But 20 percent of the population or 12 million people smoke in France, and more than 70, 000 reportedly die every year from what doctors attribute to smoking-related illnesses which many French people, at least in my experience, instead attribute to prolonged exposure to American culture.

NPR: A Tradition Ends in French Cafes

Economists attribute the slump to technology, saying it has rendered many mid-skill administrative professions obsolete.

FORBES: Wages Becoming Increasingly Polarized, Economists Confirm