BOURGEOIS COMMUNISM IN FRANCE:
Talbot, Einile J.
informally if not formally. Some do still live below the themselves better, Beware the existing power of the salt-and others above the law. Presidency to...
...Pro- nist, and a divider of the left" by the French Communist posing to put an end "to the injustice and the incoher- press, and Mitterrand felt obliged to defend Le Nouvel ence of the present regime," the Programme commun Observateur for its contributions to the causes of the Commonweal: 447 left and for its independence...
...for Wayne Erickson) Marchais and the Communists had great hopes for Le Defi democratique...
...ed the streets of downtown Washington...
...Thus, in rich, would benefit not only the lower classes, but, by answering critics of nationalization who point to the increasing everyone's purchasing power, the middle class increased inefficiency and bureaucratization that it nor- as well...
...This in the first round...
...he seeks...
...He puts that their areas of disagreement are minimal compared forth impressive facts and figures on improved production to those on which their views converge...
...Economic knowledge and culture would be guaranteed to everyone...
...For the 1967 elections to the National Assembly nuclear armament in principle, are reluctant to make (which are also held in two stages if no candidate ob- the same pledge...
...To those who Beyond nationalization, Marchais proposes a partici- fear an imitation of the U.S.S.R., Marchais points out patory democracy in both the political and socio-eco- that different historical conditions and customs have nomic fields...
...Party protested the visit of Soviet Ambassador Chervonenko to Mitterrand's opponent, Valery Giscard late afternoons the hawk hangs d'Estaing, and began discovering affinities between it- in a pitch self and Gaullism in an attempt to attract the votes of of ending, evening - Gaullists disaffected after the defeat of Jacques Chaban- ward old lamp Delmas...
...One, would be tempted to answer negatively, since Mitterrand lost...
...It's a disciplining chore-by comparison, more streets of whatever community he found himself in...
...In accepting this document, the French In over fifty years of existence, then, the French Communist Party made concessions in the area of foreign Communist Party has succeeded in participating in the policy (universal and controlled disarmament, the disgovernment for three years only...
...Sensitive to those who have noted, not inaccurately, that the French Communist Party's foreign policy is often quite similar to that of the Soviet Union, Marchais reiterates his commitment to the national inerest and proclaims his "intransigent patriotism...
...with other firms in both the public and private sector...
...in a socialist France they will be tastes and aptitudes...
...Yet, on short notice, the no winter quarrel...
...Nor would the Communists in this book, it no longer exists, for what we are presented power attempt to destroy or limit the activities of opposi- with is a program of reform that is hardly distinguishtion parties...
...This an immediate monthly minimum wage of 1100 francs is within the tradition of French Communism which in for a 40-hour work-week with guaranteed cost-of-living the past has been closely tied to Moscow, even to the increases and retirement at age 60 for men and 55 for extent of approving the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact in women, again with increased benefits...
...Just last fall, political forecasters did not where peace saps slowly believe it likely that a Socialist could be elected Presi- with no summer's want, dent of France in 1976...
...Some do still live below the themselves better, Beware the existing power of the salt-and others above the law...
...It was not unobserved that the Here is a quietness...
...Judging from have a second home...
...For for fifty out of fifty-three years, seems ready to make some long-time Communists, such as Andre Barjonet, those accommodations necessary for even a secondary this amounted to a betrayal of the ideals of Communism...
...mally creates, Marchais compares France's nationalized Marchais begins by describing the current economic railroad (excellent) to the private (pre-Amtrak) rail- state of France's working class...
...There are Commonweal: 449 those, certainly, who will question the sincerity of the united left was able to lure nearly half of France's voters French Communist Party, recalling the history of Com- to its candidate, just barely losing the Presidency...
...date Mitterrand during the campaign of April and May...
...The medium chosen was Le insensitivity that Marchais has shown in other contexts Defi democratique [The Democratic Challenge], a book to the plight of Soviet intellectuals leads one to wonder authored by Marchais himself...
...Marchais is here echoing the one with which many European social democrats and 17th and 18th Congresses of the French Communist American liberals would feel comfortable...
