The French Polity

by Safran, William

• ISBN13: 9780205600700
• ISBN10: 0205600700
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-06-02
• Publisher: ROUTLEDGE

Summary

Focusing on the interplay between individual and institutions,The French Polityis the most current and comprehensive text for introducing students to the changing and enduring characteristics of the French political scene. It combines historical perspective and contextual information on French society to clearly explain the evolution and health of this countryrs"s political institutions, process, and culture. Throughout, William Safran, a leading area studies expert, goes beyond description to offer original analyses of French politics.

Author Biography

William Safran is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Table of Contents

Tables and Figures	p. viii
Preface	p. x
Abbreviations and Acronyms	p. xiii
France: The Historical and Constitutional Background	p. 1
The Legacy of the Revolution	p. 3
The Rise and Fall of the Fourth Republic	p. 8
The Sources and Nature of the Fifth Republic Constitution	p. 10
Constitutional Interpretation and Adaptation	p. 15
The Economic and Social Context	p. 25
Economic Development	p. 25
Population Growth	p. 27
Industrial Modernization and Globalization	p. 30
Social Classes and Mobility	p. 31
Religion, Culture, and Citizenship	p. 35
Immigration, Naturalization, and Integration	p. 40
Ethnocultural Challenges	p. 42
The Educational System	p. 44
Democratizing and Modernizing the School System	p. 45
Research, Science, and Cultural Policy	p. 49
The Position of Women	p. 51
Political Attitudes	p. 61
Civic-Mindedness and Incivisme	p. 61
Verbal and Practical Behavior	p. 65
The Street as a Political Arena	p. 69
Conceptions of the State	p. 70
National Identity	p. 75
Political Parties and Elections	p. 83
The Political Left: The Socialist Party	p. 84
The Communists	p. 85
The Political Right: The Evolution of Gaullism From the RPR to the UMP	p. 91
The Political "Center": From Classic Provincialism to the UDF	p. 92
The Old Center	p. 93
The Elections of 1974 and the Emergence of Giscardo-Centrism	p. 94
The Left in Power: 1981 and After	p. 97
Rotations: Opposition Challenges to Incumbents, 1986-1995	p. 100
The Right and Center in Opposition	p. 100
The Rise of the National Front	p. 101
The Parliamentary Election of 1986: Introduction to Power Sharing	p. 103
The Presidential and Parliamentary Elections of 1988	p. 104
The Greens	p. 106
The Parliamentary Elections of 1993: The Confusion and Collapse of the Left	p. 107
The Victory of the Right	p. 110
The Marginalization of the Environmentalists and the Containment of the Extreme Right	p. 111
The Chirac Era	p. 112
The Presidential Elections of 1995: Antecedents and Consequences	p. 112
The Parliamentary Elections of 1997: Refragmentation	p. 115
The Elections of 2002: Toward a Return to Bipolarity	p. 118
The lections of 2007	p. 124
The Functional Relevance of Political Parties	p. 132
Unnatural Alliances	p. 133
Political Wanderings	p. 134
The Place of Ideology	p. 135
Voters' Choices, Programs, and Personalities	p. 140
The Electoral System: Its Impact on Parties and Voting Behavior	p. 142
Political Fringe Groups, Clubs, and Movements	p. 152
Summary and Conclusion	p. 155
Interest Groups	p. 167
Trade Unions	p. 167
Business Associations	p. 172
Agriculture	p. 175
Students and Teachers	p. 176
Miscellaneous Interest Groups	p. 178
The Access and Input of Interest Groups	p. 179
Pluralist, Corporatist, and Other Models of Interest-Group Politics	p. 181
Instruments and Patterns of Decision Making: The Executive	p. 199
The Position of the President	p. 199
The Prime Ministers	p. 204
Cohabitation I: Precedent-Setting Pattern or Political Parenthesis?	p. 210
Cohabitation II: A "Civilized" Waiting Game	p. 211
Cohabitation III: Co-Decision Making or a Neo-Parliamentary Regime?	p. 213
The Government	p. 215
The Construction and Reshuffling of Cabinets	p. 223
The Executive and Parliament	p. 230
Emergency Powers	p. 232
The President and Charisma	p. 234
Instruments and Patterns of Decision Making: The Parliament	p. 247
Parliament in the Fifth Republic	p. 248
The Committee System	p. 252
The Senate	p. 257
Limits on Parliamentary Decision Making	p. 262
The Constitutional Council	p. 266
Questions and Censure Motions	p. 270
The Incompatibility Rule	p. 272
The Role of the Deputy	p. 274
The Administrative System	p. 290
Background, Structure, and Recruitment	p. 290
The Political Complexion of Civil Servants	p. 294
Controls over the Civil Service	p. 298
Subnational Administration	p. 303
The Commune	p. 304
Administrative Reform and Decentralization	p. 307
The Reforms of 1981-1983	p. 310
The Administration of Paris	p. 316
Corsica and Overseas Territories	p. 317
Functional Decentralization	p. 319
Law, Justice, and Civil Liberties	p. 329
The Judicial System	p. 329
Justice and the Democratic State	p. 333
The Legal Protection of Aliens and Minorities	p. 338
The Police	p. 340
Freedom of Expression	p. 341
Political Changes and Public Policies	p. 352
Economic Policy from the Liberation to the Giscard Presidency	p. 353
The Experiment with Capitalist Planning	p. 353
Economic Policy Under the Mitterrand Presidency	p. 356
The Politics of Austerity	p. 357
The First Chirac Government and the Politics of Neoliberalism	p. 358
The Governments of Rocard, Cresson, and Bérégovoy: The Limits of Socialism	p. 359
The Balladur Government: Redressement and Rigueur	p. 360
Economic Policy Under the Chirac Presidency	p. 361
The Juppé Plan	p. 361
The Jospin Government: Squaring the Circle	p. 363
Raffarin's Policies: Pressures and Constraints	p. 364
The Villepin Interlude: Economic patriotism	p. 364
Sarkozy's Ambitions and Prospects	p. 365
Aspects of Foreign Policy	p. 366
France and Europe	p. 372
Constitutional and Institutional Issues: Conclusions	p. 379
Index	p. 387
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