To encourage French voters to approve the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, President Chirac warned them against the risk of France becoming the 'black sheep' of Europe. But, as Einstein once wrote, 'in order to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep one must, first of all, be a sheep.' In the event, the French, whichever way they voted, did not behave like a flock of sheep.

LRB 21 July 2005 | PDF Download