Numerous studies show that a majority of French people are convinced that the level of violence in our society is now reaching record highs.
This feeling fuels a strong sense of insecurity and permeates the political climate, to the point that the fight against "insecurity" has become a priority for several political parties. The violence of the exchanges and sometimes the unleashing of hatred on certain social networks are striking, particularly when anonymity provides "protection" to those who post them. Is our society therefore more violent than ever before? What do historians tell us about this? Does this feeling correspond to reality? How can we explain this current need to resort to violence in our interactions?
By Marc Gindre, Professor of Economics and Social Sciences.
