Un pays qui se tient sage

The state holds a monopoly on the use of legitimate physical force. But what exactly is legitimate force? In the autumn of 2018, protests flared up throughout France as the Yellow Vests began to demonstrate against government reforms, inequality and injustice. While police officers increasingly respond to the protests with extreme brutality, the Republic of France finds itself confronted with questions of unprecedented police violence. This documentary uses extensive archive material to get to the bottom of this burning issue, and allows a wide variety of people to air their opinions. Their views on social order and the legitimacy of state violence are explored, questioned and compared.