It is true that the quality of life in France is better than in most countries around the world. Some people therefore wonder: why do they complain? Why are the French such grumblers?

It is precisely because they are not fooled, because they defend themselves and because they show solidarity that they have a better standard of living. They are vigilant because they know they could lose it. And in fact, the standard of living and quality of life in France have been declining since the 2000s. But their resistance and humanist values are a model for the world.

For the last 20 years, protesters have not been listened to, even in France. Protesters are treated as privileged people who complain, which discredits them, and the police use violence against them, often with lethal weapons. There are also violent outbreaks that are not contained by the police. In addition, part of the population is annoyed: no public services, blocked roads or supermarkets, no trains, no schools, etc. This makes them take a stand against the protesters, without fully understanding the issues at stake. On the contrary, they should be brought over to the side of the protesters. For example, as the yellow vests did, by removing the unfair highway tolls (which were paid for by taxes, i.e., by the people, and then given to private companies).

We live in an era of globalization, so we must think about other human beings around the world and not just our own short-term interests. We must come together on a global level and show that we stand in solidarity. Humanist values must be defended.

We are no longer in the 19th century. Strikes are no longer our only means of making ourselves heard. More often than not, strikers lose their wages and energy by demonstrating.

With this money, they could fund people who are working to improve their situation. For example, the international organizations of the UN or associations such as Greenpeace or Amnesty International. They could support independent newspapers (such as The Guardian, The New York Times, El Pais, or Le Monde), support science and knowledge (by supporting Wikipedia, for example).

With their energy, they can communicate by taking the time to explain why they are unhappy, whether in real life or on the internet. Politics is complex and cannot be summed up in a few slogans. The population must be educated using reliable sources and accurate, documented facts. Experts must be able to express themselves in the media (television, radio, or newspapers). Attending a prestigious university is not enough to be considered an expert in the media. Real experts must be invited: scientists, economists, historians, etc. Articles that explain the situation, as well as serious or scientific studies, must be shared. Jean Jaurès educated and rallied people around humanist values; he did not pit people against each other. He was careful with his rhetoric.

Quand Jaurès prend la parole – Alternatives non Violentes: https://www.alternatives-non-violentes.org/Revue/Numeros/140_Jean_Jaures/Quand_Jaures_prend_la_parole

Art can also be a good means of communication. It should not be reserved for an elite who make a living from it. Anyone can create art and share it if they wish. Promoting artists you like is also an option.

It is also possible to engage with journalists, politicians, and political institutions on social media, websites, through petitions, or by email.

We must also support politicians who defend humanist values. For example, the European Union, which is standing firm against Putin and Trump and upholding its humanist values.

The police and the army must side with the people. There is a difference between maintaining order and maintaining power. They must defend everyone, regardless of their political affiliation, or wether they are in power or not. Political violence must be contained. Everyone must take responsibility and stop inciting verbal or physical violence.

We must publicize and encourage any action that improves the situation.

It is also possible to use economic leverage. As far as possible, we must be careful about what we buy. Creating or buying from cooperatives and buying with as few intermediaries as possible is also useful.

But above all, we must limit our battles. Instead of fighting against every reform and every wage increase, let us speak out so that the people have more power and are listened to more. The list of grievances has only served to divide people into subgroups, and politicians are using it to engage in clientelism. Let us speak out in favor of a popular initiative referendum that would allow the people to decide, rather than the streets or those with the most power. The trade unions have become an elite that only think about its own interests, and they have fewer and fewer members. We need popular movements like the yellow vests. We need to unite behind a common cause, not divide ourselves over every idea. If a lot of people mobilized and demanded a popular initiative referendum, it would be very difficult for even an authoritarian government to resist.

In Italy and Spain, which are governed by very different parties, the idea of a universal basic income was shared by enough people and expressed loudly enough for the government to adopt it. They improved their public spending; they did not spend more.

We must not simply complain about every proposal, every humiliation. This gives the impression that the people are powerless. Denouncing Trump and other autocrats is not enough. Trump won the election thanks to targeted messages on social media and his showmanship. To defend ourselves, we must be positive and propose solutions. For example, to save money, propose concrete and realistic measures that maintain people’s standard of living. Currently, the dominant ideology is neoliberalism: some people are deserving and others are not. In every situation, for every idea, there are camps. People are pitted against each other. This ideology is harmful to everyone. We must unite around universal values. If the dominant ideology changed, governments would have to listen. If the people were united in demanding the same thing, even a tyrant could not say no, unless massacres are committed.

Defend a better future for all, a vision of society with more democracy, more solidarity, and less work.

Translated with DeepL