The news put into perspective every Saturday, thanks to the historian Fabrice d’Almeida.
While President Emmanuel Macron is ringing the rally around the reindustrialization of France, let’s come back to the relationship between industry and the state, in the long term. This story begins with Colbert, who created the industry in our country by bringing master glassmakers from Venice in 1665 to produce mirrors which we were very fond of. Thus, from the outset, the supervisory relationship was between a sponsoring state and a few high-performance sectors, in particular the luxury sector.
Few governments since have wanted to impose our country as a competitor in all sectors, from heavy industry to the most manufactured objects. The person who best symbolizes this ambition presides over France at its industrial peak: Georges Pompidou. In 1972, during a press conference, the latter was amused by this “dear old France” gastronomy, cheerful Paris and champagne, now overtaken by the industrial revolution of the country.
Oil shocks change the logic
In the 1980s, both the left and the right defended the idea of supporting French champions in global competition and allowing large companies to build holding companies and relocate their production while promoting concentration in sectors such as luxury, fashion and food. We will gain some great successes, but the industrial fabric is withering, in favor of a service economy. Despite the promises on the knowledge economy, this bet is not winning.
But we are slow to draw the consequences. It wasn’t really until the mid-2000s that the question came up again. One of the bearers of this reindustrialization strategy is Arnaud Montebourg. At the Ministry of the Economy, in 2012 he defended economic patriotism. Paradoxically, at the time Emmanuel Macon contested this narrow vision of “Made in France”, and its protectionist flavor. He thinks the country has more to gain with an open economy.
Since then, his thinking has evolved. Today, he promises a reindustrialization and a defense of our backyard while respecting ecology. As we can see, a new economic model is imposing itself on our elites. Its success will undoubtedly depend on the action of the State, as always in France.
