Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Le Mal français

Rate this book
526pages. in8. broché.

524 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

4 people are currently reading
37 people want to read

About the author

Alain Peyrefitte

92 books12 followers
He was a confidant of Charles De Gaulle and had a long career in public service, serving as a diplomat in Germany and Poland.

He was Minister of Information from 1962 to 1966, establishing the rules of presidential debates between the two electoral rounds.

He served as Minister of Justice from 1977 to 1981, and was involved in the affair surrounding the mysterious death of Robert Boulin in 1979.

He became a member of the Académie française in 1977.

He wrote The Immobile Empire, and Quand la Chine s'éveillera... le monde tremblera.

Outside France he is probably best known for his book Le Mal Français (translated as The Trouble with France), which addresses the question of whether there is something unique to the French character that has caused some of the country's peculiar recurring problems. The book places his own observations and experiences as a journalist and government minister inside a panoramic view of French and European history from the medieval to the modern era.

Upon his death in 1999 he was honored by burial in Les Invalides which also houses the tomb of Napoleon and other revered national leaders.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1 (11%)
4 stars
5 (55%)
3 stars
2 (22%)
2 stars
1 (11%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Profile Image for myriam kisfaludi.
338 reviews
August 3, 2024
Excellente piqure de rappel sur l'histoire de France pour la période d'après guerre jusqu'aux années 1980. Magistrale analyse historique, sociologique, théologique, politique et économique des travers de la société Française
17 reviews
April 29, 2022
Ce petit livre, en deux tomes, se laisse encore lire. Du moins le premier tome.

Le principal problème soulevé est celui de la centralisation à la française. Du moins dans sa dimension administrative.

La perspective choisie est étroite : la centralisation se décline aussi dans d'autres domaines finances, culture, droit, presse, audiovisuel, enseignement.

Un deuxième héritage est questionné : l'héritage religieux. En l'occurrence, celui de la Contre-Réforme. La réflexion s'en tient prudemment au débat hérité des travaux de Max Weber, sur les rapports entre capitalisme et éthique protestante, plus particulièrement calviniste.
Profile Image for Michel.
402 reviews141 followers
June 12, 2012
"Fair and balanced" political pamphlet.
Lacks the fire that makes this sort of thing readable.
The French Disease, you see, is that things aren't how they used to be. Sob.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.