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11/22/1950 - A Backward Look at France by John R. McCarthy

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS JRMcO Box A Backward Look France Point Lookout R Y November Mr Walter S Roers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York N Y Dear Mr Rogers As New York bound plane Paris night about three months I locked dwindling City Light realized again quickly litter Paris gives darkness provin One_moment flyin _over raceful brides Seine liant cafes Champs Elyses flood basilica Sacred Heart Montartre headed westward toward there rents curtain darkness beneath An occasional lisht farmhouse kitchen square these lights vinces flare struck match compared brilliance capital French writers Paris often contrast symbol backwardness provinces French writers Paris prove Paris cheap provinces proper place residence proper Having lived Paris rovinoea I agree neither For contrast light darkness illus trates something quite different French character light there darkness An understandin character characteristics tendencies French important The French because their eoraphlcal position their history their level lizatlon their varied influences whole world determine large extent course future events western Europe toward light toward darkness Just recently Instance whole antlo fense West slowed snail French hesitations rearmin Germany Fhat underlyin moods dicta hesitations How those moods reflected Frenchmen vineyards Bordeaux factories St Etienne mines Calais There chief tendencies which I observed while living French better three years progressive disintegration ational other steady outpour fruitful ideas branches human aotlvity I shall describe these tendenciese The disintegration natioml increasin incapacity formulate realize natioml policies It stems disagreement Frenchmen almost every conceivable national issue usefully contrasted firmin American Dational which results comparative unanimity similar issues There aradoxes trast We enjoywt probably individualistic system public cation world French least indivldualistic French individualists Our overment federal therefore comparatively decentralized republic French under unitary highly centralized republic French overnment which periodically stricke paralysis The explanation history differences character temperament which peoples What Lord Balfour about English cabinets equally Americans though belonin different parties never differed about foundations society The majority people U S fundamentals loosely Aerloanism They aooet Con stitution I789 overnment constituted accept current economic system which based private productive property contract There eneral belief Americans American overnment whether Democratic Republican hands means There Aerioan interpretation meanin history destiny American patrlotio which rallies instantly other Aeri Pearl arbor instance Seoul daner There Ameri0an ooncec oltizenship which would seemed srane Roman Augustan We emotionally intellectually basic issues capable formulatln realizin natloal policies efficient There considerable evidence French enjoyed different times their history similar unity Under Louis XIV under NaFoleon I brief period under Napoleon III French oiill zation purpose relative roperity shared confidence public affairs Since arshal P supposed France tarienfai cluedesoecl ThehitoryoftheTtl VJ Fourt eLblio inoreaiz The clear vision Frenchmen ariaune radually liven individual oompetin visions France become woman woman finds neither fortune pernnent proteooro Suppose consider important areas which Frenchmen FrenChmen their overnnent In country overnment seriously questioned question answered Var eteen States But France which fifteen Constituti revolutions hundred years there always The Constitution Fourth Republic approval scant million votes seventeen million those favored understanding would amended JAr Heftier Radical Socialist elder statesan called Constitution preterition adjournment Reyna_ud known Independent deputy termed retention instability There little public feelin Constitution I searohin document Paris bookstores I advised Constitution It undoubtedly majority Frenchmen their overment republic republic Practical definitions gaullist notion powerful executive Comnunist powerful assembly present Constitution leases extremes neither Aost Frenchmen desire France overnment which overns desires terms Compromises which bulked American history rejects As Frenchman ironically It fault refuses Frenchmen agree their economic The Revolutionary ideals equality fraternity further realization farmers eople workers employers carry their anolent feuds The instance considers thatit people their Yet instead payin tribute virtuous farmer exloit sellin prices anIpulatlon sterious arket rioes anufaotred constantly increase taxes purposes which approve support DatioDalized industries The eople their Apun alternatively nothin nohin ashes believe farmers satin sellln their meats vegetables enormous armers doders But between capital labor disagreement proound An unhealthy concentration capital hands prices characterized French econon especially since Emloyers treated their workers badly capitalism scale larer family oerated disrepute The majority Frenchmen national income fairly dlstrlbued business capitalism rearded ideal economic system mil31ons Americans social roups oondezmed French intellectual religious leaders advocates staled seneral hostility One rinoial reasons failure capitalism united powerful trade movement French labor enough strength freely French employers continue advantage their super position Instead transcendln politics religion philosophy unitin6 better workin conditions organized workers since Catholic Soci alist Comnunist unions which dissipate energj assailing_one another The Frenohnn tryin6 support children month butter costs cents pound cents dozen feels surprislnly oaiallsm doesn If Com munist Is llkely particularly because knows alternative capitalism which might better France timid experiments socialism represented nationalization commercial aviation electricity automobile production chief banks insurance companies impressed their economy their efficiency If munist daily 8sins confidence Conmunlst solution every start Frenchmen agree relations between Church