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History 172 – Modern France

History 172 – Modern France. Pluralising the Republic. Outline . The decline of the far left Pluralising the Republic. Anti-totalitarians, 1970s. 1968 Far left component (Maoist, Trotskyite) Libertarian as well Esprit – Journal with anti-totalitarian slant

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History 172 – Modern France

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  1. History 172 – Modern France Pluralising the Republic

  2. Outline • The decline of the far left • Pluralising the Republic

  3. Anti-totalitarians, 1970s • 1968 • Far left component (Maoist, Trotskyite) • Libertarian as well • Esprit – Journal with anti-totalitarian slant • Communism less attractive in the wake of Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag Archipelago • Still, a highly technocratic state throughout the 1970s, managed by politically appointed énarques • (Écolenationale de l’Administration)

  4. Giscard

  5. Valéry Giscard D’Estaing (1974-1981) • 1973 – Oil crisis / recession • Stagflation: contradicted economic theory • Attempts to lower inflation increased unemployment • Giscard – to the left of most British and American centre-right parties • Promoted fusion of state-subsidized companies to compete internationally • Shift to nuclear power • Today, France gets 75% of its power this way

  6. Gradual turn to market economy • Markets as autonomous forces • Politics must adapt to those forces, rather than directing them (a retreat from dirigisme) • France embarked on selective dirigisme: support the strong with state subsidies, allow or force the weak to perish: 70% increase in company bankruptcies after 1974.

  7. Main winners of economic policies • Large agriculture • Energy companies • Telephone/communications • Train / airlines

  8. Losers • Small farmers and businesses • Industrial labour • Unemployment rises • Benefits and retraining: offered only after vigorous strikes

  9. Mitterrand Years (1981-1994) First victory of Socialists in Fifth Republic Euphoria upon election – dancing in the streets Fears that ‘Russian tanks will soon be rolling through the streets of Paris’ (Cold War)

  10. Who was he? • As student at Sciences Po, active in right-leaning parties in mid 1930s associated with the Croix-de-feu(quasi-fascist group) • Capture by Germans. Developed left-leaning sympathies in prison camp, which he eventually escaped from • Joined Vichy government but supported resistance

  11. Who was he? • Active in parties of the left in 1950s • Held ministerial positions • Deeply committed to keeping Algeria French • Tried to profit from 1968, but people saw through this

  12. Mitterrand - 1970s • Seen as an opportunist • Slowly, methodically, cunningly, he pried Communist supporters towards Socialist party • Came close to winning presidency in 1974 • Won in 1981

  13. Early policies • Raised minimum wage • 5 week holidays • 39 hour work week • Super tax • Increase of social benefits and employee rights • At odds with other countries who were moving headlong into market economics

  14. Reversals Anti-inflation Austerity Move towards European economic union Maastricht Treaty 1992 – free trade zone Cordial with Thatcher: ‘Eyes of Caligula, mouth of Marilyn Monroe’

  15. Political economy of France since 1980s • Further move away from dirigisme • 2000s: Privatizations • Political effects: Front national (FN) benefits from economic stresses and failure of mainstream parties to alleviate them

  16. Pluralism Bidonvilles Aubervilliers, 1970 HLM: public housing initiatives

  17. Bidonvilles

  18. Bidonville, Nanterre

  19. HLM

  20. HLM

  21. Problems • Isolation from other socio-economic groups • Undermined republican ‘assimilation’ ideals • Boredom, unemployment, violence • Clashes with police, revolts

  22. Veil politics • 1989 – banned in schools • Left and far-right cametogetheron banning them • Attempts to build mosques in 1980s – vehemently resisted by many French people • Why wear scarves? • Forced or a choice? • Left finds new agenda: culture rather than class • Algerian Civil War in 1990s: veil=Islam=terrorism

  23. World Cup, 1998 • Banlieue / city boundaries break down for an evening • Racism defied by victory – Le Pen silent • Pasqua laws of early 1990s / ‘sans-papiers’ debate • Children of foreign born parents not automatically given French nationality • Stricter residency rules

  24. French Riots 2005 Second generation immigrants Arab, North African, Blacks Nearly 3000 arrested 9000 cars destroyed 274 towns affected

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