The Eighty (Vichy France): Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
No edit summary |
m replaced: the the → the |
||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
'''The Eighty''' (''Les Quatre-Vingts'') were a group of elected [[France|French]] parliamentarians who, on 10 July 1940, voted against the [[French Constitutional Law of 1940|constitutional change]] that effectively dissolved the [[French Third Republic|Third Republic]] and established the [[authoritarian regime]] of then-[[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Philippe Pétain]]. Their efforts failed, and Pétain consolidated his regime into the client state of [[Nazi Germany]] now known as [[Vichy France]]. |
'''The Eighty''' (''Les Quatre-Vingts'') were a group of elected [[France|French]] parliamentarians who, on 10 July 1940, voted against the [[French Constitutional Law of 1940|constitutional change]] that effectively dissolved the [[French Third Republic|Third Republic]] and established the [[authoritarian regime]] of then-[[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Philippe Pétain]]. Their efforts failed, and Pétain consolidated his regime into the client state of [[Nazi Germany]] now known as [[Vichy France]]. |
||
Some of |
Some of the Vichy 80, like [[Léon Blum]], would be go on to be imprisoned by regime, while others managed to join the [[French Resistance]], through groups like the [[Francs-Tireurs et Partisans]] and the [[Brutus network]]. Several of the Eighty, including [[Vincent Auriol]] and [[Paul Ramadier]], would play key roles in the establishment of the [[French Fourth Republic]] after the end of [[World War II]]. |
||
== Background == |
== Background == |
||
[[Nazi Germany]] invaded France on 10 May 1940, and [[Paris]] fell a month later. Prime Minister [[Paul Reynaud]] was opposed to asking for [[armistice]] terms, and upon losing the cabinet vote, resigned. President [[Albert Lebrun]] appointed Marshal [[Philippe Pétain]] as his replacement. France capitulated on 22 June 1940. Under the terms of the armistice, the northern and Atlantic coast region of France was to be militarily occupied by Germany. The remainder would remain unoccupied, with the French Government remaining at [[Vichy]], remaining responsible for all civil government in France, occupied and unoccupied. |
[[Nazi Germany]] invaded France on 10 May 1940, and [[Paris]] fell a month later. Prime Minister [[Paul Reynaud]] was opposed to asking for [[armistice]] terms, and upon losing the cabinet vote, resigned. President [[Albert Lebrun]] appointed Marshal [[Philippe Pétain]] as his replacement. France capitulated on 22 June 1940. Under the terms of the armistice, the northern and Atlantic coast region of France was to be militarily occupied by Germany. The remainder would remain unoccupied, with the French Government remaining at [[Vichy]], remaining responsible for all civil government in France, occupied and unoccupied. |
||
Pétain began a revision of the constitution of the discredited Third Republic. This process was completed with a vote of the combined houses of the parliament on 10 July 1940. |
Pétain began a revision of the constitution of the discredited Third Republic. This process was completed with a vote of the combined houses of the parliament on 10 July 1940. |
||
== Vote == |
== Vote == |
||
{{Main|French Constitutional Law of 1940}} |
{{Main|French Constitutional Law of 1940}} |
||
27 deputies and senators did not take part in the vote. They had fled [[Metropolitan France]] on 21 June, from [[Bordeaux]] to [[Algiers]], on board the liner [[SS Massilia|SS ''Massilia'']], and they are referred to as the Massilia absentees. They were considered traitors by the collaborationist government,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.memoire-net.org/article.php3?id_article=144|title= 21 juin 1940 : le "Massilia" quitte la France pour Alger|publisher= memoire.net|language= French| |
27 deputies and senators did not take part in the vote. They had fled [[Metropolitan France]] on 21 June, from [[Bordeaux]] to [[Algiers]], on board the liner [[SS Massilia|SS ''Massilia'']], and they are referred to as the Massilia absentees. They were considered traitors by the collaborationist government,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.memoire-net.org/article.php3?id_article=144|title= 21 juin 1940 : le "Massilia" quitte la France pour Alger|publisher= memoire.net|language= French|access-date= 2007-09-10|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070927034829/http://www.memoire-net.org/article.php3?id_article=144|archive-date= 2007-09-27}}</ref> although they were seen as heroes after the war.<ref>For the complete list of Massilia's passengers, see Louis-Georges Planes and Robert Dufourg, ''Bordeaux, Capitale tragique, mai-juin 1940'', Loos: Editions Medicis, 4-page unnumbered inset between pages 188 and 189.</ref> |
