'Sarkozy the American' and the French Presidency of the G20

Abstract

Is France’s traditional, reflexive anti-Americanism influencing its 2011 presidency of the G20? This paper argues that one might be tempted to read the objectives of the French G20 presidency, especially the proposed reform of the international monetary system, through an anti-American lens. But this is not the case for two reasons. First, evidence suggests that the French proposals are actually beneficial to the United States. And second, the French have moved to a “post-anti-American” world in which the new economic menace and cultural threat is now represented by China.

Keywords: Anti-Americanism; China; financial crisis; France; G20; globalization; United States.