The Fifth French Republic: Presidents, Politics and Personalities PDF
Preview The Fifth French Republic: Presidents, Politics and Personalities
The Fifth French Republic The Fifth French Republic offers an introduction to modern French politics and history which focuses on the careers and personalities of the five men elected to the Presidency since the establishment of the regime in 1958: Charles de Gaulle, Georges Pompidou, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac. The book describes how the Fifth French Republic came into existence, and discusses the way in which it differs from previous attempts to establish a viable democratic regime in France. It compares the version of democracy represented by the Fifth French Republic with the longer established constitutional practices in the English-speaking democracies, and pays particular attention to the role of the French civil service. Other topics treated include: • decolonisation, and de Gaulle’s solution to the Algerian problem • French attitudes to the European Union • the behaviour of France during the Cold War • the experiment in socialism under François Mitterrand • attempts at decentralisation and at reducing the role of the state • anti-Americanism in France • the problems of immigration and the rise of the National Front Philip Thody is Emeritus Professor at Leeds University and the author of The Conservative Imagination, French Caesarism from Napoleon I to Charles de Gaulle and An Historical Introduction to the European Union. The Fifth French Republic Presidents, politics and personalities Philip Thody London and New York First published 1998 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002. Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 © 1998 Philip Thody All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for ISBN 0-415-18754-0 (pbk) ISBN 0-415-18753-2 (hbk) ISBN 0-203-00502-3 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-21988-0 (Glassbook Format) Geography is about maps. History is about chaps. Pre-feminist and pre-postmodernist dictum Contents Acknowledgements viii Glossary ix Introduction 1 1 Charles de Gaulle: the founding father 4 2 Georges Pompidou: the conscientious uncle 37 3 Valéry Giscard d’Estaing: the ambitious nephew 64 4 François Mitterrand: the rebellious brother 90 5 Jacques Chirac: the impulsive grandson 123 6 Conclusion 150 Appendix A French régimes from 1792 to 1958 153 Appendix B Prime ministers of the Fifth Republic 154 Appendix C A note on the French civil service 156 Notes 161 Annotated bibliography 167 Index 170 Acknowledgements As in previous books, I am most grateful to my friend and colleague, Howard Evans, for all his help and advice. All mistakes are naturally my own.
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