ABSTRACT

Originally published in 1950, this book is a narrative and analytical account of the making of the new French Constitution and views that process in its historical setting. Although the book’s central theme is the constitutional problem, it is in a broader sense concerned with the political forces at work in France since liberation. The 2 years of provisional government from August 1944 to December 1946 brought French politics to a new pitch of complexity. Economic stress, international tension, colonial unrest and personal rivalries sharpened the conflicts among the men who made the constitution. All of these elements went into the formation of the Fourth French Republic and are discussed in the book.

chapter Chapter One|3 pages

From Mystique to Politique

chapter Chapter Two|21 pages

The Third Republic: An Obituary

chapter Chapter Three|24 pages

The Republic Underground and Overseas

chapter Chapter Four|48 pages

Experiment in Presidential Government: The De Gaulle Period

chapter Chapter Five|83 pages

False Start: The First Constituent Assembly

chapter Chapter Six|49 pages

Repeat Performance: The Second Constituent Assembly