Paper short abstract:

This paper theorizes that the emergence of the Gilets Jaunes followed by the mass mobilizations around pensions in France, in terms of demands for public services and resources from the state, represent the emergence of a new political bloc, reconfiguring class struggle in the era of neoliberalism.

Paper long abstract:

Based on my ongoing ethnographic research of urban mobilizations in comparative perspective, this paper analyses the struggles in France over the past few years in terms of perceptions of the responsibilities of the state and inequality. The Gilets Jaunes and more recently the massive mobilization around pensions, have coalesced around demands for public services. In the context of the growing gap between rich and poor, in November 2018, the Gilets Jaunes emerged with a focus on the degradations of public services, the privatization of health care and their own daily challenges more than with abstract inequality. As they continued their demonstrations every weekend, they were joined a year later by the unions, across the spectrum from radical to moderate, calling for nationwide strikes against state pension policies. These renewed mobilizations are claiming rights to state services such as health, education, retirement, care for the handicapped and problems of the frail elderly. Such movements are in contrast to experiences across the United States and other parts of Europe where the policies of austerity have been ongoing and mass mobilizations have so far been less successful. I would suggest that the reactivated class struggles in France represent a new political bloc emerging to fight against the destructive processes of neoliberalism and for the retention of a welfare state.