Solidarity

Where is the solidarity today?
It is said abused, in crisis. Is solidarity really in decline or has it changed, just like society? Answers with Jacques Malet of Research & Solidarity.

How could one define solidarity?

Already, we must not confuse it with generosity. Solidarity is acting WITH others, not necessarily for others. And when we all row in the same direction, it's effective: solidarity, it pays. This does not exclude personal satisfactions. On the contrary. Being supportive is fun, it makes you happy. We see it especially in volunteering or giving. This is a good thing because it allows a certain balance (we give but we also receive). Thus, it is easier to register your commitment in the long term.

Have the solidarity aspirations of the French changed?
We have gradually moved from militant action (fighting for a cause) to a form of commitment based on the notion of project and on cooperation (actions carried out in common), with as main drivers: the fulfillment staff and the acquisition of skills.

It is very important to have that in mind when you want to mobilize people. It's better to tell them, "Come on, because not only are you going to do useful things, but you'll also gain skills and have fun" rather than "Come work for the cause, sacrifice yourself." If this kind of messages could work at a certain time, it is not the case today.

However, is solidarity in crisis?
Today there are two forms of solidarity, totally different. One is encouraging, very present but insufficient. The other could be threatened eventually.

The first is what I call spontaneous solidarity, the "heart stroke". Of the French as a whole, about two-thirds have, in one way or another, actions or specific behaviors solidarity: donations of money, membership of an association, commitment to its neighbors, a school or town hall, advocacy on social networks ... This is very positive especially as in the remaining third, 15 to 20% of French are waiting for the solidarity of others.

This shows that there is a desire for solidarity, reflexes always present. We see it whenever there is a natural disaster, a fire somewhere, almost everyone is on the bridge. However, these are people who will mobilize at the moment but who, as soon as the event is over, will return to a slightly more individualistic behavior.

The second form is "built" solidarity, which is organized for a project in the long term. It has been struggling for some years. For example, volunteering is moving towards less regular and more punctual engagement and increasingly outside of associations. We will act on a day and that's it. You tell me, it's already good. Except that for the associative sector, so important in France, it is difficult to function, to continue without regular volunteers because 85% of associations have no employees. And projects need time.

Gradually, we went from a "built" solidarity to a "love at first sight" solidarity.

What are the reasons for this evolution?
We can not say that the current environment is very favorable, between the international context, the economic crisis and the loss of confidence in political parties. This does not contribute at all to solidarity. Because we tend to care more about his family, his relatives before thinking of helping others. Also, those who are not won by the "withdrawal into themselves" and show solidarity with each other are almost heroes. I hardly caricature.