French rail workers have ended their nine-day strike, which was sparked by President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan for pension reforms, but it seems that the unions could return to strike action if no deal is reached in their talks with employers.

The strike, which began on November 13, was triggered by plans to scrap special pension privileges enjoyed by 500,000 workers, mainly in the rail and energy sectors, as well as 1.1 million pensioners.
The French government last tried to overhaul special pensions in 1995. The move sparked three weeks of strikes that forced then president Jacques Chirac to climb down.
This shows that the French people do not want to be dominated, even by their own elected government.
In the bigger picture, this also shows that people in most developed countries like France oversee the activities of their elected officials through checks and balances, and if new legislation or a new plan appears that may threaten their rights, they protest then and there.
However, in Third world countries, because the people generally have a lower level of education, they are not and cannot become actively involved in the process of managing their own countries. Therefore, the ruling elite can do whatever they wish.
They implement plans and pass laws that are only meant to secure their own benefits. They approve legislation and ink treaties with other countries that run contrary to national interests.
In most cases, the people are not even aware that such laws and treaties are actually depriving them of many of the basic necessities of life. Therefore, they don’t protest.
Usually, the ruling elite keeps violating and abusing the people’s rights for a long time (maybe half a century, a century or even more) to the point where the people find themselves in a situation where they have nothing to lose. So it is only then that they come to their senses and protest out of despair, causing a big and usually violent revolution.
In some less developed countries, the people fail to understand the plight that has been imposed on them, even after a very long time, giving outside powers an excuse to meddle with their government, carry out regime change, and install a vassal government.
Hence, it should come as no surprise that at this point in time, most revolutions, regime changes, and military coups happen in the Third Word.
Yet, in most developed countries, apart from the fact that they enjoy a higher standard of education, the common people, and especially workers, are bought into the picture by the leaders of their unions, associations, and political parties. So, when they hold protests or go on strike, no individual person can be held accountable.
In this way they can cause a small revolution against any legislation that they view as a threat to their rights.
Unlike most underdeveloped countries, where union leaders are usually appointed by the powers that be to ensure that the workers do not dare speak up for their rights, union leaders in developed countries are elected by the workers and are competent, for the most part. Thus, they cannot be easily deceived or influenced.
This makes it more difficult for government officials to use their positions for their own benefit, which often leads to the unnecessary burden of a big revolution being imposed on the people.
For example, in 2006 new youth employment laws sparked mass demonstrations in Paris and other cities across France. As protests continued, the legislation was scrapped, whereas a similar law was passed in an oil-rich developing country 16 years ago but most of the people did not have the faintest idea about its consequences.
So the onus is on the people of Third World countries to come to their senses before it is too late.
They should try to educate themselves, acquire an international view of political and social issues, and become actively involved in the ruling process of their countries.
By doing so, they will be able to determine their own destiny and help their countries evolve into better places for themselves and for their children