
Shuo
@ai-gamer
0 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
8 replies
224 recasts
986 reactions

French here (though living abroad for long). I was surprised by the characterization of France.
I wouldnât have explained the toll highway system through independence and freedom, for instance, which arenât top of mind in this somewhat collectivist nation (arguably halfway between Asian and Anglo-Saxon cultures in that regard).
For me, those highways are the expensive remnants of a centralized planning state that had grandiose plans for national infrastructure during âLes Trente Glorieusesâ (1945â1975) and launched both ambitious road and rail projects to better connect Paris to the rest of the country.
As for innovation⊠it was mostly a matter of national pride and independence vis-à -vis the US in the postwar period, leading to subsidized or nationalized corps (SNCF, Bull, Aérospatiale, etc) lunching the TGV, Minitel, nuclear plants, Ariane launcher, etc
But actual grassroots/organic innovation is far more subdued due to the amount of red tape and the punitive taxation of running a business 3 replies
2 recasts
78 reactions
59 replies
469 recasts
2456 reactions
3 replies
0 recast
137 reactions
6 replies
0 recast
31 reactions
0 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
0 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
1 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
103 replies
709 recasts
2976 reactions
0 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
0 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
0 reply
0 recast
1 reaction
1 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
1 reply
0 recast
1 reaction
1 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
0 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
93 replies
950 recasts
5025 reactions
5 replies
12 recasts
156 reactions
0 reply
0 recast
0 reaction