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Two years on, the #giletsjaunes are as relevant as they were in their beginning. Today, on their 2nd anniversary, I propose a thread to explore why. This follows the structure of my book on the Gilets Jaunes and the New Social Contract coming out in January 21. [1/7]
More than a reactionary protest, not a jacquerie nor a revolution, the GJ are a novel challenge to the French social contract: representative democracy is broken and needs fixes, desperately for some. [2/7] #giletsjaunes
Police violence is on the rise. The liberal Macron has eroded civil liberties even further in the past two years, lately passing a law to ban filming of police. Yet violence is systemic and very real: for those facing evictions, those beaten up in the streets, and more. [3/7]
Freedom, to demonstrate, occupy the streets, and speak your mind is even more at risk after the pandemic than in 2018. We will need to fight hard to get our liberties back after lockdowns end. The temporary is permanent – unless you fight to reverse it. [4/7]
Democracy needs new instruments for collective decision-making. The GJ proposed concrete alternative (the RIC, a citizen-initiated referendum, being the main one). More ideas like these need to occupy our public space. [5/7]
Economic justice is at an all-time low. As @pikettylemonde pointed out in his 2019 book, these are not fatal laws of economics, but political choices that lead us to where we are. Equality needs its advocates, and a world where you can live off your work is possible. [6/7]
From Chile to Poland, the GJ can teach us lessons on social change. For more on the renewal of the social contract, and details on the above, see my forthcoming book on the Gilets Jaunes and the New Social Contract or DM me. https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-gilets-jaunes-and-the-new-social-contract [7/7]
