[uriel]

> But there is a problem if a PhD is published only in english, because then there might be French citizens who will not be able to read a work they paid for (remember, the public education system is funded by the taxpayers-citizens).

Maybe those citizens should learn English.

But one of the main reasons why so many people in France don't speak English is precisely their broken educational system. (This is not exclusive to France, Spain for example is very similar.)

> Ideologically speaking, the French education system is very egalitarian and very meritocratic.

I don't see how a system can be both egalitarian and meritocratic.

> But it's a chosen, working and interesting system.

It is a system that fails the majority of the population ans only benefits the extremely small elite that gets to go to the Grandes Écoles.

[palsecam]

"I don't see how a system can be both egalitarian and meritocratic."

Egalitarian: education is free for all, and richs and poors (normally) go to the same school, the one of their town, until at least 16. Egality of chance.

Meritocratic: but after 16, you go to the university or a grande école according to your abilities/ranks. The best can go to Polytechnique, the good can go to a grande école or a good university, the rest goes to the other universities (and it's still free for all).

It doesn't matter if your parents are poor and if you were born in the country and not in Paris, if you're great you can go to Polytechnique. And no matter how rich the parents, if you suck, you won't go to Polytechnique.