Overview
Many books have been written about Jacques Chirac, but they are all rather biographical and based on interviews or confidential discussions. There is not one book analysing his official speeches and political texts. Some of these texts are, of course, totally ephemeral and full of hackneyed phrases, but others show that Chirac is surprisingly constant about subjects like taxes, unemployment, international politics, the presidential regime, family or reforms of State.On the other hand, what is striking in Chiracs texts, are their inner contradictions - our president constantly pleads for more laws but less influence by the State, more social protection but less taxes, a stronger army but less public expenses - and their contradictions as far as actuality is concerned - the gap between these texts and reality is totally obvious, on the national as well as on the international level.Yves Michaud is a professor for philosophy at the University of Rouen. He is head of "L'Universit? de tous les savoirs". He has two specialities: philosophy of art (L'art ? l'?tat gazeux, published by Stock in 2003) and philosophy of politics (see for example: Changements dans la violence, Odile Jacob).
