I wonder what they'd say if they were forced to work 80 hours a week... Ha. Ha.
 

irina, gindy: Thank you! Nothing like a little cheap French-bashing to get me a few laughs. If only they wouldn't keep going out of their way to deserve it.
 

The whole reason they instituted these obscenely short work weeks was in order fix an economy with a frightfully high unemployment rate. It worked momentarily, but they didn't cure the fact that they have emigration and immigration problems mixed with high taxes and other socialist agendas which permanently stunt that country's economic growth. Socialists touted a 9% unemployment rate as a success and attributed that success to the 35 hour work week they instituted. What the socialists forgot was that under a more conservative form of government in the early '80's, there unemployment rates hovered at slightly under 7%. In addition, although augmenting the number of work hours may have briefly ignited a decrease in unemployment rates, it simply can't work long term. See, http://www.acci.asn.au/text_files/issues_papers/Employ_Educ/ee05.pdffor a discussion of why. PS. One of my friends summed it up with a good anti French joke about how the French conceive of economics. It's as follows: I have two cows. I want three, so I'll go on strike.
 

Voracious Reader: Welcome! Conservative economic policy and a French joke in your first post! You're really trying to get on our good side aren't you?

I briefly browsed your blog. Congratulations on your engagement. Visit again.
 

While I am inclined to agree with your analysis that the French were misguided in instituting the 35 hour work week, the French-bashing that goes on here is completely overdone. Bear in mind that France has a higher rate of productivity than the US, and its GDP/head as a % of America's has remained steady over the past decade - during which the French economy has been struggling and the US economy supposedly "booming". Beware your hubris, because if Sarkozy is elected in May and the French actually get their act together in the economic sphere, they will overtake the US in terms of national income per person in a very short time. It is remarkable how relatively well they do even with these idiotic laws imposed by the Chirac government - when those are eased they will take off. And no, I am not French, just a disinterested observer from another country that watches the mutual US-France baiting with amused resignation.
 

Of course you're not French - you just got through telling us that they are very productive. You, on the other hand, took two years to get around to responding to this post!