The Popular Front in France: History of Creation and Significance

The Popular Front in France was one of the central political forces before the Second World War. The actions of the coalition of the left parties have seriously affected the future of France and Europe. Many decisions of the parliament predetermined the French position before the Nazi invasion. Since the views on the activities of the front are extremely polar, historians and politicians are still arguing about the evaluation of this political force.

Prerequisites

The Popular Front in France came to power on the wave of revolutionary sentiments in Europe. As early as the beginning of the twentieth century, philosophers and politicians began actively discussing a new political system - socialism. Began to form associations and parties. At first they did not have a serious political force and were, rather, something of a literary club. However, the number of adherents of the left ideologies grew every year. The most radical organizations used terrorist methods of fighting the bourgeoisie. On the eve of the First World War, several parties were already created, which, in addition to direct action, began to make their way to the parliaments of their countries. In France, Russia and Ireland, a vast communist underground was created. However, the plans of the Socialists were foiled by the First World War. French society was concerned about the protection of its land and consolidated around the government. However, soon the war was over.

Poverty, unemployment, the social gulf between the workers and the bourgeoisie grew more and more. As a result, it led to mass protests and strikes. France has always been considered a country of revolutions. It was here that for the first time the absolute monarchy was overthrown and the republic was proclaimed.

Creation of the Popular Front in France

The revolution in the Russian Empire and the proclamation of Soviet power activated socialists around the world. Now socialism and communism were not only on paper, but in life. In the twenties, the Communist International was established. This structure was regulated by the left forces throughout the world. Then there was a wave of recovery, the masses actively participated in the actions of the Communists. Therefore, a strategy was developed to unite all the left-wing organizations into one coalition. But then there was a split. The Popular Front in France has ceased to be one. The Communists criticized the socialists, and the anarchists did not want to cooperate with the "statists." However, everything changed the events in Germany. The National Socialists came to power and became a method of terror to suppress left-wing activists.

Coalition

In the thirty-fourth year, the Communist International reconsidered its opinion. The Popular Front in France began to gather again. It included all the trade unions and large leftist associations. The danger of fascism rallied the heterodox audience into a single coalition. The Popular Front cooperated even with petty-bourgeois parties, which stood on anti-fascist positions. The Communists and Socialists began to gather for demonstrations and protests for the first time after the split. In contrast, radical right-wing forces began to organize pogroms and riots. The boiling point was Paris. In the winter of the thirty-fourth in response to the right threat, the General Confederation of Labor announced a large-scale strike. It was supported by the Communists. A week later, the whole country was captured by this action. After that, the protest movement only grew. As an act of universal struggle against fascism, the Popular Front has finally united in political force.

Popularity

By the thirty-sixth year the increasing activity of the Popular Front in France had led to its immense popularity among the population. The coalition won a majority in the elections. Since the socialist parties received the largest percentage of all votes, the new government was headed by their representative. But the election of the front did not stop the protest movements. On the contrary, they became even more active. Strikes swept the whole of France.

Active reforms

The workers seized enterprises, large capital was taxed heavily. By summer, the Popular Front government in France had banned all fascist parties. After this, large-scale reforms began. In the interests of workers, compulsory annual paid leave was introduced. Legislatively limited the number of working hours per week. However, the maximum permissible duration of the day shift was not indicated, as happened in the Soviet Union. Women's rights have also significantly expanded.

Nationalization

The legislative base of relations between workers and employers has radically changed. The Parliament has implemented a program of mandatory public works. The nationalization of industry (mainly military) began. The railway was completely nationalized. Reforms also touched on the sphere of education. For a year the duration of compulsory schooling lasted. A separate Ministry of Culture and Sports was established, the Academy of Arts was founded.

In addition to the partial nationalization of military enterprises, a rearmament program was adopted. The taxation system has changed. Small businesses paid two per cent on profits, and large ones paid six. In fact, the French bank was nationalized, although it was not de jure fixed. The tax was also levied on large-scale property and shareholders' profits. The importance of the Popular Front in France was difficult to overestimate. In fact, they controlled most areas in the state. Bold reforms were approved with approval by the workers, the popularity of the government grew.

The collapse of the coalition

However, despite all the reforms, the parliament practically did not control the credit and financial mechanism. Large capitalists feared for their fortunes due to changes in labor legislation and a new tax system. Therefore, in order to secure his condition, his withdrawal abroad began. By the thirty-seventh year, the outflow of finance was simply enormous. Inflation began. Production fell. As a result, the government has come to the conclusion that it is necessary to slow down the reform process. Leon Blum resigned. But the crisis remained.

Radicals, whose candidate was headed by the parliament, tried to introduce a program of austerity, which did not bring any results. As a result, they were also removed from power. The decline also affected the military industry. The Popular Front in France and Spain concluded an alliance. Communists and radicals demanded military support from the Republicans. However, the parliament tended to neutrality.

End of the Board

The resignation of the second parliament led to the return of Leon Blum to the post of head of government. He again called for a strong coalition to be established to defeat the crisis. The Socialists presented their new program, which was supposed to lead France out of the economic hole. In addition to the austerity measures, it included points of increasing taxes on large capital and control of the state for its withdrawal abroad. But for such serious steps, the government needed extraordinary powers. The Senate refused to grant such. Some radical elements suggested that with the help of the military and combat detachments they still press new amendments, which, in fact, meant a transition to a dictatorship. Leon Blum refused such a step. As a result, he was again sent into retirement, and Eduard Daladier became the head of the government. The split in the coalition intensified. The Communists actually became in opposition to Daladier. A number of his reforms leveled the conquests of the thirty-sixth year. The peak of discontent was the thirty-eighth year. Then the French government signed an agreement on non-aggression with Hitler. And a year later the Communist Party was banned.

The importance of creating the Popular Front in France can not be overestimated. The coalition did not allow the fascists to seize power, as happened in Germany and Italy. However, the lack of control over the movement of capital deprived it of the opportunity to carry out reforms.