less free politically than is the french system simply because in france the option exists to strike. even if the strikes do not achieve their objectives, it is important that they be possible. without them, the system's legitimacy cannot really be placed into question.
and the fact that "we" cannot place system legitimacy into question in any meaningful way--by which i mean there is no action that can be taken that'd do it on our collective initiative---is an indication that "we" in the united states live in a soft authoritarian system.
---
this is not to say that anything at all is hunky dory in france. i just made off with jazz's thread for a bit to point out that there's something important about the fact of these strikes that is being entirely overlooked in the states.
meanwhile, the strikes continue. if you read french, here's a twitter stream from le monde that gives a blow by blow. even if you don't. there's clips and images throughout.
Revivez le suivi en direct des manifestations du 20 octobre - LeMonde.fr
sarkosy's ordered the gas refineries to be opened up by force if need be. this morning some were, but i haven't had time today to check in on reports of where things stand. the effects of the blockade continue to spread in the meantime, and it's been extended to fuel destined for airports.
if you think about it, a fundamental aspect of the legitimacy of the dominant order is compressed onto the continuity of infrastructure. that electricity flows is a kind of argument for the political order that enables it, regardless of the characteristics of that order. it's an effect of being-dominant or having-power as such. so from there, the symbolic consequences of disruption...