Peston pins his colours, but not where one might have expected.

[aeolium]

I agree with Richard T, that this was an interesting programme and it is good in principle to have more programmes about the economy, culture and society of other countries. Actually I thought the point about the small businessman complaining about all his employee surcharges could have been taken to support not just a tax-cutting, deregulating agenda but also an anti-globalisation one - given that presumably multinationals can dodge a number of these impositions in the way that Amazon, say, avoids paying the same taxes that a local CD supplier based in Britain does. But where I would agree with S_A is that Peston seems to take it as almost axiomatic that French hostility to austerity and the current operation of the eurozone is misguided and likely to lead to disastrous consequences, whereas there is plenty of evidence that could be assembled to show the flawed creation and operation of the eurozone and the disastrous impact (particularly in social effects) of austerity policies. And Peston also lazily accepts the right-wing economist's view that cutting taxes and spending is necessarily the route to economic success; yet the statistics of French post-war economic development show that the golden age was in the 30 years post-1945, when Keynesianism dominated, together with high taxes and high public and infrastructure spending. The period from the 1980s, by contrast, in which neo-liberal monetarist economic policies have held sway, has had lower growth, higher unemployment, lower taxes and recently a terrible economic crash followed by extended recession.

It was interesting also to see an extended interview with Marine Le Pen who could well figure strongly in the next presidential elections (these extracts were taken from an interview which I think had appeared earlier on the BBC News channel).

[Serial_Apologist]

I agree with Richard T, that this was an interesting programme and it is good in principle to have more programmes about the economy, culture and society of other countries. Actually I thought the point about the small businessman complaining about all his employee surcharges could have been taken to support not just a tax-cutting, deregulating agenda but also an anti-globalisation one - given that presumably multinationals can dodge a number of these impositions in the way that Amazon, say, avoids paying the same taxes that a local CD supplier based in Britain does. But where I would agree with S_A is that Peston seems to take it as almost axiomatic that French hostility to austerity and the current operation of the eurozone is misguided and likely to lead to disastrous consequences, whereas there is plenty of evidence that could be assembled to show the flawed creation and operation of the eurozone and the disastrous impact (particularly in social effects) of austerity policies. And Peston also lazily accepts the right-wing economist's view that cutting taxes and spending is necessarily the route to economic success; yet the statistics of French post-war economic development show that the golden age was in the 30 years post-1945, when Keynesianism dominated, together with high taxes and high public and infrastructure spending. The period from the 1980s, by contrast, in which neo-liberal monetarist economic policies have held sway, has had lower growth, higher unemployment, lower taxes and recently a terrible economic crash followed by extended recession.

It was interesting also to see an extended interview with Marine Le Pen who could well figure strongly in the next presidential elections (these extracts were taken from an interview which I think had appeared earlier on the BBC News channel).

Very well put, thanks.

[Dave2002]

... and some of their testimony was quite eye-popping - that of the mother of six (who deserves a , you'd have to watch the programme ....

Oh come on, the kids were so sweet. How could anyone take exception to her views?

[greenilex]

I would really appreciate a Peston does Iran programme. I feel shockingly ignorant of the economic realities in such a large and important nation...

[teamsaint]

I would really appreciate a Peston does Iran programme. I feel shockingly ignorant of the economic realities in such a large and important nation...

Good point.
There is so much of which many of us are only dimly aware.

Prior to a bit of recent googling, I had no idea of the economic importance of Turkmenistan , for instance.

[Dave2002]

Prior to a bit of recent googling, I had no idea of the economic importance of Turkmenistan , for instance.

Should we know more? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkmenistan

Probably would be difficult for Peston or anyone from the BBC to make a programme in that country, though perhaps not impossible - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkmenistan

http://thediplomat.com/2014/07/is-tu...l-asian-tiger/ has some details of recent policies and economic developments.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obs...he_legacy.html Some crazy architecture.

[teamsaint]

Should we know more? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkmenistan

Probably would be difficult for Peston or anyone from the BBC to make a programme in that country, though perhaps not impossible - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkmenistan

http://thediplomat.com/2014/07/is-tu...l-asian-tiger/ has some details of recent policies and economic developments.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obs...he_legacy.html Some crazy architecture.

Great links Dave.

A fascinating place, isn't it. We are going to hear a lot more of it I suspect in the coming years, with gas reserves like that.
Crazy country, ( aren't they all, just look at ours).

Turkmenistan air sounds fun !! Take a book, and let the kids run around the airport .

http://www.amritsartravel.com/turkmenistan-airlines-flights.shtml

Nice stop off on the way to the Golden temple.

They run various desert based holidays, look great, but pretty pricey.

And of course, one can catch up on the music of the great Chary Nurymov.

[Dave2002]

And there's this - I don't have any gold teeth - never have - http://thecrat.com/articles/tyrant-o...murat-niyazov/

I should have chewed on bones when younger. A true visionary - smoking bans, and no recorded music.

[Richard Tarleton]

Then he could do a programme about Molvania

[greenilex]

Wow. If only I can persuade the grandchildren that airport-surfing is the latest thing in holiday thrills.

Seriously, I think a Farsi speaker could do an important job of peace education in relation to Iran. But maybe there is some kind of embargo?

[Dave2002]

I think I'll stick with BA to go to India.

[kernelbogey]

I watched the Peston programme last night. It took me back to my view about television that even this type of 'serious' programme is conceived as entertainment. TV is a visual medium and programmes are driven by finding appropriate (entertaining) images. So we have the interesting shapes of an abandoned factory, the rootling pigs, cheese being cut and wine poured, the Citroen DS, and so on. How much more of a serious programme could Peston have made with an hour of radio? Quite a lot more serious and informative I think (although translating the French conversations would have required the conventional fade-out into a translator's voice, as in the news).

[Roehre]

I watched the Peston programme last night. It took me back to my view about television that even this type of 'serious' programme is conceived as entertainment. TV is a visual medium and programmes are driven by finding appropriate (entertaining) images. So we have the interesting shapes of an abandoned factory, the rootling pigs, cheese being cut and wine poured, the Citroen DS, and so on. How much more of a serious programme could Peston have made with an hour of radio? Quite a lot more serious and informative I think (although translating the French conversations would have required the conventional fade-out into a translator's voice, as in the news).

I watched it last night too, and these were nearly exactly the feelings I got as well.
I enjoyed Preston's French, btw.

[kernelbogey]

I enjoyed Preston's French, btw.

Thanks, Roehre: and I wish we had more presenters who could converse in their subjects' native tongue.

[teamsaint]

Thanks, Roehre: and I wish we had more presenters who could converse in their subjects' native tongue.

Not really encouraging my hopes for the long awaited Turkmenistan programme, KB !!