PLS 131 - French Politics

I. Basic themes found in discussions of French politics

    a. Revolutionary break with traditional society

    b. History of regime changes

c.      Broad ideological spectrum

d.     Strong state role – early bureaucracy, late state planning

    d. Geographic insertion at the heart of Europe

II. Identity crisis overcome

    a. Existence of France as separate kingdom dates to 987 – ascension of Hugh Capet as King

        1. Through next few centuries – revival of commerce, Paris (Sorbonne) as center of theological learning, strong French role in Crusades (13^th C)

        2. Early royal administration (civil service/judicial system) established and reinforced (13-14^th C) (early state penetration of society)

        3. 15^th C – lots of instability, revolts – Burgundy allied with English results in English rule, with Joan of Arc helping to defeat them along with Burgundy changing sides – by 1453 English ousted.

4.     16^th C – period of numerous wars esp. vs. Hapsburgs.

a.       Religious warfare due to spread of Reformation – curbed by Edict of Nantes (1598) (later revoked)

5.     17^th C – further consolidation of royal, central power and military projection outwards under Louis XIV (1638-1715)

6.     18^th C – Feudal residues remain –

a.       Privileges for families, guilds, monopolies, clergy, nobles

                                                                     1.      “Parlements” were aristocratic organizations opposed to further centralization and royal taxes

b.      Commerce impeded by monopolies and internal tariffs

c.       Large rural population becomes a drain on Fr. Economy

7.     French Revolution –  1789

a.       Initially based on royal need to call in States-General – which were to pass on any new taxes

b.      “National Assembly” formed

                                                                     i.      Constitutional Monarchy (1791)

                                                                    ii.      Radicalization (1792-94) – Reign of Terror, beheading of king and queen

                                                                  iii.      Directory – replaces radicals

                                                                  iv.      Napoleon Bonaparte – coup, then emperor (1804-14)

III. Legitimacy Crisis – a residue of French Revolution, Bonapartism

a.     Constant theme – Popular explosions, centralized rule, autocratic tendencies, counter-autocratic responses, popular explosions

b.     Other residues of Napoleonic period involving "penetration" and "participation":

a.      Napoleonic Code of law - legal framework

b.     Central administration of provinces – prefects

c.      Relative state autonomy from societal pressures (in short run)

d.     Emergence of democratic ideals

                                                           i.      Equality of citizenship

                                                         ii.      Participation in governance

                                                       iii.      Nationalism

                                                       iv.      Individualism

c.      Legitimacy Crises expressed in great variety of regime types:

 

d.     Legitimacy crisis - critical moments:

                                                           i.      Paris Commune (1870-71)

                                                         ii.      Popular Front Government (1936-8)

                                                       iii.      Loss to Germany (WWII) – Vichy regime

1.     Collaboration of French with Nazis

                                                       iv.      Algeria crisis (1958) – near coup installs Charles DeGaulle

                                                         v.      May 1968 – student-worker revolts

                                                       vi.      1981 – election of Socialist President F. Mitterand

Participation: Expansion of Electorate in Europe (see chart)
               

e.  Participation crisis and legitimacy of representative institutions only partially signaled by expansion of franchise

1.     Great expansion of suffrage in 1848 – for election of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte President of Second Republic

2.      1852 – proclaims himself Emperor (Second Empire)

3.      Third Republic/Republican constitution adopted, but franchise stays at around 45%

4.      WWI – expansion of franchise to 75% in 1916

5.      WWII – expansion of franchise to nearly 100% in 1946

IV. Penetration Crisis - State building and economic development

        a. Industrialization

1.     French economic importance based mostly on sheer size rather than able and early industrialization

2.      Retardants to industrialization

a.       Large peasantry – consolidated by the French Revolution

b.      Lack of some key raw materials such as coal, iron, petroleum

c.       Large urban petty bourgeoisie – small family owned businesses, lots of artisans, administrators, etc.

