Parallels between the Third Republic and America's current political state

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Has anyone else noticed the striking similarities in a few areas?

[Formerly Californian Tony]

You mean the French Third Republic ?

In its late years, there might be some similarities : government inefficiency, powerlessness and inability to fix what's (seriously) wrong, the legislative branch being utterly useless and pathetic, rise of far-right fringe movements, great violence of the political discourse, etc...

The 1876-1914 period, however, is one of the greatest political eras France has ever experienced.

[Sibboleth]

Beyond the fact that they have almost nothing in common?

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Beyond the fact that they have almost nothing in common?

I'm probably grasping at straws here but during the 20s and 30s its inability to handle its fiscal dilemmas properly, the alarmist media, the polarization, the hold-up of necessary reforms by the conservative senate and the like are reminiscent of many American problems. I think it holds up much better than the often recited "Weimar = 21st century America" comparison.

Why do you think I'm entirely off-base here?

[Sibboleth]

Well it isn't as absurd as the Weimar comparison, but then that's only because it isn't quite openly ridiculous.

But it's still stupid.