||
The result of the vote was a [[French Constitutional Law of 1940|constitutional amendment]] that created the new French government. The eighty [[Chamber of Deputies of France|deputies]] and [[French Senate|senators]] who opposed the change are referred to as the Vichy 80 ([[French language|French]]: ''"les quatre-vingts"''), and they are now famous for their decision to oppose the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/12/propositions/pion0729.asp |title=Proposition de Loi n° 729 |language=French| |
The result of the vote was a [[French Constitutional Law of 1940|constitutional amendment]] that created the new French government. The eighty [[Chamber of Deputies of France|deputies]] and [[French Senate|senators]] who opposed the change are referred to as the Vichy 80 ([[French language|French]]: ''"les quatre-vingts"''), and they are now famous for their decision to oppose the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/12/propositions/pion0729.asp |title=Proposition de Loi n° 729 |language=French|access-date=2007-09-10}}</ref> |
||
Most of the eighty votes against the change were lodged by [[French Section of the Workers' International|Socialists]] or [[Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party (historical)|Radical-Socialist]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Judt |first1=Tony |author-link=Tony Judt |title=The burden of responsibility : Blum, Camus, Aron, and the French twentieth century |date=1998 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |isbn=9780226414195}}</ref> Sixty-one communist parliamentarians had their rights to serve as deputies and senators denied to them in January 1940.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://mjp.univ-perp.fr/france/80.htm | title=Les Quatre-vingts qui dirent non, 10 juillet 1940, France, MJP }}</ref> Using data collected from the biographies of parliamentarians, Jean Lacroix, Pierre-Guillaume Méon, and Kim Oosterlinck observe that members of a democratic dynasty, defined as a dynasty whose founder was a defender of democratic ideals, were 9.6 to 15.1 percentage points more likely to oppose the act than other parliamentarians.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Lacroix|first1=Jean|last2=Meon|first2=Pierre-Guillaume|last3=Oosterlinck|first3=Kim|date=2019-07-01|title=A Positive Effect of Political Dynasties: The Case of France's 1940 Enabling Act|url=https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3428395|language=en|location=Rochester, NY|ssrn=3428395}}</ref> |
Most of the eighty votes against the change were lodged by [[French Section of the Workers' International|Socialists]] or [[Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party (historical)|Radical-Socialist]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Judt |first1=Tony |author-link=Tony Judt |title=The burden of responsibility : Blum, Camus, Aron, and the French twentieth century |date=1998 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |isbn=9780226414195}}</ref> Sixty-one communist parliamentarians had their rights to serve as deputies and senators denied to them in January 1940.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://mjp.univ-perp.fr/france/80.htm | title=Les Quatre-vingts qui dirent non, 10 juillet 1940, France, MJP }}</ref> Using data collected from the biographies of parliamentarians, Jean Lacroix, Pierre-Guillaume Méon, and Kim Oosterlinck observe that members of a democratic dynasty, defined as a dynasty whose founder was a defender of democratic ideals, were 9.6 to 15.1 percentage points more likely to oppose the act than other parliamentarians.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Lacroix|first1=Jean|last2=Meon|first2=Pierre-Guillaume|last3=Oosterlinck|first3=Kim|date=2019-07-01|title=A Positive Effect of Political Dynasties: The Case of France's 1940 Enabling Act|url=https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3428395|language=en|location=Rochester, NY|ssrn=3428395}}</ref> |
||
Revision as of 19:35, 1 March 2023
The Eighty (Les Quatre-Vingts) were a group of elected French parliamentarians who, on 10 July 1940, voted against the constitutional change that effectively dissolved the Third Republic and established the authoritarian regime of then-Prime Minister Philippe Pétain. Their efforts failed, and Pétain consolidated his regime into the client state of Nazi Germany now known as Vichy France.
