France's Political and Economic Problems

Abstract

IN a democracy parliamentarians should develop their contacts with the people they represent in order to discover the direction of their thoughts and the bases of their opinions. This task is no less important in international relations. Understanding of the psychology of nations is one of the essential conditions of international politics, and discussion on the personal level is the best means of achieving a satisfactory conclusion to discussions between States. When statesmen meet at official gatherings, they inevitably have to defend the rights of their own countries and press for concessions. It is their duty to emphasize their own views rather than to get to know those of their neighbours. The politician who no longer holds office, however, as in my case, is more free to interest himself in the trends of thought in friendly countries. The high principles which inspire free nations may be wholly identical, since they derive from the same spiritual source. Difference lies only in the manner in which each country interprets those principles; identical phrases may be used to express very different realities. It is incumbent on the different peoples, therefore, to reach as profound a mutual understanding as possible and it is the duty of their representatives to devote themselves to making known the truth. As a French parliamentarian it is my aim in this paper to portray the real face of France, and to show it clearly I propose first to lift the veil of disquiet which too often, both at home and abroad, masks it. Friends of France sometimes fear that our country has surrendered to a spirit of indiscipline in public life, as well as to instability in political life. No one would deny the difficulties against which France struggles, they have been mentioned often enough; so, too, have our faults; in fact the shadows of the picture have been sufficiently emphasized, and I would like to soften the effect of certain criticisms, not to reject them, but to restore them to their true proportions. It is true that in France liberty of expression often takes an extreme form which colours all aspects of our collective life; our national temperament is always more ready to denounce our eccentricities than to praise our merits, to criticize our failures rather than to acclaim our successes. We certainly should resist this instinctive tendency towards collective self-criticism. But it is also necessary to ensure that this habit does not result in a misrepresentation of our efforts. The French know their failings better than others know their qualities. It is inadvisable too quickly to form judgements based on I48