d.      Weak entrepreneurial spirit

e.       Production for local markets, luxury markets

f.        Protectionist policies by the state

                                                                              i.      But state did rationalize railways

g.       Weak population growth

3.      Social effects

a.       slow displacement of population from agriculture, rural areas to industrial urban centers – relatively small industrial working class
b.     Rather than feudal aristocracy becoming large industrialists, French Revolution creates society without much private industrial leadership
4.      Relatively weak military – lacks industrial capacity to compete with Germany, Britain and US

        b. After WWII

1. Planning and expansion of welfare state

a.      Gentle Top Down – Planning – modernizing dirigisme

  i. Indicative Planning – Monnet Plan

                 1.      Planning Commission –mostly bureaucratic determination of national
                         economic and social priorities for 4/5 years, assisted by Modernization
                         Commissions for sectors

2.     The plan was voluntary

3.     There was some input from unions

                                                                           ii.      Focused on forging consensus between govt and technologically leading firms

1.     Fostered “national champions” and provided economic supports

2.     Favored mergers of small and medium firms

3.     Created new industries where needed

4.     Had a nationalized sector – automobile (Renault), coal mines, Air France, gas and electricity, insurance (20% of all industry)

5.     Excluded consumers, most workers, small business

6.     Plans continued to be set forth – with generally good attainment of goals, except in agriculture

b.     1970s – Trouble in planning paradise
              i.      Easiest gains in productivity already achieved

                                                                           ii.      Oil shocks

                                                                         iii.      Competition with newly developing countries and neighboring industrial – losses in steel, ships, textiles

                                                                         iv.      Causes crisis in planning model

c.      1980s – Socialist interregnum

                                                                             i.      1981 – Mitterand and Socialists elected to government

                                                                           ii.      Economic policy – reinforces state role

1.     Substantial improvements to welfare state, labor

2.     More public sector employment

3.     More state assistance to leading sectors

4.     More nationalization of industry/banking

5.     More trade union/worker rights/participation

                                                                         iii.      1983 – Socialist government reverses course

1.     Disinvestment by private sector – failure to grow economy, create viable jobs

2.     Public benefits created excess demand, fueling imports, devaluing franc to prevent balance of payments crisis

3.     Extreme budget deficits result

1.     Privatization – massive denationalization

a.      State still retains some controls

                                                                                                                                                     i.      Indirect investments

                                                                                                                                                   ii.      Collaboration between managerial elite
1. Grands Ecoles – key training and socialization venue for upper civil servants, technocrats and managers

2.     Deregulation

a.      End of price controls

b.     Greater freedom for employers to fire workers

c.      Banking operates on market principles – not on targeted subsidies/loans to certain firms/sectors

d.     End to protectionism – tariffs, idiosyncratic technical standards

3.     European Union

a.      Maastricht Treaty creates European Central Bank

b.     Use of EURO/EMU – further forces France to accept European goals, less ability to manipulate local economy for political ends

c.      Competition rules force even playing field, much less state favoritism

d.     French population divided – workers resist cutbacks in govt. support/benefits

V. Distribution Crisis – French welfare state

A. Extensive welfare state

a.       free schools

b.      nearly free health care

c.       Family assistance

d.      Public housing and rent subsidies

e.       Five weeks of paid vacations

f.        High minimum wage

g.      Unemployment benefits/retraining

h.     35 hour workweek

i.        Social security for elderly

     B. Lingering problems

1.     High unemployment – esp. for youth, immigrants, older workers (see article March 2006 on protests about unemployment)

2.     Very high cost of maintaining “universal” access to welfare benefits

1.     Reforms strongly resisted – element of continuing instability

C. Questions – has France found its “Third Way” – will EU membership force a similar domestic political economy upon all its members?

French Politics – part II - Institutions

VI. French Political Institutions – President, Parliament, Prime Minister, Cabinet, Party System

Model of French Political Institutions

    A. French Constitution – 5^th Republic

        1. Written – product of DeGaulle’s ascension to the Presidency in 1958-59

        2. Republican

        3. Limited Parliamentary sovereignty – Parliament checked by both the President and the
           Constitutional Council

