Who Do the French Think They Are?

Thinking about France inevitably conjures up some stereotypical images:

-baguettes as tall as children
-striped shirts and berets
-Gérard Depardieu's strong nose
-men playing the accordian
-French fries
-haute couture and Fashion Week
-war memorials
-crêpes smothered in Nutella
-picnics by the Eiffel Tower
-frog legs
-mimes

While those images may represent France from a Western perspective, they are a shallow glimpse at what the country values.

On November 3, 2009, President Nicolas Sarkozy launched a website called "National Identity Debate" and asked French citizens to participate in the "Great Debate" on French national identity. President Sarkozy asked citizens to post their thoughts about immigration, French values, and what "national identity" implies. Two weeks after Sarkozy's announcement, there were 32,000 contributions to the website (Ganley).

According to these contributions, the French are concerned with:
-the preservation of the pure French language, as dictated by the French Academy
-the protection of regional identities, such as cuisine and profession
-Catholicism as the foundation of social values
-the appreciation of national symbols (flag, anthem, etc.) and French history
-social taboos (circumcision, homosexuality, etc.)
-how to respectfully share values with immigrants

Nicolas Sarkozy said that, "France is a nation of tolerance and respect, but it also asks to be respected." One cannot appreciate living in France "without respecting any of its laws, any of its values, any of its principles." In other words, the French people would argue that their ideals are responsible for France's lure, and without adopting those ideals, immigrants would not be benefiting from France.

Readers, what do you think it means to be French?

Is it unreasonable for the French to impose their historic values on immigrants?

Keep those questions in your mind. Next week, we'll get into the good stuff.




Ganley, Elaine. "France wrestles with national identity," Contra Costa Times, 27 November 2009, p AA9.

“Would-be migrants must undergo classes in what it means to be French,” International Herald Tribune, 09 August 2007.