[Idiom] “The more things change, the more they remain the same”

[Olympian]

Hello,

I read the following in a Yahoo news story:

“The more things change, the more they remain the same,” Jasper City Council Member Alton Scott said of the city's racial troubles.
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I take it to mean 'nothing has changed' or 'nothing changes', in this case referring to the way black people are (have been?) treated. But I don't understand why he says 'The more things change'. Does it refer to how everything else is changing except this (that is, inter-racial relations)?

Thank you

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes, that expression is usually one of frustration. Despite all efforts to improve education, the economy, etc., the end result has not changed much.

 

[probus]

Its origin is the French expression "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose", which could be freely rendered as "The more it changes, the more it's the same old thing." The Councillor thought it was appropriate because most of us believe, or at least want to believe, that racial equality has improved in the United States, but recent events in his city indicate otherwise.

 

[Olympian]

It's origin is the French expression "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose", which could be freely rendered as "The more it changes, the more it's the same old thing." The Councillor thought it was appropriate because most of us believe, or at least want to believe, that racial equality has improved in the United States, but recent events in his city indicate otherwise.

@probus, thank you for the detailed explanation.