Post by @GeofCox@climatejustice.social

@GeofCox@climatejustice.social 6 hours ago

France has an almost universal provision of state apartment blocks for young people - my son lives in one now. They are like university halls of residence, but instead of just students at one uni, they are open to anybody under 25 that has a 'personal project' - any education or training course, starting work, setting up a business, etc. Generally, people can stay up to 2 years, and most have a social worker attached to help young people into independent life - everything from tax forms to counselling.

It's brilliant - but then over half of the French economy is in the public sector - which is what the UK should be aiming for.

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Hélder Lopes

@helderjml@mastodon.social 3 hours ago

@GeofCox definetly measures to help people are always welcome!

"It's brilliant - but then over half of the French economy is in the public sector - which is what the UK should be aiming for."

this though, i can´t see it as a good thing we should depend less from the state...France has huge problems huge deficit... supposedly public sector working force represents 20% in france and 23% in uk!
the problem probably is how much they spend on social incomes.

GeofCox

@GeofCox@climatejustice.social 2 hours ago

@helderjml

Interesting that you see it in terms of 'dependency' - for me, it's more about the inter-dependency of people and communities - which I think is better, when it comes to vital infrastructure like housing, than relying on private ownership or businesses.

The 'dependency' criticism of state support generally comes from the political right.

Hélder Lopes

@helderjml@mastodon.social 2 hours ago

@GeofCox tottaly agree! was just about the 50/50 proportion.... me working on my own means more taxes to support whatever the government gives back to some! yes youre right political right! but never forget human values and go to an extreme like would say ... "America"? balance is what we should pursue!

GeofCox

@GeofCox@climatejustice.social 2 hours ago

@helderjml

I'm a great believer in free enterprise and small business Hélder - that was my life until very recently (now retired).

But I also think big business is problematic - especially when it gets so big that it can shape human beliefs and behaviour through advertising, lobbying and media ownership.

For basic human needs and infrastructure like education, health, housing, utilities, public transport and communications, I think public or community ownership is preferable - and I think the evidence, for example from the UK's failing privatised water industry, is that public ownership works best.

2 more replies

Franceska Mann

@FranceskaMann@freeradical.zone 4 hours ago

@GeofCox

The inequality in the United States far surpasses France during the French revolution. The French revolution changed everything. It empowered French people and hundreds of years later French people are still empowered.

Jules she/her

@afewbugs@social.coop 4 hours ago

@GeofCox we have something like this on a much smaller, charity run scale in the UK - https://foyer.net/. A friend of mine when I was a teenager lived in one after she was thrown out by her Mum, and the experience seemed to be really positive for her. This sort of thing really does need to be rolled out more widely

GeofCox

@GeofCox@climatejustice.social 4 hours ago

@afewbugs

In fact the UK foyer movement was copied from France - hence the name - it was just getting going when I left the UK - glad to hear it's still there and growing.

Pince sans rire

@Lefoyenlibre@mastodon.social 5 hours ago

@GeofCox Strange, Macron has started a big demolition program of the public sector 10 years ago . He almost succeed. Every thing is starting to crumble in dust...

GeofCox

@GeofCox@climatejustice.social 4 hours ago

@Lefoyenlibre

Macron has done a lot of damage - but believe me France remains a beacon in comparison with much of the anglosphere.

Pince sans rire

@Lefoyenlibre@mastodon.social 17 minutes ago

@GeofCox You're right at the moment... Depending on what will happen in 27 that will change. In one way or the other. I hope not for the worst one.

Jo - pièce de résistance

@JoBlakely@mastodon.social 6 hours ago

@GeofCox my first year in Paris for fashion school I stayed in a Foyer like that that was for women only.

GeofCox

@GeofCox@climatejustice.social 6 hours ago

RE: https://mas.to/@therightarticle/116963433519913722

This post was meant to be a reply to this post -
https://climatejustice.social/@therightarticle@mas.to/116963433572195084