State In U disagreement relatively since Americans oposed religion eneral although dislike political activities gious organizations In Fr other majority those fight political influence Church France Catholic Church always meant reliious reard batlin6 Church realm politlos merely means ridding country moons Feelin hiher between Catholics their ponchos U S issues school buses The French Church serious central education labor relations local aional politics Althouh there fewer priest eaters there fifty years tolerance among Catho Frenohan likely pronounced Catholic distrust intensely those Frenchmen agree meanln their national history destiny Ones those thins clear their functionsto Europe establish Gallic peace oivillzed world bring French culture favored peoples That dream steadily fading The Frenchman loner convinced prosperity country which noteenough military supremacy country which successfully invaded three times three enerations He thinks today France world power culture alone which rests eminent That culture admiration which chief unifyin fores Frenchmen still force world argues another stronger nation provide material power necessary support diffusion culture I selection partners Frenchmen disagree Some France Russia sovietized firmament others France Britain senior trustees united Europe still others France U S brinIn machines ideas barbarous world minority intellectuals envision France Gernny toether prosperous harmony These other fundamental dlsareements responsible I Because Frenchmen cannot progressive dlsinteration ntionl compromise there French policy mostmattersofublicimportance Thereare ofcourse poofwhatever government happe power those policies reresent selected minorities rarely majority French It beeomin daily harder express their auy_matter through overnmental action because extremely difficult coalition overnnt about anrthin imporaut Yet coalition overnments almost inevitable The French elecorallsystem combines votin temper people everyone wants Nobody disappointed completely nobody comes anywhere satisfied French election A small group experienced olitieians pleasin small population offices members successive French overnments rivals medieval College Cardinals nineteenth century House Commons exclusive entlemens world Some members idealistic incorruptible others their venery Justify French say_i There oonmon tween Deputies revolutionary between revolutionaries Deputy R Until Frenchmen united enough clean house National Assembly ancient walls harbor politicians noted their moral scruples Bee their disagreements reflected Ineiolent overnment French progress meetin wentieth oentury requirements national survival One these requirements seems social Justice social Justice noticeably lackin France The taxation system instance administered industrial worker whose reported maployer taxes income while nployer himself likely conceal Tradespeople farmers professional virtually those rporelr incomes share tradition hawin faulty memories collector comes around Since worker choice truth understan dably resentful Similarly leislation reardin minimum maximum hours child labor often enforoed There effective trust legislation There universal belief large percentage social security funds collected rough payroll dissipated ations bureaucracy There eneral belief admini stered impartially erson possesses enough money enough tical contacts above These beliefs probably exaggerated shared Frenehmen whose oonviction social Justice aohieved weakens nation Another result national 80und defense There little public confidence ability armed forces protect borders determination civilian population military I single Frenchman uniform thinks France alone prevent materially invasion East Many people everyhin depends U often impression seriously consider their country They remembering The somewhat healthy Resistance which taken since people determined invader rather resolved regret entering country The unrealistic schemes advocated intellectuals politicians neutrality event between Russi U S indicative public onfSdence French power The coherent civilian defense betrays eneral feeli perhaps ooopa might 9refeble rlattires itistaltttreou averydespreadeon oonttGeymustnot reaed TheRussisybedeusbut iteoeinttGeare Stillopiti isdanin asttsisaethat orges herbudgetisapositiboontoGey Ateset Frencharebnsbynewesandanishorge ofooer bothedbyenat theaeenJoygefrets ofeoroedpacific Thedile thaneeonooallygerousOeny oaaaliilyerousrmny theotr islikelytobere solved butterdesf Still auether result akening atiol larity often oontra overental solutions public problems One exaaple striks advooated Catholio bishop Brit sisted until parochial schools Ket public support taxes should Another example miners deliberately flooded overnment owned despai obtainin satisfaction_through normal bargaining But outstandin example contemporary France Comnmst Party whloh Kradually develo9in whole Freeh This Frenchman believes sincerely anythin which helps Party morally course action sabotage murder desirable order overthrow oapitalistie overnment Fully French people votedCosin general elections those voters would support Communist 9roKram hardones questionwhichkeesnnynon Comaunistsawakeatt But important inclusive result disintegration natiA pesssm Frenchman Sippin afternoon aperitif little enthuse pattern events feels otten beyond since after Relistanoe Charter oeepted major parties promised Frenohme He little unemployment which consistently sines But Ketttn enough prices oreepin upward remembers olerk oould little house oountry saved Now rouble savin anyin doesn A Nol knows franc worth couple years Securities Perhaps interest rates Real estate Suppose destroys property The Frenohman owerful enemies If Communist enemy Wall St whioh bombs innooent coneent oarry dictates If Communist enemy Russia which sulorters oountry I those yearn neutrality Giants enemies between destroy Franoe And deserve victim merely_asserted individualityl He refused adopt 9rodotion mentality Sake geement He stands rinoiples hopes ohildren somehow resolve difficulties which 91aKued ation If formo Kovernment Church eoonomiosyson France 91aoe world perhaps France Krow stron aKain atron enough Germans Russians Americans And Frenotnnan drains aperitif ohose The Frenchman however perhaps overly pessimistic