The Fifth French Republic: Presidents, Politics and Personalities

by Philip Thody

The Fifth French Republic is a study of modern French politics and history, discussing the five presidents who span from 1959 to the present--Charles de Gaulle, Georges Pompidou, Valry Giscard d'Estang, Francois Mitterand and Jacques Chirac. Philip Thody examines the importance of the similarities between the five men for an understanding of the general and political culture of France; the similarities and differences in the foreign policies pursued by the five presidents, including anti-Americanism; France's role in the European Union and her attitude to the Cold War; French domestic policies and administrative practices, attempts to decentralize the state, the role of the French civil service, the problem of immigration and the rise of the National Front.

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[John Turlockton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Basically worthless as a serious history book. It's more like a personal reflection than scientific history. There are no sources, but there is also a complete lack of argumentation, discussion, or examination of evidence. The text is also polluted with generalisations with a few what if scenarios thrown in. His regressive ideas also bleed into the text, such as when he defends torture and imperialist atrocities in the colonies. It's also spreads the dead 'big man' view of history, preety much ignoring the public opinion of the time he's looking at, for example he treats each of the referendums under De Gaulle as votes on De Gaulle himself, rather than the actual issue that was in question. He even spreads the long repeated myth that the Maginot Line was intended as a wall for Germany to expend itself on, it was always intended as a way to force Germany through Belgium, which it succeeded in doing.
He also sprinkles in a few intolerant beliefs and even some islamophobia at certain sections.