...as can the 535 members of Congress...
...Nowhere, though, does he question Stalin's ists, Marchais then turned his attention to those French- right to sacrifice millions of lives and break millions of men for whom Communism raises the specter of revolu- spirits in order to accomplish these economic gains...
...a chance to show what they could do...
...He stresses the foreign capitalist opposi- commuting since many workers can no longer afford to tion to the regimes, but completely avoids discussing live near their place of work...
...For its part, the French Commurefusal to support the revolt of students and workers nist Party, after having been left out of the government was a major factor in the defeat of the uprising...
...The leaders of the Party have long been con- than they had previously been willing to envisage...
...tions of 1976 in which the Communists expected to be the decisive factor in the victory of the Socialist, Fran- With rising, water cois Mitterrand...
...Yet it would seem that fore Pompidou's death, Mitterrand himself seemed to this Communist Party's respect for legality is genuine...
...Anyone who has lived road system in the United States (horrible...
...He does not favor standardization nor never touch small industries, shops, or farms...
...Mitterand to become the common candidate of the left, canceled their May Day parade in order not to em- Off in the west barass their ally, declared that they did not expect any let spun tires whine of the important cabinet posts, and continued to articu- & to the north late their commitment to freedom and national inde- the bugged saw choke pendence...
...The tion and totalitarianism...
...It is true that the French Communist Party broke with But these are surface reforms...
...Any government in which the Communists would participate it would be resolutely French and would respect French traditions...
...He stresses that one's work should be oppression...
...Moreover, this meager remuneration achis version of the installation of Communist regimes in counts for an average work-week of 44 hours...
...The Socialist Party strongly favors tains a majority of the votes cast in the first round), European integration and unity based on the existing Socialists and Communists agreed that the candidate European Economic Community...
...It is clear, in fact, that under the leadership of Maurice Thorez, the French a victory of the left in France is now impossible without Communist Party, without loosening its ties with the the cooperation and assistance of the Communist Party...
...This remains an area, able autonomy, formulate its own policies, programs, however, where clearer and firmer assurances are needbudgets and markets, and retain control over its contracts ed...
...Communists were to hold which have frequently warred with each other and which cabinet posts in the French government until 1947 have always treated each other with suspicion, were able when the polarization of the cold war ended their par- to overcome their antagonisms for the chance of ruling ticipation...
...Marchais' purpose Let it be said at the outset that there are many weak- is to convince the French people, particularly the educanesses in this book...
...Man does not live by bread alone, tees...
...Moreover, the Communists Communists backed Socialist Frangois Mitterrand who have vowed to destroy France's nuclear stockpile should polled 44.8 percent of the vote in the run-off with de they ever attain power...
...The French Communists, while separate candidates, Gaston Deferre and Jacques Duclos, steadfastly proclaiming that Solzhenitsyn could publish respectively, for the Presidential election of 1969 with his works in a Communist France, have never bidden the result that both candidates of the left were eliminated their dislike for the man and what he stands for...
...book was published by a bourgeois publishing house Across these wintered hills, (Grasset) rather than the Communists' own publisher sparsewooded & crookbrushed (Editions sociales...
...Presidency to tempt an occupant, be it a Johnson or a Nor during the immediate period after Nixon's resig- Nixon, to trespass against us...
...There can be no "model" for France to follow...
...The Communists' approval EMILE J. TALBOT, an associate professor of French at the Uni- of the Germano-Soviet pact of 1939, however, wiped versity of Illinois (Urbana), recently returned from an extended out whatever gains they had made in this area, and the stay in France...
...To these Russia and Eastern Europe, also suffers from the same hours must often be added one or two hours per day of kind of myopia...
...Bemunism in Eastern Europe...
...After the first round, the usually pro-Moscow & snarl...
...This is a in part due to the mistrust of the French electorate for fact of considerable political consequence, and its signifthe Communists who backed him and who could have icance requires some retrospection...
...This has major leftist parties in the May 19 Presidential elections, been possible in large part because the French Comunderscores the growing importance of the French Com- munist Party has exhibited over the past decade a new munist Party in the political life of France...
