Classic Western values such as freedom of speech and tolerance need all the defenders they can find today, so kudos to French President Emmanuel Macron for volunteering for the mission. It’s hardly an easy task, but it’s an important one. Mr Macron is right to conclude that it is vital to France’s future – and we would add that to America’s.
Mr. Macron and ministers in his administration have in recent months battled illiberal and divisive philosophies that they believe come from American universities. Mr. Macron in October condemned the influence of “certain social science theories fully imported from the United States.”
In particular, he means the practice of viewing most matters in racial terms – a core principle of ‘wakeness’ – and his government wants educational institutions to avoid this. Higher Education Minister Frédérique Vidal this week promised a survey of academics “who see everything through the prism of wanting to break and share”.
This is part of a broader effort to reaffirm French values after many years of Islamic terrorist attacks. Mr. Macron is also pushing for a new crackdown on religious extremism, and his law was passed by a chamber of the National Assembly this week.
Mr Macron’s political and philosophical vision is to bring together the struggle against violent extremism from outside France and the defense of democratic values within. His speech in October setting out his new plan to combat Islamism warned that a focus on “post-colonial or anti-colonial” discourse is a form of “self-hatred” against France that allows Islamism to flourish. Officials such as Ms. Vidal are also warning against “Islamo-leftism”.