France already is the most bloated state in Europe, with public spending at around 58.2pc of GDP in 2022.
That’s approaching the sort of levels of the Warsaw Pact.
The other way to put this is that the reason 3/5ths of France doesn’t work is because 3/5ths of France is done by government.
You don’t precisely say what’s done to them Tim.
And yet lots of Britons choose to retire there. So maybe they are also doing some things right.
@D…
I reckon that they retire there for the weather, food, wine and scenery, intending to live quietly “under the radar”… Not to run businesses – which can be a total bureaucratic nightmare.
I was reading about the French Connection the other day.
In February 1972, French traffickers offered a United States Army sergeant $96,000 (equivalent to $671,618 in 2022)
The dollar is worth about 14% of what it used to buy in happier days. Other currencies are probably worse. Shades of late Roman coin debasement, eh?
@dearieme – “And yet lots of Britons choose to retire there. So maybe they are also doing some things right.”
Maybe not. You’d get the same effect if they were taxing workers excessively to pay for things that retired people benefit from.
I am led to belive that working age people are deserting France in small boats for England, suggesting that it’s not that great in France.
In February 1972, French traffickers offered a United States Army sergeant $96,000 (equivalent to $671,618 in 2022)
Over 50 years, that’s 4% pa inflation. Not really enough to frighten the horses.
I don’t think of myself as ancient, but I can remember a pint being under 2/- (10p for the young ‘uns), 50 years ago.
@ Chris Miller
It is if your pension has no inflation-linkage. 50+ years ago I was costing pension schemes where various workers were earning £10/£12/£14/£15/£17 (depending on their wage levels) per annum of pension for a year’s work – so an extra £9-£15 per week for 45 years work which would have made a valuable difference to retirement lifestyle in 1970 prices but isn’t enough for one evening at the pub at today’s prices (and is probably virtually zero benefit as Gordon Brown’s pension credit guarantee was designed to wipe out any benefit from small occupational pensions).
‘I am led to belive that working age people are deserting France in small boats for England, suggesting that it’s not that great in France.’
Charles. But my understanding is that they don’t have to work in England.
@Boganboy – “But my understanding is that they don’t have to work in England.”
Nobody has to work in England, as we no longer allow slavery. Working, however, is highly useful to earn money, and for most people that’s they way they earn enough to live. That includes those accepted as refugees etc.
What you’re probably thinking of is the rule which prohibits asylum seekers working while their cases are being decided. In such circumstances, they get housing (not of their choice) and an allowance (£45 per week) – see https://www.gov.uk/asylum-support/what-youll-get and contrast that to benefits for citizens, such as jobseekers’ Allowance of £67.20/week or more – see https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance I would be very much in favour of allowing asylum seekers to work rather than forcing them to rely on benefits, but the usual lefties insist on the current arrangements for the usual bogus lefty reasons.