...The quarrel was overcome gust 1968, but Marchais has since tried to downgrade through some conciliatory language by both Mitterrand the importance of that invasion...
...Nor did the Communists blush at to a trick paced bramble, employing all the capitalist methods of promotion: ad- silence gleams...
...In the political area, Marchais seeks mainly led to the establishment of different socialist regimes...
...In the Presidential elections of 1965 the nimity-towards Israel...
...If, as we're told, new occasions teach said he didn't find many of his colleagues who were new duties, then Americans should resolve to govern willing to do this...
...The Communist Party's position on this imthe socio-economic spheres, Marchais advocates giving portant issue is not entirely clear, however...
...lications, particularly l'Humanite...
...The importance given to the book by the killed task completed Communists betrayed its purpose: to give the party a loved & lover softly moderate image in preparation for the Presidential elec- bend...
...President Jefferson, during his first day in commonsensical man he is portrayed-can help us to Office, ate at his boarding house...
...to raise the standard of living to permit more people to But where is the Revolutionary Party...
...Marchais' second major weakness is his uncritical ad- To remedy this plight somewhat, Marchais proposes miration for the achievements of the Soviet Union...
...Just a few the workers an important voice in the management of years ago, Marchais had declared that the separation their factories...
...In March, the 1939 and the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956...
...SISYPHUS BOURGEOIS COMMUNISM IN FRANCE EMILE J. TALBOT New directions in French politics The impressive challenge of Francois Mitterrand, a iste Unifie were willing to work with the Communist Socialist and the common candidate of France's four Party in an attempt to capture the Presidency...
...Finalof success, was put into effect without an agreement on ly, in January and February of this year, a sharp clash policies...
...It is in capitalist France that decisions personally rewarding and should correspond to one's come from the top...
...We shall never know with certainty best chance in that contest would lie in not changing whether or not there existed a revolutionary situation its strategy of cooperation with the Communist Party, in those crucial weeks...
...led to a violent polemic between Le Nouvel ObservaThe political agreement ardently sought by the Com- teur, a socialist-oriented weekly magazine with no official munists was reached under Rochet's successor, the pres- ties to the Socialist Party, and various Communist pubent Secretary-General of the Party, George Marchais...
...Appearing in late August, 1973, it sold very rapidly, If one is willing to put aside the worn-out slogans reaching a printing of 700,000 copies by early Decem- and be on guard against one-sided facts and figures, one ber...
...this is meant to be a reassuring book...
...This lack of an accord on policies was in part arose between the Communists and Socialists over the the reason why the Socialists and Communists fielded Solzhenitsyn affair...
...For ested in the evolution of European politics...
...ers who in 1972 earned less than 1000 francs a month One could, however, select an example that could lead ($215 at the current rate of exchange) in a country to the opposite conclusion: France's nationalized tele- where the cost of living is higher than in the United phone system versus the United States' privately control- States and where rents and indirect taxes are the highest led system...
...23 August 1974: 430...
...vertising, autograph parties, etc...
...think that the legislative elections of 1978 were more The proof of this would be its behavior during the promising for the left, and it would seem that the left's events of May 1968...
...In fact, the challenge which he simply an act of justice, for it is giving to the nation offers to the right (and the one which furnishes the control over its most vital enterprises...
...It seems accurate to say that RONALD NORDIN the French Communist Party was so accustomed to operating within a legal framework that it was unable TRANQUILITY: FEBRUARY to cope with the dynamics of illegality...
...Far from uniformity: this Communist party is not to be colored taking away anyone's summer home, Marchais proposes gray...
...However, in the thirties, cent without Communist support...
...If we are, as political nation was there any widespread recognition of a need rhetoric instructs, a resourceful people then we need to deflate the Presidency after 40 or more years of in- not place our aspirations upon one man or upon one flation, whatever good reasons there may have been at Office, the Presidency...
...It has been consider- mantling of both NATO and the Warsaw Pact), and ably more successful on the legislative and municipal the Socialists agreed to a more extensive nationalization level...
...In the 1950s Thorez' successor, Waldeck example, the Communists are openly and strongly proRochet, succeeded in forging an election alliance with Arab, while the Socialists lean-though with less unathe Socialists...
