Diana Pinto
LETTER FROM PARIS:
VIVE LA REPUBLIQUE
More than three years after having come to power, and
with the coming elections in 1986, it is time to examine not only the
goals and ideals of French socialism, but also its place in history.
How have the socialists weathered the consequences of their eco–
nomic policies and the austerity and realism which have character–
ized the regime since March 1983? The socialists under the Fifth
Republic for the first time must bear the responsibility for their own
structural reforms, rather than simply manage "capitalism" while
awaiting the heady days of a revolutionary conquest of power. The
minimalist-maximalist logic of every left-wing French government
in this century has lost meaning now that power is in the hands of
the left for seven long years .
The identity challenge for the socialists is threefold . Inside their
own political family, they must find a new political-cultural basis
around which to unite the party and to give once more a sense of
mission to disgruntled militants, for whom reality cannot compare
with the socialist dream.
If
they hope to win the next elections, the
socialists must appeal to a wider constituency, enlarging their mes–
sage so as to capture once more those forces on the center left which
voted for Mitterrand in May 1981, largely against Giscard. Beyond
purely electoral considerations, socialism with a seven-year lease can
go down in history only if it is identified with a progressive national
project and not simply with structural reforms destined for
Ie peuple de
gauche.
To fulfill these goals, the socialists must answer the impressive
arguments of an increasingly strong liberal-libertarian current which
has blossomed in opposition by feeding on the internal contradic–
tions and totalitarian past of the left. This new liberalism is no
longer a marginal defensive position, but has become highly visible .
Its key words, "marketplace," "individualism," "less State," have
permeated the political scene, and influence most social debates. It is
no accident that in an attempt to forge a new image for socialism,
Max Gallo, the former spokesman for the government, should enti–
tle his book,
La Troisieme alliance: pour un nouvel individualisme.
"In–
dividualism" was a word which would have made no sense in official
socialist writings as little as three years ago. Today, any new defini-
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