By Jackson Powers ‘20, Commentary Writer

The Yellow Vest movement, for those unaware, is a movement based in France, protesting authoritarian government, and the subsequent disregard of lower class workers. The name comes from the jackets the protesters wear, all yellow caution vests. The demonstrations have been going on since the middle of November, and at least up until the time at which this is being written, have shown no signs of dying down.

The spark for the movement was Emmanuel Macron’s divisive announcement that fuel taxes would be raised, adding what TIME approximated to be ten euros per month, the equivalent of fourteen dollars, to many financially insecure families. However, the issue is not the fuel tax on its own, but rather that Macron, in the eyes of many French citizens, continually ignores them to push his own agenda. Macron, however, has a very good reason to raise the fuel tax. He wishes to raise the tax in order to eventually fund development of renewable energy sources, something the world desperately needs. His tax is supposed to go directly into developing France, and ultimately lower the reliance on the fuel that will be taxed. Macron is playing the long game, but by doing so, he’s creating much short-term hardship for so many people.

In France, the issue transcends the debate about Macron’s motives. The Yellow Vest Movement does not care about Macron’s motives. The issue is that he released all of this as an announcement. There was little to no public input beforehand, and little chance to even discuss the tax after the fact. Despite Macron’s intentions, the whole event left many feeling absolutely helpless in their society, unable to save themselves from their own government. After the riots began, Macron set up a series of talks with mayors in Normandy, in order to discuss the issue. During that time, Macron monopolized the stage presence, and talked for almost three hours. More recently, police have broken up Yellow Jacket demonstrations, and prevented meetings in some instances. To be fair, ten people have died and 2,800 have been injured in these riots. Still, it creates an air of oppression and it seems all too much as though France is trying to suppress its own people. Macron even went back on the tax, and it will no longer be put in place. It is all too little too late. Macron has shown his willingness to metaphorically step on a lot of French people if it means he gets to lead as he sees fit. This is not to say that Macron is outside of his rights; he was elected with the intent to be progressive, but many now feel as though he has begun to value progression over the most important issues affecting France.

On a world view, this kind of protest is devastating. Especially in the United States, global tensions between the average citizen and “big government” have seen an upward trend. President Donald Trump was an appealing candidate to many because he had no history as a politician, and a sizable amount of the people who voted for him saw him as a breath of fresh air, so to speak, in an otherwise oppressive political system. My fear is that these riots will set an example and more will follow. I am absolutely not saying that the people of France should not protest what Macron does and has done. No government should be presided over by a leader so headstrong that they will severely compromise the well being of their nation in order to rule exactly as they want to. I quoted an anonymous interviewee as saying, “If he was the president of the United States, he should definitely take into account what the people want to hear.” This quote is absolutely correct. Macron in this instance did not at least take into account what the people want to hear. A large part of politics is pleasing the crowd. Macron at least should have explained how his tax would be ultimately beneficial.

The issue is, Macron’s heart is absolutely in the right place. This world will not survive long without an incorporation of sustainable energy on a massive scale. But Macron’s disregard for his people will teach others to protest his motives, and not just his methods. We are at a pivotal moment in history where we have to completely re-industrialize our energy industry, and that process will never be free. However, it needs to happen sooner rather than later. We have to make large scale energy and market shifts if we want Earth to survive, and half-measures will not cut it forever. Sooner rather than later, we will pay for our choices, whether it be to overhaul our current system or not. We cannot at the same time force the switch on to the world. If the switch to renewable energy is not made willingly, it will never be supported enough to survive. Ultimately, Macron tried to do a good thing in a bad way, and because of it, he will send the wrong message to the world. To again quote an anonymous source: “[Macron]’s just got to communicate it [his long-term plan] to the French People.”

Bibliography:

Amaro, Silvia. “A Pessimistic Population Means ‘Yellow Vest’ Protests Could Become More Mainstream, Survey Warns.” CNBC. January 19, 2019. Accessed January 22, 2019. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/21/frances-yellow-vest-protests-could-become-more-mainstream-survey-warns.html.

Rubin, Alissa J. “Denied Use of Roundabouts, Can Yellow Vests Stay United, Visible and Viable?” The New York Times. January 20, 2019. Accessed January 22, 2019. Denied Use of Roundabouts, Can Yellow Vests Stay United, Visible and Viable?

Walt, Vivienne. “‘There Is an Atmosphere of Civil War.’ France’s Yellow Jackets Are Driving Fury at Macron.” TIME. November 30, 2018. Accessed January 22, 2019. http://time.com/5468025/emmanuel-macron-yellow-jackets-civil-war/.