...difficult than Nixon's decision to walk the plank...
...This book, which is meant what he himself would be willing to countenance in order to summarize the French Communist Party's position to accomplish the more equitable distribution of wealth on major issues was something of a sensation last fall...
...workers in the nineteenth century...
...Nationalization, he vows, will more human...
...All of this crumbled with the outbreak of World War II and the disarray of the Communists, but in recent nists now have perfect relations, or even that they agree years, an attempt has been made to revive the old coop- on all major issues...
...On the Arab-Israeli conflict, for eration...
...expected a half dozen cabinet posts had he won...
...This election- nomic Community as a "reactionary alliance dependent time cooperation, which worked with a certain measure on the Atlantic bloc," to quote Georges Marchais...
...Many Americans venerate the oc- said that he was somehow reminded of a passage from cupant of the Presidency...
...France together...
...While at- This does not mean that the Socialists and Commutempting to remain faithful to their Marxist dogma, their revolutionary ideals, and their Soviet allegiance, they have periodically tried to enlist the support of the Socialists and at times of the lower middle class as well...
...Whatever minor disand Marchais, but the issue of the status of intellectual agreements he might have with Soviet policy, Marchais dissent in a socialist France has not been resolved to is thoroughly fascinated by what the U.S.S.R...
...Conclusion: in France in recent years can appreciate the immense nationalization leads to better service...
...This is a matter to While Marchais does not foresee any philosophical conwhich the Communist Party is sensitive, having received vergence between Christians and Marxists, he does only 15 percent of the seats in the National Assembly pledge total freedom for religious belief, practice and in 1973 while collecting 21.3 percent of the vote...
...But The French Communist Party, founded in 1920 when the converse is equally true, and perhaps more impor- a faction of the Socialist Party voted to adhere to the tant: Mitterrand's 49.3 percent of the popular vote Third International, was for some years content to follow would certainly have been lower by some 10 to 20 per- policies decided in Moscow...
...the Socialists, who are against Gaulle...
...The Communists, of the left with the fewest votes would throw his sup- however, view the political union of the European Ecoport to the other in the second round...
...We do know, however, that the which remains the largest and most disciplined political Communist Party disavowed the violence, and that its formation in France...
...Marchais is also very eager to explain that ComWary of frightening off the middle class whose ac- munists are not solely concerned with political and quiescence he needs, Marchais is quick to offer guaran- socio-economic issues...
...Yet the gains of the left Here is a quietness, were impressive enough to justify the wisdom of the high warmth course chosen...
...The task of promoting the book was given to Guy Hermier, one of the Party's All time in whiteness moves bright young men who is expected to rise fast in the here...
...Marchais notes, however, that the attitudes of Christians towards Communists have evolved, a more' truly proportional representation in the National that Christians are more than ever committed to social Assembly to correct the present districting which tends justice...
...Nationalized industries would be managed of Church and State would exclude members of the by an administrative council consisting of elected repre- clergy from governmental jobs, including education...
...Le Nouvel ObservaThe result was the Programme commun de gouverne- teur, which had challenged the Communists' commitment ment [Common Platform] of June 1972 to which both to freedom, was branded as "anti-Soviet, anti-Commuthe Communists and Socialists refer with pride...
...Marchais' recounting of history, particularly in Europe...
...and, only 22 So can we, the governed, who vote these people into years ago, Harry Truman occasionally strolled the office...
...logged, day's haul cut, When the elections came two years earlier because heat built slaw but climbing, of President Pompidou's death, the Communists behaved nothing watches, as models of moderation...
...Presidents now travel with platoons During the Presidential crisis, a newly elected Senator of security agents...
...and the improved state of the working class that has been Having welded a necessary alliance with the Social- the result...
...In education...
...Finally, there remains the question of religion on which the record of intolerance of Communist regimes is well-known...
...Charging that the French Communist Party had squelched the most genuine popular uprising since the Commune of 1871, Barjonet resigned from the Party to join a more radical group...
...The Senator new President...
