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Monsieur Made-in-France eschews foreign goods in name of economic patriotism Monsieur Made-in-France eschews foreign goods in name of patriotism
(about 1 hour later)
It must have seemed a great idea over a couple of Belgian beers and a glass of Scotch whisky while listening to David Bowie. Then the furniture removers arrived at Benjamin Carle's Paris flat and stripped it almost bare. It must have seemed a great idea over a couple of Belgian beers and a glass of scotch while listening to David Bowie. Then the furniture removers arrived at Benjamin Carle's Paris flat and stripped it almost bare.
Out went anything foreign made including the fridge, washing machine, most of his clothing and his British-made bicycle, leaving Carle, 25, with an old table, a chair and a second-hand wardrobe. Out went anything foreign-made including the fridge, washing machine, most of his clothing and his British-made bicycle, leaving Carle, 25, with an old table, a chair and a second-hand wardrobe.
At that point, minus the beer, whisky and Bowie, the young documentary-maker might have been forgiven for abandoning his nine-month "economic patriotism" experiment in which he uses and consumes only French-made products. At that point, minus the beer, whisky and Bowie, the young documentary-maker might have been forgiven for abandoning his nine-month "economic patriotism" experiment, in which he uses and consumes only French-made products.
Thankfully Loon the cat, made in France but named after the late Keith Moon "the Loon", British drummer with The Who, was allowed to stay. "I don't think my girlfriend was very impressed when she came home," admits Carle. "She must love me because it's no fun for her." Thankfully, Loon the cat, made in France but named after the late Keith Moon ("the Loon"), British drummer with the Who, was allowed to stay. "I don't think my girlfriend was very impressed when she came home," admits Carle. "She must love me because it's no fun for her."
Since May, Carle has become Monsieur Made-in-France for a television documentary, to be screened next spring, about the difficulties of consuming products that are exclusively French. Since May, he has become Monsieur Made-in-France for a television documentary, to be screened next spring, about the difficulties of consuming exclusively French products.
The idea was inspired by the political debate during the 2012 presidential election, which reached a high point when Arnaud Montebourg, the Socialist minister for industrial renewal, posed in a natty Breton T-shirt to extol the merits of buying French as a way of supporting Gallic industry.The idea was inspired by the political debate during the 2012 presidential election, which reached a high point when Arnaud Montebourg, the Socialist minister for industrial renewal, posed in a natty Breton T-shirt to extol the merits of buying French as a way of supporting Gallic industry.
Sitting in a French cafe in Belleville, an ethnically mixed area of north-east Paris, Carle drinks Perrier water from a glass that may or may not be French ("that's not as important as what's in the glass").Sitting in a French cafe in Belleville, an ethnically mixed area of north-east Paris, Carle drinks Perrier water from a glass that may or may not be French ("that's not as important as what's in the glass").
From the €90 cap (Larose) to the €80 trainers (Dutt), via his corduroy trousers, white T-shirt, blue sweatshirt (Bleu de Paname), his clothes were all made in France. Carle is adamant his underpants are also French made, but does not reveal the label. And his socks? There is an awkward silence. "It's a bit embarrassing because we make a lot of socks in France, but I ran out. It's quite hard not having a washing machine," he says. From the €90 (£75) cap (Larose) to the €80 trainers (Dutt), via his corduroy trousers, white T-shirt, blue sweatshirt (Bleu de Paname), his clothes were all made in France. Carle is adamant his underpants are also French-made, but does not reveal the label. And his socks? There is an awkward silence. "It's a bit embarrassing because we make a lot of socks in France, but I ran out. It's quite hard not having a washing machine," he says.
It is an interesting and occasionally exaggerated premise for a television programme, however Carle insists the experiment has a serious point. It is an interesting and occasionally exaggerated premise for a television programme; however, Carle insists the experiment has a serious point.
"I am not someone who is particularly patriotic and I'm not at all nationalistic. Like many young people my cultural influences are mostly Anglo-American. It's an experiment to see if it can be done, and if it could save jobs in France. "I am not someone who is particularly patriotic and I'm not at all nationalistic. Like many young people, my cultural influences are mostly Anglo-American. It's an experiment to see if it can be done, and if it could save jobs in France.
"It's harder than you'd think. I thought I'd have some small electrical things, but I discovered they were all made in China. I can have Häagen-Dazs, Coca-Cola and McDonald's because they are made in France, but I cannot listen to David Bowie, even on the radio in a French-made car. I don't have a fridge so I can't eat frozen food and I am only eating fruit and vegetables that are grown in France therefore they are in season." "It's harder than you'd think," Carle says. "I thought I'd have some small electrical things, but I discovered they were all made in China.
