Modern French Politics: Analysing Conflict and Consensus Since 1945

This book is an accessible, original and thought-provokingexamination of contemporary French politics. The author clearlyexplains the most important party political, ideological andelectoral developments since the Second World War, focusing on the1980s and 1990s in particular. He takes care to explain changeswithin a clear theoretical framework which enhances the reader'sunderstanding of observable trends. When Francois Mitterrand was elected President of the Republic in1981 a new, radical era began in French politics. But within thespace of a few years the Socialist-Communist government feltobliged to change tack and abandon many of its more adventurouspolicies. Hewlett's central question is whether one should talk of"consensus" politics under Mitterrand or even the end of conflictand revolt, for which France had been so famous. He looks at themodern political history of France in comparison with othercountries, including Britain, Sweden and Germany. He also considersthe significance of various "modernizing" aspects of modern France,including Gaullism, May 1968 and the role of intellectuals.Finally, Modern French Politics relates the examination of changein France to more general theories of change in late capitalism.This informative and refreshing book is scholarly but does notmystify. It presents an original way of examining party-political,institutional and electoral developments, and will be essentialreading for undergraduate and graduate students of French politicsand European Studies.