...eyed answers lull: Did it work...
...classes and to some rural areas...
...Eager to convince, Marchais is ted middle class, that the French Communist Party quite adept at using an old tactic of debate and polemics constitutes no danger to them, that it is committed to which consists in eliminating all related information and democratic processes, and that its economic policies perspectives that might tend to weaken his thesis, a de- while admittedly working to the detriment of the supervice systematically employed by 1'Humanite...
...President Ford-if he is the the beginning...
...The sentatives of the workers, representatives of the users of Communists have since retreated from this position and the industry's product, and appointed representatives of have assured that all Christians could exercise governthe government (the latter never constituting a majority ment functions provided they did not do so as repreof the council...
...For Marchais, nationalization is the single party state...
...The industry would retain a consider- sentatives of their Church...
...The point is well difficulties endured by nearly three million French worktaken-if we limit ourselves to the example chosen...
...The partners maintain, however, able to accomplish economically since 1917...
...a workers' paradise, but a state of economic and social The book requires the attention, then, of anyone inter- equity in which no man is exploited by another...
...the Communists took an active and decisive part in the Its importance lies not so much in its substance (which Resistance and emerged with sufficient power, influence advocates Scandinavian-type solutions to socio-economic and respect to permit their inclusion in de Gaulle's pro- problems) as in the fact that two segments of the left visional government in 1944...
...Newspapers and TV are al- Camus wherein a caller visited a friend, who was sick, ready beginning to encourage this attitude toward the and then went home and slept on the floor...
...Calvin Coolidge walk- restrain ourselves...
...This has changed...
...Soviets, attempted to become a more truly national As far as the future of French politics is concerned, it party...
...Small and medi- title to the book) is to see whether it could regain the um stockholders of France be reassured: Marchais' confidence of the electorate once the Communists had plans include reimbursing you...
...During the elections of the following year, as a proof of its good will, the Party withdrew 1~ some of its candidates in favor of the Socialists and initiated an "extended hand" policy towards Christian workers...
...Access to recreation, travel, arrived at in cooperation with those involved...
...The interest in the book corresponds to a new in- can, however, find in this book a more human and terest in the Communist Party on the part of the French humane Communism, one that is willing to work within public as well as to a new determination on the part basic traditions of the West in order to achieve, not of the Communists to reach out to a broader audience...
...It is signatory parties of the Programme common called for in the light of such positions that French Communists a minimum wage of 1200 francs a month as did candihave not unjustly been accused of "double patriotism...
...vinced of the necessity for a broader base...
...They immediately called upon waits...
...Internationalism took second place to patriotism, is important that such diverse leftist parties as the Parti and the Communists sought to convince the French Socialiste, the Radicaux de gauche, and the Parti Social- people that the Party was no less French for being inspired by the Soviet example...
...Cause hierarchy...
...Freedom of activity would be guaranteed to able from that of many non-Communist socialist parties, all political formations...
...has been everyone's satisfaction...
...The fundamental reform the Soviets over the invasion of Czechoslovakia in Au- would consist in the nationalization of large industries 23 August 1974: 448 and banks which work for the profit of the few to the Party (1964 and 1967) which rejected the notion of expense of the many...
...In 1934 they succeeded in formulating a pact with the Socialists for a common struggle against fascism, and they invited the middle class to join them in an anti- VA . . fascist alliance...
...After the 23 August 1974: 446 German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, elaborates on the plans of the left should it attain power...
...For these, the work-related the methods employed by the Communists to get and time spent away from home is thus almost that of keep power in those early years...
...He does not intend, he affirms, to replace the he wryly observes, leaving out the second half of that present exploitation and oppression by a new kind of abused quote...
...Party was outlawed on September 27, 1939...
...role in a leftist government...
...Christians and Communists, he feels, could and to give more representatives per capita to the upper should work together in this area of mutual concern...
...democracy is but the logical and necessary extension Marchais wants more parks for the cities to make them of political democracy...
...Commen- openness and flexibility that has revitalized it from tators will certainly argue that Mitterrand's defeat was within and gained it respect from without...
Vol. 100 • August 1974 • No. 19
