History Opportunist Republicans

1 history

1.1 origins
1.2 divisions
1.3 moving right
1.4 final divisions , decline

history
origins

the moderate republicans large , heterogenous group started after french revolution of 1848. however, group lost elections of 1849, finishing minority group in national assembly. after louis-napoléon s coup d état in 1851 , birth of second french empire in 1852, republicans took part in parliamentary opposition (along monarchists), against bonapartist majority.

divisions

president jules grévy, portrait léon bonnat (1879).

after franco-prussian war (1870–1871) , consequential fall of french empire, third french republic born. however, politics divided in 2 groups: right-wing monarchists (orléanists , legitimists) , left-wing republicans (radicals , moderates). if both republicans combined anti-clericalism , social reformism, radicals nationalist , anti-german, refusing treaty of versailles prussia. moderates instead supported treaty, , more pragmatic on international politics. in 1871, after elections, republicans inside chamber of deputies split in 2 groups: moderate republican left, led jules favre, , radical republican union led léon gambetta. 2 parliamentary groups non-influential during years of republic, dominated monarchist moral order coalition of patrice macmahon, after failure of return monarchy, after elections of 1876 moderate , radical republicans gained 193 , 98 seats in chamber, respectively. time, republicans maintained strong majorities in french parliament, , pejoratively called opportunists detractors aptitude gain popular consensus in spite of ideology.

moving right

prime minister jules ferry, resigned in 1885 after political scandal.

in january 1879, republican jules grévy elected president of republic, succeeding monarchist macmahon. time, progressive disappearance of monarchists, moderates began move toward parliamentary centre, between old rights (bonapartist , reunited monarchists) , new lefts (radical-socialists, marxists , blanquists). prevent return monarchy-like creation of socialist state, 2 radical , moderate republicans spirits decided cooperate , form common governments, despite personal antagonism between grévy , gambetta, died in 1882.

during late 1870s , 1880s, republican majority launched education reform, bert law, creating normal schools, , ferry laws, secularize public education. however, grévy signed so-called lois scélérates ( villainous laws ), restricted freedom of press, , france started colonial expansion in africa, creating protectorates in madagascar , tunisia. despite semi-authoritarian policies, republicans refused charged of conservatism , continued proclaim of left , republicanism in france being historically associated left-wing. paradox laterly identified sinistrisme ( leftism ).

in elections of 1885 republican consolidation confirmed: if popularly won conservative union of armand de mackau, elections guaranteed solid republican majority in chamber. in fact until election, 2 republican groups have been reunited in new political party guided president grévy , close ally jules ferry: democratic union , born of fusion of republican left , republican union. however, in 1885, republican prime minister ferry forced resign after political scandal called tonkin affair , , in 1887 president grévy resigned office, after corruption scandal involving son-in-law. moderate republicans, challenged, survived support of radical republicans of rené goblet, , worries rise of new political phenomenon: revanchism, desire revenge against german empire after defeat of 1871.

final divisions , decline

the revanchist ideas strong in france of belle Époque, , scandals involving republican governments, there rise of nationalist party, led general georges boulanger. boulanger minister of war 1886 1887; appointment strategy of prime minister goblet pledge nationalists, after fall of cabinet, replaced maurice rouvier, , general wasn t reconfirmed. political error started political phase called boulangisme (1887–1891). around general forming heterogeneous group of supporters: radical reformers georges clemenceau , charles de freycinet; bonapartists , monarchists want overthrow republic; socialists Édouard vaillant, admired general s views on workers rights; nationalists desired revenge against germany. finally, boulanger led league of patriots, far-right revanchist , militarist league, , benefitted popular , financial support workers , aristocrats, respectively. face rise of boulanger, republican leaders resulted divided. side, old republican moderate wing, composed prominent personalities jules ferry, maurice rouvier , eugène spuller, representing middle bourgeoisie, industrialists , scholars, formed in 1888 national republican association (french: association nationale républicaine, anr).; other side, republican right-wing of henri barboux , léon say, represented interests of rich bourgeoisie , catholics, formed liberal union in 1889. continuing depict leftist, national republican association conservative group, opposing income tax , strikes, tried defend republic reputed enemy: boulanger. association used many banquets finance activities. finally, there rupture inside boulangist party: radicals of clemenceau, disenchanted militarism of boulanger, launched society of rights of man , of citizen , , socialists became disappointed boulanger s frequentation of monarchists duchess of uzès , prince napoléon bonaparte, disappointed boulanger s republican ideas. coup de grâce boulangisme arrived when general accused of preparing coup d état, causing flight of general bruxelles , republican landslide in elections of 1889.

in 1890s, opportunist republican parable ended. panama scandals of 1892 involved prominent radical politicians clemenceau, alfred naquet , léon bourgeois, granting large victory republican association in elections following year. however, dreyfus affair broke out in 1893, causing formation of 2 factions: dreyfusards , Émile zola, anatole france , clemenceau, supported innocence of jewish colonel, , anti-dreyfusard , Édouard drumont, jules méline , raymond poincaré, accused dreyfus of betrayal, partially due rampant anti-semitism. republican association, méline , poincaré members of, refused anti-semitic thesis, anyway took side anti-dreyfus field. however, decision fatal association s destiny: in 1899, re-conviction of colonel dreyfus, partial pardon favored republican pierre waldeck-rousseau, caused divisions inside republican association, aggravated rehabilitation of dreyfus in 1900. remove mole of anti-semitism, in 1901 waldeck-rousseau founded democratic republican alliance (adr), claiming heritage of ferry , gambetta. many moderate republicans joined adr, including yves guyot, ferdinand dreyfus (not linked colonel), narcisse leven, david raynal.

the moderate republicans had remained in national republican association adhered, along progressive republicans, republican federation, right-wing party distant original republican association s beliefs.