«Travailler plus pour gagner plus». Análisis cultural de un lema de la campaña presidencial francesa de 2007

Abstract

«Travailler plus pour gagner plus» («Work more to earn more») was a slogan of rightwing candidate Nicolas Sarkozy during the 2007 French presidential election; it made reference to the tax exemption of overtime working hours that was part of his program. The article proposes a cultural analysis of this political slogan. The slogan’s linguistic interest lies in its poetic and theatrical dimensions. It is embedded in a rich cultural context: it refers to a doxa in right-wing discourse, according to which the «social model» should be replaced by a liberal model that also rescues the «value of work». It responded to voters’ economic and social concerns, supported by the media. Through such incisive slogans, Nicolas Sarkozy claimed to embody a «rupture» from outgoing president Jacques Chirac, despite running as a candidate for the same party. Lastly, «travailler plus pour gagner plus» became a mainstay both in political and popular culture.