Les Années Mitterrand I (1981-1986)

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  • Created on: 25-05-18 11:40
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  • Les Années Mitterrand I (1981-1986)
    • "La Vague Rose": Mauroy's government
      • Mitterand came with a promise to do great things
        • Give power back to the people
        • Govern for the working class
        • However he was hit with the 'reality' of governance and had to make compromises
        • Slogan was 'changer la vie'
      • Mitterand dissolved the Assemblée Nationale from 1978
        • In June 1981, the PS had a landslide victory (la vague rose) with an absolute majority in the AN
          • 285 out of 481 seats
          • Confirmed Mitterrand's victory
          • This was the first time under the Vème Republic that there was an alternance of power to the left- proved the stability and sustainability of the republic.
          • Practically 3/4 of the parliament was in the hands of the left.
      • Pierre Mauroy was named the PM
        • French Socialism (1981-1983)
          • This was the time in which Mitterrand implemented the 'changer la vie' programme
          • Wanted to boost the economy by consumer spending.
            • Did this by cutting taxes and increasing wages, in order to give the people more disposable income
              • Wanted to give the French people more money as a trigger effect for the economy
              • Nationalised private businesses and banks
                • It was believed that in order for businesses to work fairly and in the public interest, had to be in public hands
            • The Mauroy government introduced a lot of new social measures
              • Abolished the death penalty on 18th September 1981
              • Authorised "radios libres" (private radio)
                • Before the state controlled all the radio
                  • Socialism wanted to live up to it's image of being the 'liberator' of French society
                    • Improvement of living and working conditions of workers and their salaries
                      • On 10th February 1982, a fifth week of paid leave was voted in by parliament
                        • Retirement at 60 was voted in during April 1983
                          • An ideological argument for this legislation was that less people were 'slaves to work'
                            • Also believed that if people retired earlier there would be more free jobs, and therefore unemployment would reduce
              • The Auroux laws (August 1982) sought to increase the rights to free speech and salaries in business, notably concering their working conditions
                • Minister for work at the time
      • 4 communists were named ministers: Anicet Le Pors, Charles Fiterman, Jack Ralite and Marcel Rigout
        • The fact that the socialists governed with the communists worried the US due to the domino effect
    • French Socialism (1981-1983)
      • This was the time in which Mitterrand implemented the 'changer la vie' programme
      • Wanted to boost the economy by consumer spending.
        • Did this by cutting taxes and increasing wages, in order to give the people more disposable income
          • Wanted to give the French people more money as a trigger effect for the economy
          • Nationalised private businesses and banks
            • It was believed that in order for businesses to work fairly and in the public interest, had to be in public hands
        • The Mauroy government introduced a lot of new social measures
          • Abolished the death penalty on 18th September 1981
          • Authorised "radios libres" (private radio)
            • Before the state controlled all the radio
              • Socialism wanted to live up to it's image of being the 'liberator' of French society
                • Improvement of living and working conditions of workers and their salaries
                  • On 10th February 1982, a fifth week of paid leave was voted in by parliament
                    • Retirement at 60 was voted in during April 1983
                      • An ideological argument for this legislation was that less people were 'slaves to work'
                        • Also believed that if people retired earlier there would be more free jobs, and therefore unemployment would reduce
          • The Auroux laws (August 1982) sought to increase the rights to free speech and salaries in business, notably concering their working conditions
            • Minister for work at the time
    • Failure of Mauroy's government
      • There was panic on the stock exchange due to the arrival of the socialist government in France
        • This panic caused people to stash money in Switzerland. (Tax evasion)
          • In 1983, PM is forced to put a pause on reforms
            • At the beginning there was a sense of euphoria amongst the French people.
              • Mitterrand advocated a very promising ideology.and the French people understood that it would take time to come into effect
                • However, after 2 years it was clear that Mitterrand's promises had not been made
        • Was a rise in unemployment (2 million in 1982)
          • Failure of Mauroy's government
            • There was panic on the stock exchange due to the arrival of the socialist government in France
              • This panic caused people to stash money in Switzerland. (Tax evasion)
                • In 1983, PM is forced to put a pause on reforms
                  • At the beginning there was a sense of euphoria amongst the French people.
