How has the French national identity evolved since 1945?

Question

Firstly, what is the french national identity in your view?

Secondly, can someone offer me a few good links which tells me this evolution?

finally, what is the different between the french national identity in 1945 and now

I need some help in this. This is an essay that I need to write about

thanks

Answer 1

A very interesting question and I've been sitting here trying to formulate an answer.

Of course, I should say that I am not French although I've spent a great deal of time there. I would like to think this makes me objective but others may simply dismiss me as ignorant.

It seems to me that the French national identity hasn't changed all that much in the Post World War II era.

One of the goals of Charles de Gaulle was to preserve the self image of the French and the world postiion of France. to a great extent he was successful.

Before the war, France was certainly regarded as one of the "Great Powers" and the French national identity was tightly tied to this. But France's defeat and capitulation to the n***s, the establishment of the collaborationist Vichy regime, and the subsequent emergence of the USA and the USSR as superpowers struck at the heart of this identity.

De Gaulle set out to counter this by creating a counter history in which France was never defeated but fought on (led by him), the Vichy government represented only a miniscule handful of traitors, a vast number of people bravely joined the Resistance, and, albeit with the assistane of the Allies, the French army returned in triumph to defeat the Germans and liberate the country.  The French went so far as to label the 1940 surrender merely a "change of tactics." (As explained in the French war museum in Paris).

DeGaulle insisted on, and managed to get, recognition of France as one of the victorious allies rather than as merely a country liberated by them (as was the case with countries like Belgium and the Netherlands.)

As the Cold War developed, the French leadership sought to make France the leader of Europe and to reduce the influence of the USA and the UK. While not entirely successful the French generally took a certain pleasure in viewing themselves as an important and independant actor on the world stage.

The net result of this is that the French retained or perhaps revived their self image as citizens of a Great Power.

Also in the post war era, the French government began expanding the social welfare system, creating for French citizens a very comfortable and stable lifestyle. This too was a continuation of pre-War trends. Since the Revolution, the central government had worked to create uniformity, national standards, and national regulation to replace the often chaotic system that had prevailed under the Monarchy.

This has tended to make the French risk averse and to believe that government is the solution to all problems. Further, it has created a high level of expectations. During the last round of student protests I recall seeing the slogan "Utopie ou rien" (Utopia or nothing) scrawled on the walls by demonstrators.

While there have been episodes that have shaken the French psyche such as the defeats in Indochina and Algeria, the French appear to be self confident, convinced of the general superiority of their culture and institutions, and sure of their continuing influence on the world.