Very substantive commentary on the extant economic situation we find ourselves in. It is telling how little ownership of property has changed since the French Revolution, which was the spark that ignited overturning most monarchies. My takeaway from that failure to change is to recognize that exchanging kings for representatives has not changed anything meaningfully. The same people still run things, and we still don't, although the overlords are a bit more cryptic, having fall guys in between them and the ire of mobs with torches and pitchforks. Macron, the fall guy designated in France, doesn't even seem to be feeling any heat from six months of street protests. Clearly democracy is a very beneficial technological advance over monarchy for the rentier class, as were the layer of bureaucracy not so confusing things, an obvious king's head would have found a basket long ago.
Something confuses me about Notre Dame's rebuilding. Isn't it a Catholic church, owned by the church? I can understand people, and even the government, wanting to contribute to rebuilding a national treasure, but I am actually shocked the church itself seems to be bearing none of the cost of rebuilding.
Thanks!
Indeed, from monarchies to aristocrats of a different kind, the new money power.
Yes, good point about the ownership, I would think it's catholic too. Sure, people can donate, but the church has huge coffers to foot the bill, and probably (one would think) insurance. People, driven by their emotions, are going to help cut the costs :/
If I take at face value the figures you relate in the OP, the church won't pay a penny. Not saying I doubt you, just making an observation of what seems to be happening.