Some of the Vichy 80, like Léon Blum, would be go on to be imprisoned by regime, while others managed to join the French Resistance, through groups like the Francs-Tireurs et Partisans and the Brutus network. Several of the Eighty, including Vincent Auriol and Paul Ramadier, would play key roles in the establishment of the French Fourth Republic after the end of World War II.
Background
Nazi Germany invaded France on 10 May 1940, and Paris fell a month later. Prime Minister Paul Reynaud was opposed to asking for armistice terms, and upon losing the cabinet vote, resigned. President Albert Lebrun appointed Marshal Philippe Pétain as his replacement. France capitulated on 22 June 1940. Under the terms of the armistice, the northern and Atlantic coast region of France was to be militarily occupied by Germany. The remainder would remain unoccupied, with the French Government remaining at Vichy, remaining responsible for all civil government in France, occupied and unoccupied.
Pétain began a revision of the constitution of the discredited Third Republic. This process was completed with a vote of the combined houses of the parliament on 10 July 1940.
Vote
27 deputies and senators did not take part in the vote. They had fled Metropolitan France on 21 June, from Bordeaux to Algiers, on board the liner SS Massilia, and they are referred to as the Massilia absentees. They were considered traitors by the collaborationist government,[1] although they were seen as heroes after the war.[2]
The result of the vote was a constitutional amendment that created the new French government. The eighty deputies and senators who opposed the change are referred to as the Vichy 80 (French: "les quatre-vingts"), and they are now famous for their decision to oppose the vote.[3]
Most of the eighty votes against the change were lodged by Socialists or Radical-Socialists.[4] Sixty-one communist parliamentarians had their rights to serve as deputies and senators denied to them in January 1940.[5] Using data collected from the biographies of parliamentarians, Jean Lacroix, Pierre-Guillaume Méon, and Kim Oosterlinck observe that members of a democratic dynasty, defined as a dynasty whose founder was a defender of democratic ideals, were 9.6 to 15.1 percentage points more likely to oppose the act than other parliamentarians.[6]
Vote tally
| Deputies | Senators | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 544 | 302 | 846 |
| Voting | 414 | 235 | 649 |
| For | 357 | 212 | 569 |
| Against | 57 | 23 | 80 |
| Voluntary abstaining | 12 | 8 | 20 |
| Massilia absentees | 26 | 1 | 27 |
| Other abstaining | 92 | 57 | 149 |
| Not voting | 1 | 1 |
List of the 80
References
- ^ "21 juin 1940 : le "Massilia" quitte la France pour Alger" (in French). memoire.net. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ For the complete list of Massilia's passengers, see Louis-Georges Planes and Robert Dufourg, Bordeaux, Capitale tragique, mai-juin 1940, Loos: Editions Medicis, 4-page unnumbered inset between pages 188 and 189.
- ^ "Proposition de Loi n° 729" (in French). Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ Judt, Tony (1998). The burden of responsibility : Blum, Camus, Aron, and the French twentieth century. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226414195.
- ^ "Les Quatre-vingts qui dirent non, 10 juillet 1940, France, MJP".
- ^ Lacroix, Jean; Meon, Pierre-Guillaume; Oosterlinck, Kim (2019-07-01). "A Positive Effect of Political Dynasties: The Case of France's 1940 Enabling Act". Rochester, NY. SSRN 3428395.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
External links
- List of the MPs
- Original vote
- Le vote du 10 Juillet 1940 (an account in French of the circumstances surrounding the vote)
- An account and statistical analysis of the vote and of the role played by dynastic parliamentarians (in English).