Carle admits the experiment has made him think about how people consume. "We have totally lost the idea of seasonal products. We think it's normal to have strawberries in January and tomatoes in March. I feel like I've gone back to an earlier time, to the values and constraints of, say, my grandfather's generation." "I can have Häagen-Dazs, Coca-Cola and McDonald's because they are made in France, but I cannot listen to David Bowie, even on the radio in a French-made car.
"I don't have a fridge so I can't eat frozen food, and I am only eating fruit and vegetables that are grown in France, so they are in season."
Carle admits the experiment has made him think about how people consume. "We have totally lost the idea of seasonal products. We think it's normal to have strawberries in January and tomatoes in March. I feel like I've gone back to an earlier time, to the values and constraints of, say, my grandfather's generation.
"It has made me think and I do have the impression that I am supporting employment in France. It's a similar feeling to buying fair trade products.""It has made me think and I do have the impression that I am supporting employment in France. It's a similar feeling to buying fair trade products."
On a wage of €1,800 (£1,513) a month he cannot afford to replace everything the removal men took. "It's slightly more expensive to buy French, but isn't that a good thing? There's a reason things made in China are so cheap and that's low wages. But it does a lot more time finding French made things like food and clothes." On a wage of €1,800 (£1,513) a month he cannot afford to replace everything the removal men took. "It's slightly more expensive to buy French, but isn't that a good thing? There's a reason things made in China are so cheap, and that's low wages. But it does take a lot more time finding French-made things like food and clothes."
Carle says the government needs to do more to support domestic industry, particularly the manufacture of textiles "as they have done with the French car industry for the last 20 years", and persuade French companies to keep or return production to France.Carle says the government needs to do more to support domestic industry, particularly the manufacture of textiles "as they have done with the French car industry for the last 20 years", and persuade French companies to keep or return production to France.
He says calling the documentary Made in France (in English) was ridiculous – but says this was foisted on him by the television company.He says calling the documentary Made in France (in English) was ridiculous – but says this was foisted on him by the television company.
Carle says there isn't anything he particularly craves (though he misses HP sauce). "There isn't any one difficult thing, it's more an accumulation. Sometimes I find alternatives, but honestly Corsican whisky is not as good as Scotch. I can't listen to David Bowie or go to a pop concert if a foreign group is playing, or watch an American blockbuster or television series, which I like, but I have discovered some French alternatives." There isn't anything he particularly craves (though he misses HP sauce). "There isn't any one difficult thing, it's more an accumulation. Sometimes I find alternatives, but honestly, Corsican whisky is not as good as scotch.
I can't listen to David Bowie, or go to a pop concert if a foreign group is playing, or watch an American blockbuster or television series, which I like, but I have discovered some French alternatives."
But wait! What's that iPhone doing on the table? "While I'm researching the documentary, I have to keep my phone and computer, but for the last two months I will give them up. I've no idea how I'm going to communicate with people," he says.But wait! What's that iPhone doing on the table? "While I'm researching the documentary, I have to keep my phone and computer, but for the last two months I will give them up. I've no idea how I'm going to communicate with people," he says.
There are, however scarier alternatives. If David Bowie is out, who's music is he listening to … national crooner Johnny Hallyday? Carle splutters over his Perrier. "Er no, I draw the line there." There are, however, scarier alternatives. If David Bowie is out, whose music is he listening to … national crooner Johnny Hallyday?
Carle splutters over his Perrier. "Er no, I draw the line there."

Buying British

Buying British
I'm Backing Britain was a spasm of economic patriotism aimed at boosting the British economy in 1968. Unfortunately, the campaign's T-shirts were made in Portugal.I'm Backing Britain was a spasm of economic patriotism aimed at boosting the British economy in 1968. Unfortunately, the campaign's T-shirts were made in Portugal.
The earlier Buy British Campaign of 1931 was the government's attempt to tackle a balance of payments crisis without initially resorting to tariff protection.The earlier Buy British Campaign of 1931 was the government's attempt to tackle a balance of payments crisis without initially resorting to tariff protection.
The operation, organised by the Empire Marketing Board, vaunted the benefits to the balance of trade, the value of sterling, the value of employment and commercial relations with the empire by buying British.The operation, organised by the Empire Marketing Board, vaunted the benefits to the balance of trade, the value of sterling, the value of employment and commercial relations with the empire by buying British.
The campaign enjoyed limited and temporary success.The campaign enjoyed limited and temporary success.
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