“Things are not so painful or difficult in themselves; it is weakness and cowardice that make them so", declared Montaigne. This is true of globalisation, regarded elsewhere as an opportunity, but by many people in France as a vector of risk and disorder. And yet succeeding in a globalised world is in the interests of the French people and perfectly within their reach. This by no means requires discarding the French collective model. On the other hand, nothing will be possible in the absence of coherent mobilisation of resources in order to work better and produce more.

This is the path traced out by the Institut Montaigne’s Competitiveness Working Group, which, after making a clear and precise diagnosis, formulates in this report concrete proposals relating to saving, working contracts and employability, innovation and also the evaluation of public policy. These together form a complete, audacious and yet balanced “kit” for "reconciling France with competitiveness".