article

Liberalism and radicalism in France do not form the same type of ideology. In fact, the main line of conflict in France during the 19th century was between monarchist opponents of the Republic (mainly Legitimists and Orleanists, but also Bonapartists) and supporters of the Republic (Radicals, "Republican Opportunists", and latter Socialists). Thus, while the Orleanists favored constitutional monarchy and economic liberalism, they were opposed to the Republican Radicals. However, the Radical-Socialist Party, which is now divided into the center-right Radical Party (Parti Radical) and the center-left Left Radical Party (PRG), has since embraced liberalism, including in its economic version.

Introduction

The early high points of liberalism in France were: In France, as in much of Southern Europe, the word liberal was used during the 19th century either to refer to the traditional liberal anti-clericalism or to economic liberalism. Political liberalism in France was long associated more with the Orleanists and then with the Radical Party, leading to the use of the term radicals to refer to the political liberal tradition. The French Radicals tend to be more statist than most European liberals, but share the liberal values on other issues, in particular a strong support for individual liberty. However, today, the word is mostly used today to designate minarchists, and more generally political groups such as the former Liberal Democracy (Démocratie Libérale, DL), headed by Alain Madelin, and the recently emerged Alternative Libérale that advocate free markets and a reduced government role. The word liberal lacks the suggestion of general support for individual rights that it carries in Northern Europe. The phrase ultra-libéral is used to refer to neo-liberalism, incarnated by Alain Madelin's tendency, which is in minority among the French right-wing families and is seen with caution by Nicolas Sarkozy's Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), created in 2002 from a merger of the neo-Gaullist RPR (headed by Jacques Chirac) and some other right-wing parties. The original liberal current in France disappeared. Madelin's small party in favour of neo-liberalism, DL merged into the UMP, which now gathers various right-wing traditions.

The timeline

From Democrats or Liberals to Social and Democratic Republican Party

From Radicals to Parti Radical

Rally of Left Republicans

Republican Center

From Movement of Left Radicals to Left Radical Party

Classic liberals from 1997 to 2006

Liberal and radical leaders

Liberal thinkers

In the Contributions to liberal theory the following French thinkers are included:

See also

Liberalism by country | Politics of France

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Liberalism and radicalism in France".

Home Page • arts • business • computers • games • health • hospitals • home • kids & teens • news • physicians • recreation• reference • regional • science • shopping • society • sports • world