He worried about Immedi future today newspapers happen He thinks proably right terms material force France contribute durin years Aa military industrial politioal power French Datlo already seeondary position JRicC further other nations democracies dictatorships themselves choose follow course action In become moment paramount values western civilization nation industrial tential fihin morale troops aptitude_for technological struction thinkinness citizens France shmefully deficlente But Frenohnn knows forgets occasionally values deeper The course hunch history chaned alEebraio equation brilliant speech attic laboratory speech slogan If country however contains large number individuals contribute fruitful solutions human lores country worth world incalculable And country oinion contemporary France In circulation media world polities encouraged uniformity hought millions people deviationist arded suspicion iconoclast horror France rovides excep ional anosphere which pioneers human fields Because France fewer responsibilities other powers because France divided there sandard Galllcanlsm which French follow social sandin Job The French habit constantly examinin first principles rarely acceptin anythin final eernal ferment caused fundamental reements valuable progress realms activity raning raffio control archi tecture The French veneration ideas human French delight debunkin French recline anyone interestin should audience these qualities encourage exceptional individual revolutionizes science Encouragement Iven incidentally charlatans charlatans People Pasteur Curie Gau In Val Lon Blum A painter Pioasso writer Gide scientist Noys influence whole civilized world In providing atmosphere which individuals think their France hslpin maintain fruitful ideas fields These ideas often exported citizens Dubuque Denver themselves carryin susestlon oriinally nished Marseilles It useful consider approaches problems which worked France since which I acquainted personal experience In economic employers wrkers promising ventures One outsTdin employer roups instance The Youn Bosses national association commercial manufacturin executives These employers challened robber baron attitude which still prevails amon8 French capitalists The Youn Bosses assert workers should treated people rather automatons should other thins share profits enterprise Youn Bosses I talked actually instituted profit sharing programs their plants contend employer doing Job merely produces saleable article makes money himself stockholders enable employees their families fashion proper human think creators machine tenders Rearded dangerous proresslves French capitalists alnin considerable influence France largest industries Young Bosses radually eliminate bitter barred which marred employer worker relations They proponents decentralization notoriously centralized economy stron influence development regional nomic pendence Workers their initiated conunitarian movement which essentially involves worker owned managed enterprises In communitarian factory famous Boimondau watch factory Valence elected policy deolaions unanimous effect person related dlreotly enterprise current Income Com munltarlans capitalism which reard inhuman economic system based cooperation classless society their political tendencies anarchistic rather communlsIc In France there perhaps forty communit experiments eneral prosperln their example beln8 imitated other countries Bellu Switzerland In politics party called Progressive Christians initiated darin attempt Christianity Marxism They declare tisin Christian cannot aooet capit alism although communism equally unacceptablebecause atheistic there truths general Marxist doctrine Whatever think their doctrinal faithfulness either evident takin uncompromisin stand toward social economic conditions which worry sincere Christian which notably improved existin political parties Whether Progressive Christians merely playing hands Communists remains startle other Christians askin themselves whether statu____suis really divinely sanctioned In religion Catholics Protestants found weapons ohallenes The Ctholic Archdioceses large cities instance riests civilian labor factories These worker riests toether rectories alone furnished rooms water working class districts major slowly Catholicism masses estimation Church become Chris tianized Similar efforts rural districts Protestant Churches which found rural depopulation resultant whole conunities losin their forefathers faith In number instances Protestant ministers breathed villaes introducin small industries fightin improved farmin teohniques Finally international reltions forward taken Monnet Sehuman Plan pooling European steel resources envisages surrender sovereignty every participatin nation Althoush least chance effective operation future althoush become political football althoush probably supported majority those Frenchmen understand proposes constit nonetheless admission realities The 8overn proud idepelent nation offered authority mtion strategic industries As approach eliminating causes European Monuet chuman Plan prove fruitful It particularly significant considered other recent French proposals coneernin European poolin ofEuropean financial resources common defense West The French noted their national pride their complacency about French superi9ity France essentially introvert nation Yet Frenchmen takin looking future realistically Their blind pathological Germany detract their slowly developin supra nationalism That moving slowly satisfy U S should obscure movin faster other sizeable nation western Europe Such contporary Fr rtion whloh oannotmk sometimes furnish other ntions means making theirs Perhaps valid analogy research worker poration His practical usefulness apparent It doubtful whether prosperous immediate corporation competitive struggle rivals But important erson because source notions which vitally transform cororationo So France If expect At lantic Pact maical divided nation united expect Narshall Plan automatically eliminate anachronisms which France economic distress doomed disaoiht But American credits allowin eople still marked reatness their roblems seourity investment returnin nterest expected We decades Paris rovinoes after played important world light driven darkness Sineerely