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French Political Attitudes?

French Political Attitudes?. Confused over Revolution and the principles of the French Past? Contrast with the US? Secularism role of the church a confusing dilemma for the French? French Mystique?. The Impact of the Past?.

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French Political Attitudes?

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  1. French Political Attitudes? • Confused over Revolution and the principles of the French Past? • Contrast with the US? • Secularism role of the church a confusing dilemma for the French? • French Mystique?

  2. The Impact of the Past? • The French are similar and dissimilar to the US…both are proud, both are idealistic but to different levels. There “great” kings of the past are the fundamental difference in the states.

  3. Education • French believe very strongly in education, just not some of the fairness of the ideal. • French kids are educated early, but are quickly standardized and pigeonholed into sectors based on ability. • The presence of “elite” high schools has great impact on the state. The “Great Schools” Very selected and elite, as a result their graduates are often lacking in people skills and common sense along with Humility.

  4. Education • Ironically enough (see message board!) discourse and face to face interaction is discouraged. Education is distant cold and creates a genuine dislike for sharing and communication which in certain regards creates brilliance albeit of a different kind. • Effects their interactions with people and foreigners.

  5. Political Personality • Can’t for all these reasons quite decide what they are interested in? (Along with the past) Are they in favor of freedom, tyranny, both? They can’t quite seem to decide! • Creates major problems for legitimacy and penetration of ideas.

  6. Social Class • See chart 120. • See chart 121.

  7. Political Class?

  8. France: Patterns of Interaction Political Parties: • Identification: compared with US and Britain? • Stability? • Volatile system? • What reasons can be given for this? Is it a reflection of the French in general?

  9. Major Political Parties: • See Chart on Page 124 • Down from a high of 10 receiving “substantial votes” to 4-5. • Right Wing: Gaullists and Republicans (Neo-Gaullists) • Left Wing: Socialists (Liberals) • Extreme Right: National Front (10%-15%) • Extreme Left: Communist (As high as 10%) • Specialty: The Greens (roughly 3%)

  10. The National Front: A unique party • Closest comparison? The American Ku Klux Klan • Capitalizes on fears and irrationality, economic in nature. More outwardly economic than the Klan which was Economically motivated but covered up by hatred. • 1988: 15% peak in nationwide popularity polls! In round 1 of the election, that number shrunk as the Gaullists reeled them into their coalition. • Yet they are a viable political force.

  11. Party Interaction • Parties hate each other but realize a need for each other. Alliances are more common in France than in many places with a parliamentary system (psuedo-parliamentary). • Stalemates are common • Parties are limited by Plebiscites

  12. Interest Group and Business • Symbolizes much of what we have talked about and that is fragmentation and disunity. France has major business and political interests but the groups ranging from Labor to Environmentalist are quarrelsome and fragmented. • Partly due to the Communist/Socialist Quarrel • And the political confusion facing France. • Economic confusion over role in EU and in the status of their state has added to the dilemma are they a welfare state or are they a Thatcherian/Reagan state? Confused society.

  13. Business and Gov’t. • They are not as closely related in the French Republic. • The system is not designed for it to work the way it does in the US. • In a distorted twist of Rousseau’s philosophy they ignore interest groups and give tremendous power to the Bureaucracy. • “General Will” • Bureucratic ministers really run the implementation and without interest group opinions due to the attitudes of the Ministers. An unwritten tradition. • Controlling the Bureaucracy?

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