Government of France

The Fourth Edition of The Government of France is entirely re- structured while also taking into account the changes, indeed the new perspective of politics, which have resulted from the passage of the Fifth Republic into the “normal” period of post-de Gaulle politics. Despite the turmoil of 1968, the Fifth Republic turned out to be even more stable than could be predicted at the time the previous edition was prepared. De Gaulle's influence on the new regime has been more pronounced than anyone suggested when he returned to power in 1958: the institutions have been reshaped—seemingly profoundly; a style of politics has been created, not only and perhaps not so much in relation to foreign affairs. The party system, the relations between government and parliament, the groups and associations now contribute to form- ing a game of politics which is profoundly different from the game which was played in previous regimes. This is, of course, not just de Gaulle's doing; profound social changes were begun during the Fourth Republic, from which the Fifth Republic, and de Gaulle himself, greatly benefited. It is still too early to know whether the present style of politics will constitute merely an interlude, but it is already clear that the interlude will have a more profound effect on French politics than was seemingly possible given the deep-rooted habits of previous generations. One hopes that this text will therefore give readers a sense of both old and new and of the movements and choices which affect the regime, while still leaving question marks about the future of the institutions and the overall stability of the French Republic.
Although the changes in the new edition are entirely my own, the book continues to owe much to the spirit and vivid style which Dr. Godfrey gave to it in its early editions. I wish to express here my gratitude for the kind manner in which he encouraged me to pursue the enterprise which he started. I wish, too, to record my thanks to Professor M. Kesselman for his most valuable and detailed comments and to the editor of the series, Professor A. A. Rogow, for suggesting aspects of the new framework which help the book to strike a compromise between the obvious needs for history and background and the equally necessary emphasis toward sys- tematic analysis.