                    • Mitterrand advocated a very promising ideology.and the French people understood that it would take time to come into effect
                      • However, after 2 years it was clear that Mitterrand's promises had not been made
              • Was a rise in unemployment (2 million in 1982)
                • A failure to create jobs through the social reforms (only 20,000 jobs were created instead of an estimated 100,000)
                  • This caused France to lose a lot of money very quickly as the new policies were expensive to implement
                    • The government thought initially that this would be okay as people would reinject money into the economy once they had more disposable income s
                      • HOWEVER this didn't happen, people either saved their money or spent it on foreign products.
                    • The government had two choices: either continue with the socialist policy and leave the European monetary system OR choose Europe but also a strict policy to save the economy
                      • On 22nd March, Mitterand chose Europe and a policy of austerity
                        • Created riots and discontentment as FM had alienated his core electorate: working class
                          • The communist party also left the coalition as they didn't agree with austerity
                          • Rose taxes
                            • Restructured a lot of industrial businesses that were in difficulty
                              • In order to become competitive, businesses made a lot of people redundant in order to save costs.
                                • Shut down the industrial sector, whose workers were the very people Mitterrand promised to protect
                                  • Created riots and discontentment as FM had alienated his core electorate: working class
                                    • The communist party also left the coalition as they didn't agree with austerity
                                    • Rose taxes
                                      • Restructured a lot of industrial businesses that were in difficulty
                                        • In order to become competitive, businesses made a lot of people redundant in order to save costs.
                                          • Shut down the industrial sector, whose workers were the very people Mitterrand promised to protect
                                      • The local elections in 1983 were catastrophic for the PS and PC
                                        • The FN had a huge rise in votes as Mitterrand's core electorate abandoned him and turned to the far right who blamed immigrants for these problems
                                          • End of the socialist experiment
                            • The local elections in 1983 were catastrophic for the PS and PC
                              • The FN had a huge rise in votes as Mitterrand's core electorate abandoned him and turned to the far right who blamed immigrants for these problems
                                • End of the socialist experiment
            • A failure to create jobs through the social reforms (only 20,000 jobs were created instead of an estimated 100,000)
              • This caused France to lose a lot of money very quickly as the new policies were expensive to implement
                • The government thought initially that this would be okay as people would reinject money into the economy once they had more disposable income s
                  • HOWEVER this didn't happen, people either saved their money or spent it on foreign products.
                • The government had two choices: either continue with the socialist policy and leave the European monetary system OR choose Europe but also a strict policy to save the economy
                  • On 22nd March, Mitterand chose Europe and a policy of austerity
        • Modernisation: the Fabius years
          • On 19th June 1984, Laurent Fabuis was named PM
            • Youngest PM in France's history as he was in his early 30s when he came into office
              • The PS wanted to turn the tide for the 1986 election and get as small a loss as possible
                • The government began to have a more open outlook towards businesses
                  • Signed the contract for Eurodisney in 1985
                    • Launched a new private chanel: Canal+
                  • Wanted to attract new businesses to France
                • At the same time the FN were gaining a lot of traction
                  • The FN gained 11% of the vote in the European elections in 1984
                    • Whereas the PC's share of the vote dropped from 18% to 11%
                    • This was the first sign that the FN was becoming France's main protest party
                      • The PCF's share of the vote collapsed dramatically- they used to get 20% of the vote
            • New face of the left: pro-business, less ideological, 'modern' and more pragmatic
        • Foreign Policy
          • There was a change in tone in France's foreign policy
            • However, it still remained very guallist
            • Initially Mitterrand wanted to be pro-small countries and pro-democracy
              • First president to defend Palestine
                • 4th March 1982 in the Knesset, Mitterrand declared hiself in favor of the creation of a Palestinian state
              • October 1981, he made a strong speech in favour of the freedom of those who were oppressed by the Mexican state
              • However, he, like DG, always sided with the US when it mattered
                • 20th January 1983, in fornt of the Bundestag in Bonn, Mitterrand showed his support for the US and the Atlantic Alliance
                • Also reinforced the link with NHulmut Kohl by supporting Germany with  the EEC crisis
                  • Th EEC was at a stalemate with Thatcheras she did not want any further progress in the EEC until the UK got a rebait on their contribution to the EEC budget  and so she blocked everthing.

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