French socialists versus Greek conservatives

Two exciting elections took place in Europe this week. In Greece, pro-austerity conservatives were the big winners. In France, the president's Socialist party won an absolute majority of parliament seats. Both stories elicited a variety of reactions from the Current.com community.

Pro-austerity conservatives prevail in Greece

submitted by JohnA

Socialists Win Complete Majority of French Parliament in Historic Elections !

submitted by kennymotown

These opposing ideologies will have a major effect on the existing Eurozone crisis. And Americans will look to France and Greece to see how socialism versus austerity work out in practice. Commenters seem to think both sides are doomed.

On the French and how they're doomed:

2hellnwait: "Now watch France consume itself. . . when the French govt has "redistributed" the fruits of it's productive society. . . austerity will be the peoples just dessert. . . "let them eat cake!"

Paratus: "More of the same failed socialist policies from France. Let them do the same thing that got them into this mess in the first place. BAilouts will only delay the inevitable."

  JohnA: "...our federal government is totally incometent to do anything at all, even the simplest tasks, why would in the world would I want them to have control of my live and death."

Mishima: "Socialism in its various forms cannot work, of course. But the promoters of this hideous ideology try to convince the people that ANYTHING the government pays for is socialism, when, in fact, this is not the case at all. The socialists simply see an opening now, in these difficult economic times, to gain power. They did this in the form of communism - essentially the same thing, according to socialists and communists themselves - during the Great Depression. Socialism has resulted in more deaths, suffering, poverty and misery in our modern world than almost any other ideology.

We need a truly free market in capitalism and rid the world of socialism. The government should protect the free market, not gain power to implement the horror of socialism."

On the Greeks and how they're doomed:

warman1138: "They are so screwed."

Mark701: "It's important to remember that the real goal of the "austerity" measures are to ensure that banks that loaned Greece money, get paid back. Any savings as a result of austerity will be spent paying off loans, NONE will go to the Greek people or be used to stimulate the economy. The big banks are simply hoping to get a percentage of their investment back before the whole thing falls apart.(which it will)."
 
Vierotchka: "Goldman Sachs hit-men fooling the Greek people, this will bring billions more into Goldman Sachs. Austerity doesn't work, it never has, it never will - all that austerity can do is to degrade and destroy an economy."

What do you think? Will Greece prosper with new austerity measures while France falls flat? Or will the socialists reign supreme while the Greeks go even further over the financial cliff? Let us know in the comments. And don't forget to head over to the Community page for more popular stories from the Current.com community.

(Photo: Getty Images)