It was a familiar scene to anyone who spent time in Paris during the period 1995 to 2003: the streets were filled with ten thousand to one million protestors, young and old, rich and poor alike. They were marching in defense of “solidarity,” for higher wages, against a proposed reform of the civil service or the education system, against a partial privatization of one of the 1,500 companies the state owns in full or in part, against a proposal for a small cut to social spending. They were contesting pension reform. The protestors' banners and placards denounced the menace of “neo-liberal globalization.”

What was going on? Was France's social model under attack from within, from French politicians? Was it threatened from without, by globalization? France in Crisis answers these questions, and more. This book traces the historical roots of France's current economic and social malaise. It looks at the French welfare state and political economy broadly conceived – its recent past, its present, its relevance as a potential counter-model to the USA and Britain, and its future in a “globalizing” world.

Some on the Left contend that states are no longer free to pursue social solidarity and full employment in an age of rising trade, open borders, and financial speculation. France in Crisis challenges that idea, arguing that domestic political decisions still largely determine economic success – and failure. Plenty of exit options lead from France's current economic and social problems, including the Dutch and Scandinavian paths.