French Fourth Republic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Fourth Republic existed in France between 1946 and 1958. It was the period when the French were under France's fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Third Republic which had ruled before World War II, and as such suffered many of the same problems, such as very short ministries that made policy planning difficult. France adopted the constitution of the Fourth Republic on October 13, 1946.
Some attempts were made to strengthen the executive to prevent the unstable situation that had existed before the war, but the instability remained and the Fourth Republic saw frequent changes in government. Although the Fourth Republic oversaw an era of great economic growth in France and the rebuilding of its industry, it is best remembered for its constant political instability and inability to take bold decisions in controversial areas — most notably, decolonization.
Decolonization
In addition to its instability, the Fourth Republic is also best rembembered today for the controversial defense of two major French colonies, Indochina and Algeria. The ineffective government prosecuted the First Indochina War half-heartedly, with the United States' backing, until the defeat at Dien Bien Phu and the subsequent armistice signed by the Mendès-France government.
Rebellion in Algeria began soon after Indochinese independence. The government was initially successful in containing the rebellion, but the torture methods used by French military and security forces caused an enormous scandal when made public. The use of conscription also made the war an extremely socially divisive one. While French forces were victorious from a strictly military point of view, a large section of the public questioned the morality of maintaining colonies by force.
The instability and ineffectiveness problems of the Fourth Republic came to a head in 1958, when the current government suggested that it would negotiate with the Algerian nationalists. Right-wing elements in the French Army, led by General Jacques Massu seized power in Algiers and threatened to conduct a parachute assault on Paris unless Charles de Gaulle, the WWII hero, was placed in charge of the Republic. De Gaulle did so under the precondition that a new constitution would be introduced creating a powerful presidency. These changes were introduced and the Fifth Republic was born.
Prime Ministers
| Prime Minister | Starting | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Ramadier | 22 January 1947 | SFIO |
| Robert Schuman | 24 November, 1947 | MRP |
| André Marie | 26 July 1948 | Radical |
| Robert Schuman | 5 September, 1948 | MRP |
| Henri Queuille | 11 September, 1948 | Radical |
| Georges Bidault | 28 October 1949 | MRP |
| Henri Queuille | 2 July 1950 | Radical |
| René Pleven | 12 July, 1950 | UDSR |
| Henri Queuille | 10 March 1951 | Radical |
| René Pleven | 11 August, 1951 | UDSR |
| Edgar Faure | 20 January 1952 | Radical |
| Antoine Pinay | 8 March, 1952 | CNIP |
| René Mayer | 8 January 1953 | Radical |
| Joseph Laniel | 27 June, 1953 | CNIP |
| Pierre Mendès-France | 18 June 1954 | Radical |
| Christian Pineau | 17 February 1955 | Radical |
| Edgar Faure | 23 February, 1955 | Radical |
| Guy Mollet | 31 January 1956 | SFIO |
| Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury | 12 June 1957 | Radical |
| Félix Gaillard | 6 November, 1957 | Radical |
| Pierre Pflimlin | 13 May 1958 | MRP |
| Charles de Gaulle | 1 June, 1958 | UNR |
| 8 January 1959 |
