My presidential victory, if it had happened, would have been artificial in relation to the Socialist party. It may be that on my deathbed, I will come to regret my decision, but for the moment, I live at peace with it. Jacques Delors More Quotes by Jacques Delors More Quotes From Jacques Delors ...within ten years 80% of our economic legislation, perhaps even fiscal and social as well' would come from the EU. Jacques Delors economic social years We will have to create an avant-garde.... We could have a Union for the enlarged Europe, and a Federation for the avant-garde. Jacques Delors avant-garde unions europe The European model is in danger if we obliterate the principle of personal responsibility. Jacques Delors principles responsibility europe My objective is that before the end of the millennium Europe should have a true federation. The Commission should become a political executive which can define essential common interests... responsible before the European Parliament and before the nation-states represented how you will, by the European Council or by a second chamber of national parliaments. Jacques Delors political should-have europe The European model is, first, a social and economic system founded on the role of the market, for no computer in the world can process information better than the market. Jacques Delors roles europe firsts The unions may continue to decline, but if they do, it'll be their fault. Jacques Delors unions aggravation may This weakening is worsened by the widening distance between the governed and their governments. Jacques Delors distance government long The problem of how we finance the welfare state should not obscure a separate issue: if each person thinks he has an inalienable right to welfare, no matter what happens to the world, that's not equity, it's just creating a society where you can't ask anything of people. Jacques Delors creating issues thinking I cannot resign myself to the decline of Europe, and of France. Jacques Delors aggravation france europe For me, socialism has always been about liberty and solidarity, but also about responsibility. Jacques Delors eugenics liberty responsibility The driving force behind the liberal counter-offensive in Europe has been a reaction against irresponsibility. Jacques Delors offensive driving europe Therefore one should speak at the same time of national citizenship and wider European citizenship. Jacques Delors citizenship speak europe My problem is how to find the best way of being useful. Jacques Delors best-way problem way We have to struggle against the conservatives from all sides, not only the right-wingers, but also the left-wing conservatives who don't want to change anything. Jacques Delors struggle want wings Cinema explains American society. It's like a Western, with good guys and bad guys, where the weak don't have a place. Jacques Delors cinema guy weak The problem with a purely collective system is not only that it requires economic growth, and the right sort of demographic trends, but that it prevents people thinking about their futures in a responsible way. Jacques Delors growth people thinking Even in Britain, the trade unions tell me that employment contracts have less protection than in the past. Jacques Delors employment unions past I would not be opposed to devising a new system of pensions, in which one part was based on collective provision, but which also gave incentives for people to take out an additional, personal plan. Jacques Delors incentives provision people Yes, the European model remains superior to that of America and Japan. Jacques Delors japan europe america Any union that can't accept workers choosing their own representatives through universal franchise is finished. Jacques Delors unions political philosophy