Is fear harmful ?

[Gogue Jean-Marie <jmegogue@wanadoo.fr>]

Dear DENizens,

You know the Deming's Point No 8: "Drive out fear". In some companies, the
fear of arbitrary sackings is definitely harmful, but in the French civil
services, a world where fear has been almost totally removed, a bit of fear
would be helpful for a good management.

In France for ages civil servants have got the enormous privilege of a
total security of employement, even if they don't work correctly (a
privilege granted by the law). The consequence is that unions can paralyze
the country with strikes in civil services, and therefore some union
leaders have a dramatic influence on the goverment policy.

This is why the Jospin cabinet was reshuffled last week, with Laurent
Fabius as minister of Finance and Jack Lang as minister of Education.

These strikes conflict with democracy , because a minority of people who
have not been recognized by the democratic process, and defend special
privileges, weigh heavily on the future of the whole country. They could be
eliminated only by one mean: if the law could restore a bit of fear in the
world of civil services. But the law is made by politicians, and
politicians depend on union leaders.

I believe that other European countries suffer from the same problem. I
read a very amusing novel about the tyranny of a group of civil servants
over the British government policy: "The Complete Yes Minister" by Jonathan
Lynn and Antony Jay (BBC Books). The first edition was accompanied by a BBC
TV series broadcasted 20 years ago. A good satire !

Best wishes,

Jean-Marie Gogue

jmegogue@wanadoo.fr
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