French Third Republic

1
French Third Republic

• Notes on the subject by Thorsteinn Thorhallsson

2
The third french republic

• The debate! Was it stagnant or dynamic
• It managed to reconcile the conservative and
  revolutionary forces in France.
• It turned peasants into Frenchmen
• It made some economic and social progress even if
  it did not have the same economic growth as
  Germany.
• Finally it emerged victorius out of WW1

3
The Program

• The Commune
• Establishment
• Crises
• Domestic and foreign policy

4
Consequence of war

• France lost Alsace and Lorraine
• France had to pay huge sums in war indemnity
  (five billion francs)
• Siege of Paris sept 1870 to jan 1871
• France-German relations for next 80 years
  poisioned

5
The commune

• Napoleon was captured and the national assembly
  took over government under leadership of Adolphe
  Thiers
• The assembly made peace with Germany which Paris
  resented.
• March 26th 1871 Paris Commune separated itself
  from France
• Repressed with 20 000 killed in May

6
Commune

• What is the myth of the commune?
• Each radical movement sees itself in it.
• What was the commune?
• protest against the conservative assembly
• warweariness and poverty
• Parisian republican and revolutionary tradition
  against the traditional authorities returning to
  power once again
• power in hands of the working class and middle
  classs
• introduced workshops, free compulsory education
  for both sexes

7
Suppression

• Suppression of Thiers was energetic, decisive and
  totally successful.
• Opposing view of effect on history of third
  republic
• The new republic had a long lasting bitterness
  between Paris and the Provinces
• Or this clearing of Paris radicals was necessary
  for peaceful development of the republic.

8
The provisional republic 71-77

• 1871-73 Thiers, chief of executive power
• Majority for monarchy but agreement not
  reached (because of the flag)
• 1875 Founding of the republic (accepted by one
  vote majority in assembly) MacMahon president
• Republicans got clear majority in elections 75
• In the elections 77 the monarchist president
  MacMahon failed to crush the republicans.
• The influence of the aristocrats was finished.
• A social revolution said Alfred Cobban

9
Consolidation 77-85

• Rule of the opportunists
• Jules Ferry and Léon Gambetta were republicans
  but not so radical even if they adhered to the
  principles of equal rights and primary education
  for all.
• Symbolic legislation
• Bastille day - Marseillaise - amnesty to
  communards
• Liberal legislation
• 1881 freedom of expression - elections to majors
  - competitive examinations for civil service -

10
Politics in the Third republic

• Stability or instability
• Government was nominated by the president but the
  they were weak and under much parliamentary check
  by
• interpellations
• deputies could initiate legislation
• permanent commissions of deputies reviewed all
  government legislation
• Governments were frequently changed but the
  Chamber was the pillar of stability (professional
  deputies)

11
Church and the state

• The anti-clerical republicans couldnt accept the
  church grip on education. In 1878 40 of
  education was in church schools.
• The defeat at Sedan was the defeat of
  Bonarpartism, caesarism, catholicism, jesuitism
  all that was corrupt and and sterile within
  France.
• 1883 Jules Ferry introduced the law of free
  primary education by lay teachers employees of
  the state. The Jesuits expelled from France 1880
• The second assault on the church came with the
  association laws 1901 and separation of church
  and state in 1904.

12
Boulanger

• Republican minister of war
• Response to rights success in elections 85 43,9
• Economic crisis phylloxera cheap amer. grain
• Attempted tough policy against Germany in the
  Schnaebele affair.
• General revenge Enoromously popular new
  Napoleon!
• Chickened out at a crucial moment
• The republic was saved from right and left
  enemies -

13
Panama-scandal

• Another problem for the republic
• Panama canal project in trouble
• Bribes to politicians to get public money
• Company bankrupt
• Angry shareholders
• Jewish banker accused of handing out bribes

14
Implications of scandal

• Set off a wave of anti Jewish sentiment
  preparation for Dreyfus affair
• Workers vote socialist give up onm corrupt
  capitalism
• New generation of politicians like Raymond
  Poincarré

15
Dreyfus-affair 1896-1906

• Old and new values
• Church army nationalism anti-semitic against
  radical republican forces.
• Once again opened up the rift between the two
  forces
• Still an advance for republicanism
• The energies should have been used for solving
  social and economic problem

16
 "Half a century after the Vichy regime, we know
that dark forces, intolerance, injustice can
insinuate themselves up to the highest levels of
the State.  But we also know that France, in
moments of truth, can find again the best of
herself   great, strong, united and vigilant 
This is without a doubt what Emile Zola and
Alfred Dreyfus are telling us, after all these
years.  It is because they had faith in our
common values, those of our Nation and our
Republic, and because they so deeply loved
France,  that these exceptional men were able to
reconcile her with herself."  "Let us not ever
forget this masterful lesson of love and unity."
Jacques Chirac President of the French Republic

17
Economic development

• 1870 war cut important resources from France
  heavy cost of war.
• France comes in fourth in the world
• More emphasis on luxury industries than heavy
  industry
• Did well in automobile industry
• Growing protectionism
• Steady growth in living standard

18
Socialism

• French workers party 1881
• marxist line
• Jean Jaures
• Peaceful socialist
• less doctrinate.
• Use democratic methods to advance the workers
  case
• Killed by nationalist on eve of war 1914
• Sorel syndicalist general strike

19
The social question

• 1905 Waldeck-Rousseau appoints socialist to be a
  minister for the first time in European history
• Didnt last long the line from Amsterdam to
  fight capitalism and withdraw from support with
  bourgeouise governments.
• Strike wave was forcefully suppressed with army
  by radical republican ministers.
• Little progess in social legislation

20
Colonialism

• Ferry justification an afterthought Industrial
  countries need colonies
• Debated policy in France
• Matter of pride
• Supported by Germans
• Personal initiative
• Catholic mission
• Socialist, nationalists and industrialists not
  enthusiastic about the civilizing mission

21
Foreign policy

• Alliance with Russia after 1890
• Bismarck set aside in Germany
• French investment in Russia
• 1894 alliance popular in France
• Few asked what the consequences this could have
• German arrogance puts France and Britain
  together. End of Isolations

22
Questions from paper 3

• What were the main problems faced by the third
  french republic between 1870 and 1900? M98
• In what ways did the crisis and political
  scandals in France both weaken and strengthen the
  Third republic between 1880 and 1905? M00