Released in 2010, the collective work The State stands dismantled an overview of key
players and the effects of progressive deconstruction of the state and its public service
missions. It helps to better understand the process of social transformation affecting
society today. ---- At the time of the Court of Auditors recommends a reduction in the
number of employees or a gel or a blockage of their wages [1], the state dismantled to
understand the long-term process that led to vision accounting activities State. The
introduction, written by Laurent Bonelli and Willy Pelletier recalls and disruptions
affecting the organization French state did not begin with the crisis. ---- They are
rooted first in a transformation of political and administrative elites, more trained in
business schools (HEC, ESSEC) and are forced to promote standards organization modeled on
managerial private companies, until the 1970s when the "great committed" state could
defend because it was linked to interest their positions to the vertices of the state, the
development of policy domains.
Withdrawal and reorganization of the State
It was then the General Review of Public Policies (RGPP), adopted by the Cabinet in 2007,
which is taking place at a rapid pace, and provides management accounting criteria on the
activity of the different services of the State. Despite misgivings, the main senior
officials at the head of departments engage in this activity as "upgrading" of the
organization of the administrative and public services.
This movement results in a narrowing of the scope of state intervention: it operates
through massive transfers of various segments of activity to the private sector
(privatization of the Post Office, the SNCF subsidiary, etc.). but also by the breakdown
of public service missions as well as transfers to local government in a number of
activities (road maintenance departments or vocational training areas, for example).
Even more insidious, the imposition of a definition of "general interest" based on
maintaining accounting and budget balances reflects the empowerment of control senior
officials of the Ministry of Finance on various administrations. The entire state is
affected by increasing the weight of the hierarchical constraints and requirements defined
by the top of the building ministry.
These successive reorganizations and many are accompanied by significant disruptions that
result in difficult missions performed (congestion in the courts, reforms or university
hospitals, etc..) In short, the movement to redefine the scope and content of activities
state based on the key word "performance" and rules of budgetary assessment, which we know
the devastating effects, both for personal and for public service users.
What resistance?
Many mobilizations however opposed these changes imposed forced march. But they remained
often sectoral and subjected to the difficulty of having to defend against attacks
gradual. In addition, many state officials are working on a daily basis to continue to
fulfill their missions, and accept and, somehow, the new constraints imposed on them.
Maintaining the activity of the state and is based in many cases on the surplus civil
servants, who have no other choice to maintain a sense of professional commitment.
In the field of labor inspection, described by Jean-Christian Billard, "modernization" is
translated first by outsourcing certain tasks presented by the "reformers" do not fall in
the "heart of business" this administration, an argument from speeches widely popular in
the private sector, and have contributed to the extensive use of subcontracting in many
productive sectors. Registration of election results and now business is entrusted to a
private provider, instead of the secretariats of sections of the labor inspectorate.
Also in this area, the reduction of posts in categories C (secretariat, management, etc.).
Resulting in a loss of public reception and transfer of administrative tasks on the most
qualified personnel, who are thus reduced time for all of their missions.
The proliferation of legal changes (modernization law labor market 25 June 2008, followed
by the law of modernization of the economy of 4 August 2008, followed by one on "renewal
of social democracy" of 20 August 2008) added to this table increasing complexity of the
tasks of the Labour Inspectorate: no coherence, the multiplication of successive reforms
of those rules by Jean-Christian Billard to "accelerated dilution" of labor law, which we
imagine disastrous consequences for workers.
This example illustrates, if necessary, how the internal reorganization of the state
administration are reflected in many areas of social and political life. We could then
multiply examples as education, transport and rail, culture, and including, the activity
of the police.
What model of society?
Ultimately, the central question of this book remains the model of society that underlies
these changes: if the state and its organization has been carrying forms of strong
leadership in society, dismantling, or rather redeployment in new forms, causes a
breakdown comprehensive and generalized forms, certainly different and often partial
socialization of the individual risk and collective wealth.
Of collective resistance remain to be built, and from this point of view, the book
reflects the fact that the forms of constraints and work pressures experienced officials
are close to those applied to the employee's private-es, with the same dramatic
consequences, harassment and ill-being at work until suicide. The question of a project
company in which socialization and definition of public services would collectively reach
by public officials and users, remains more relevant than ever.
Violaine (AL 93)
Willy Pelletier and Laurent Bonelli (eds.), 2010, The State dismantled, Discovery, Paris,
324 pages.
[1] See Situation and outlook for public finances in 2012, published July 2, 2012,
available ccomptes.fr
Bron : a-infos-en@ainfos.ca