        4. Semi-Presidential  - dual executive with Premier accountable both to the legislature
            and to the President of the Republic (Note: Kesselman refers to “Triple Executive”)

a.      Limited separation of powers between executive, legislature

           i.      No dual membership in executive and legislature

           ii.      President appoints Premier, dissolves National Assembly  Art 12

         1.     Only one dissolution per year  Art 12

         2.     Premier/Government can be subject to motion of censure

             a.      Signed by tenth of deputies, only favorable votes counted, must have majority of all deputies (289)  Art 49

             b.     Govt. can make passage of a bill “an issue of responsibility” –
                 the bill is passed unless a motion of censure is passed

         iii.      President/Premier collaborate in appointment of Cabinet  Art 8

             1.     PR “appoints civil and military posts of the State.” Art 13

             2.     Premier “shall make appointments to civil and military posts” Art 21
           

        iv.      President presides over Council of Ministers Art 9
        v.      President can submit bills to referendum  Art 11
       vi.      Refer bills to Constitutional Council
       vii.      President as commander in chief  - negotiate and ratify treaties, controls nuclear forces Art 15

b.     Parliament

             i.      Two houses: National Assembly and Senate
            ii.      Pass “statutes” dealing with: (art 34)

                1.     Civic rights, public liberties

                2.     Nationality, legal status of persons, inheritance, etc.

                3.     Determination of serious crimes/penalties

                4.     Criminal procedure, amnesties, est. of Courts   

                5.     Taxes, currency

                6.     Rules dealing:

                       a.      Parliamentary and local assemblies                 

                       b.     Public establishments

                       c.      Guarantees to civil and military State personnel

                      d.     Nationalization of firms

                      e.      General organization of national defense

                      f.       Self government of territorial units

                      g.      Education

                      h.     Ownership rules

                       i.        Labor law, trade union law

                       j.       Social security

                       k.     Financial acts (Budgets)

     iii.     National Assembly – dominant house, popularly elected   (wiki)

                           * Meets from October to June, 120 day session
                             

              1.     5 year term  

              2.     Led by President of National Assembly (appoints 3 members of Constitutional Court)

              3.     Passes motions of censure (by petition of 10%, requires an absolute majority all of deputies)

              4.     Government bills take precedence

                      a.      Bills normally are passed in both NA and  Senate

                                               i.      If incongruent bills, joint committee established

                                                ii.      If Senate and NA don’t agree (for example due to different party majorities)

                               1.     Government can resubmit to NA for passage anyway…

              5.     Questions to govt. once a week

             6.    Six committees process legislation

                          1. Cultural, Family and Social Affairs Committee (140);
                     2. Foreign Affairs Committee; (70)
                     3. National Defense and Armed Forces Committee; (70)
                     4. Finance, General Economy and Planning Committee; (70)
                     5. Constitutional Acts, Legislation and General Administration Committee; (70)
                     6. Production and Trade Committee. (140)

             7.     Political Groups – min. of 20 deputies common affiliation

             8.     Parliamentary Delegations – EU, Demographics, Planning, Science/Technology, Evaluation of Legislation

 v.      Senate – represents local government, indirectly elected  (wiki)

    1.     Led by President of Senate (appoints 3 members of CC, temporarily replaced PR if latter is incapacitated)
     2.     Has 321 members elected by local government members via an electoral college (9 yr. Terms, complex
         elections every 3 yrs, 100 “departments”)
    3.     Form political groups based on political affiliation

   4.     Other than fact that NA can override Senate, legislative process is similar to NA (with 6 committees) and
        constitutional committee

 

French Political Parties

For current list of parties see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Assembly_of_France and here

Evolution of Left/Right Party Outcomes

Elections	Left	Right	Difference (in points)
23 November 1958	43.59	56.40	12.81
18 November 1962	43.75	56.18	14.43
5 March 1967	43.62	56.36	12.74
23 June 1968	40.52	58.94	18.42
4 March 1973	45.84	54.16	8.32
12 March 1978	52.24	47.48	4.76
14 June 1981	56.72	43.20	13.52
16 March 1986	45.56	54.63	9.07
5 June 1988	49.44	50.44	1
21 March 1993	42.09	56.98	14.89
25 May1997	46.18	51.19	5.01
9 June 2002	39.88	56.05	16.17
Average 1958-1978	44.93	54.92	9.99
Average 1981-2002	46.8	52.08	5.28
Average 1958-2002	45.87	53.5	7.63