The document discusses the history of French democracy from its origins following the French Revolution to the current Fifth Republic. It traces France's difficult and non-linear path to stable democracy, including failures and revolutions. Key figures and regimes discussed include Louis XIV, the Jacobins, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth French Republics. Social classes like the nobility, middle class, and working class also impacted France's political development.

1. Politics and
Government
of FRANCE

2. Points to discuss:
 Historical background: The evolution
of French democracy
 French State Institutions:
Parliament, The constitutional
council, civil service, local government
and decentralization, political parties
 Political figures: Charles de
Gaulle, Francois Mitterrand, Jacques
Chirac, Lionel Jospin

3. The Evolution Of French
Democracy
 Evolved in along process and it did not
take place in straight line.
 French democracy suffered a
succession of failures.
 Instead of a fairly steady evolution, it
suffered a convulsive revolution.

4. Tortuous roads to stable
democracy
 A long history of non-democratic institution, characterized by
a strong centralized state and weak parliamentary traditions.
 Prolonged influence of authoritarian elites.
 A prominent role for the state in promoting national wealth
despite substantial private enterprise, especially in non-
democratic regimes.
 French nationalism centered on state and its authority and
not on people.
 Middle class that did not constitute a steady source of support
for democracy.
 Prolonged difficulties integrating the working class, the
disadvantaged class resulting to political alienation of many
workers.
 Emergence of revolutionary socialist parties
 A turbulent international environment that at various times
suppressed, destroyed, or threaten to destroy democracy.

5. The French state
* A succession of monarchs had ruled
the country since the late tenth century
(Bourbon dynasty-1589) .
KING LOUIS XIV
-determined to fortify royal authority
through a firm application of the divine
right of kings.
KING LOUIS XIII
- Centralized state institution

6.  During the time of LOUIS XIV French
state were strengthened and
monarchs autocratic power was
enhanced.
 LOUIS XV- heir of LOUIS XIV
 Chief ministers:
- Cardinal Richelieu – LOUIS XIII
- Cardinal Giulio Mazarin – LOUIS XIV
- Jean Baptiste Colbert

7.  King Philip IV (1302)
-called for meeting @ Notre dam
 “estates” –prominent persons
*First estate- the nobility
*second estate- roman Catholic clergy
*third estate- people of France
- They were called “states general”
• He denied the “great ordinance”

8. The Revolution
 Causes:
-centuries of absolutism
-absence of parliamentary
representation
-disaffected nobility with little influence
over the monarch and his ministers
-financial mismanagement
-unfair tax system
-decaying urban and rural poverty

9.  King LOUIS XVI – convene the first
meeting with the states general in 175
years.
 The newly assembled parliament was
led by the middle-class deputies
elected to represent the 3rd estate.
-600 demanded for CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY
-the State General quickly reconstituted
itself as a UNICAMERAL NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY.

10.  The CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
(legislature) immediately drafted
FRANCE’S FIRST WRITTEN
CONSTITUTION.
-Its preamble was a “ DECLARATION OF
THE RIGHTS OF MAN”.
*Jacobins – political club favored
abolishing the monarchy altogether and
establishing a republic.
*August 1972- Jacobin orchestrated a
rebellion in Paris that drove the king from
power.

11.  September 1792 – a new legislature
was elected known as CONVENTION.
 One of it’s first act is to proclaim
France a REPUBLIC(first) in
September 1792.
 The assembly was divided into three:
the left, the right, and the center.
 The left ( mountains ) – a minority who
persuaded the convention to put the
king (LOUIS XVI) in trial.
 721 deputies, 394 voted
 January 1793 – the king died on a
Guillotine.

12.  The king’s execution set in motion an
orgy of bloodletting known in French
history as, “THE TERROR”.
 The convention planned a new
constitution but was never implemented.
 JACOBINISM became synonymous with
highly centralized form of government.
 Middle class revolutionist abolished the
committee on public safety and put an
end to the Terror.
- DIRECTORY- its executive government
but it did not last long.

13.  1799 – authoritarian regime under
Napoleon Bonaparte.
AFTER THE REVOLUTION: From
Bonaparte to the Vth Republic
 BONAPARTE – proclaimed himself as
the FIRST CONSUL of France and
assumed the crown of Emperor in 1804.
 France was under dictatorship during his
regime.
 1841- alliance of European powers
destroyed his regime and he was put into
exile.

14.  The oust of Bonaparte into power
paved way to the restoration of the
BUORBON DYNASTY.
 LOUIS XVIII – agreed to a constitution
permitting an elected legislature but
his ROYAL powers were substantial.
 CHARLES X – replaced Louis XVIII
 King louis-philippe of the House of
Orleans – next to Charles X
 The working class uprising swept king
Louis_Philippe into power which gave
birth to the SECOND republic.

15.  Due to failure of governance of the 2nd
republic leaders, MILITARY seized
power under Louis Napoleon.
 His capture during the Franco –
Prussian war gave birth to the THIRD
republic (1870)
 It promulgated a new constitution in
1875.
 The 3rd republic has the longest run of
French regime since the revolution
(1870-1940), it was no model of
governmental stability.

16.  The 3rd rep. said to produce no fewer
than 180 governments.
 When Hitler’s army defeated the
French, the 3rd republic collapsed and
perished.
 France fell under the NAZI occupation.
 They divided France into two:
-North – direct rule
-South – Puppet government
 Two antagonistic camps:
Collaborationists and resistants.
 1944- Nazi rule finally ended.

17.  1946 – the FOURTH republic was
inaugurated.
 It is a parliamentary system with
ceremonial presidency and a
bicameral legislature.
 1958 – the FIFTH republic was
organized. A majority of National
Assembly delegates voted to confer
the power to de Gaulle.
 It is a Presidential-Parliamentary type
of government and its constitution
remains in force at the present.

18. French Nationalism (conceptions
of national identity)
 Before revolution, “the nation” referred
mainly to the royal government rather
than the people.
 The revolution made decisive changes
in French national consciousness.
 French tended to think of “the people”
as a collective entity.

19. Social class and Democracy
 Impediment towards stable
democracy.
*THE NOBILITY
 Neglected and powerless.
*THE MIDDLE CLASS
 Relationship between the middle class
and democracy was complicated in
France.

20. *THE WORKING CLASS
 Main disadvantaged social class.
 They were exploited that they took up
arms against King Louis-Philippe.
 SFIO – French Section Of the
Socialist International
 1936 – Great Depression boosted
unemployment
- SFIO and PCF
- Socialist dominated government