FRANCE: Medal Mania

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No Limit. The last attempt to restrict awards was made by Charles de Gaulle, who abolished 17 government awards in 1963, leaving a mere 102 extant. At the same time, he established the National Order of Merit, known as "the poor man's Legion of Honor." No limit was placed on the number of these awards, and 90,000 have already been given to such people as a carpet-factory foreman, the head of off-track betting and a bicycle-race winner. The bonanza of medals is not restricted to Frenchmen. "During a French state visit to, say, Egypt," notes one French diplomat, "we'll toss out 40 Legions of Honor" —adding that of course the French expect to get that many medals in return.