Fourth Republic Flashcards
Dates of the Fourth Republic
1946-1958
Background to fourth republic
Vichy government “travail, famille, patire”, Communist led resistance, fear of strong government (or not)
The Fourth republic constitution terms:
- No fixed electoral system
- President still symbolic role
- Bicameral (weak upper chamber)
Quote about the problems with the Fourth Republic
“The Fourth Republic died not because of the blows it received but because it was not fit to live” - Le Monde 1958
Stats on instability 4th rep governments
16 PMs, 24 cabinets in 12 years. (In comparison to 4 UK PMs)
“Core of ministers” hypothesis
Huber and Marinez-Gallardo disproved. I still think has some truth
De Gaulle
The only character the French people would have trusted with a strong executive
Was unwilling to work under the remaining structure
Parties during the 4th republic
- Discreditment of right wing vote- absorped into the MRP and hence caused friction between votes and electorate
- Communists attempting to drive a wedge between Socialists and MRP over clerical issue
- COmmunist party “mythology” claimed to have had 70000 casualties during resistance. Communist influence ended at Ramadier’s acceptance of Marshall Aid
The Third Force
From 1947: Socialists, MRP, Radicals while Communists and Gaullists left out in the cold
Poujadism
- small shop keepers and business owners
- ostracised section of society directly threatened by the success of its ascending groups
- tensions between cultural tradition and modernity rather than nationalistic attack on the cultures of others
Possible reasons for the collapse
Many factors similar to those seen in periods of adversarial naitonoalism: economic crisis, external threats to sovereignty, decline in confidence in political elites
Algeria
“L’Algerie c’est la France”
“Under the existing rules of the game no solution was possible”
1962 under de Gaulle the Evian agreements are ratifie
