1. INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH CULTURE Marie-Hélène MAURY IAE de MONTPELLIER

2. - 2 - “ WHO KNOWS DOES, WHO DOESN’T TEACHES ! “ “ WHO KNOWS DOES, WHO DOESN’T TEACHES ! “ George Bernard SHAW George Bernard SHAW

3. - 4 - ERASMUS 1467-1536

4. - 45-ERASMUS ‘QUOTATION “According to the stoics’ definition, wisdom consists in following your rationality ; madness, on the opposite consists in following your passions. But, to make human beings life not only sad and dull, Jupiter gave them much more passions than wisdom “ “According to the stoics’ definition, wisdom consists in following your rationality ; madness, on the opposite consists in following your passions. But, to make human beings life not only sad and dull, Jupiter gave them much more passions than wisdom “ In “Eulogy of madness” In “Eulogy of madness”

5. -8- A FRENCH SAYING “ IMPOSSIBLE IS NOT FRENCH” !..........!..........!

6. -9- SOCIAL CLASSES Aristocracy Aristocracy Bourgeoisie Bourgeoisie Middle class Middle class Low class Low class

7. -10- IMMIGRANTS Europeans Europeans Asiatics Asiatics Maghrebans Maghrebans “Black feet” “Black feet”

8. -11- RELIGIONS AND SOCIETY RELIGIONS RELIGIONS Christian Christian Jewish Jewish Moslem Moslem Others Others THE WOMEN IN THE SOCIETY THE WOMEN IN THE SOCIETY

9. -12- CHARACTERISTICS OF THE “AVERAGE FRENCHMAN” Arrogant Arrogant Pretentious Pretentious Giving lessons to everybody Giving lessons to everybody

10. -13-“GRANDES ECOLES “ (2) COMMERCIAL SCHOOLS COMMERCIAL SCHOOLS H.E.C. (Hautes Etudes Commerciales) H.E.C. (Hautes Etudes Commerciales) ESSEC (Ecole Sup. Sc. Eco. et Sociales) ESSEC (Ecole Sup. Sc. Eco. et Sociales) ESCP (Ec. Sup. de Commerce de Paris) ESCP (Ec. Sup. de Commerce de Paris) Ou “Sup de Co”

11. -14- THE FRENCH “GRANDES ECOLES” INGENEERING SCHOOLS INGENEERING SCHOOLS Ecole Polytechnique Ecole Polytechnique E. Nationale Supérieure des Mines E. Nationale Supérieure des Mines E.N. des Ponts et Chaussées E.N. des Ponts et Chaussées E. Centrale E. Centrale E. Normale Sup. des Télécommunications E. Normale Sup. des Télécommunications E.N.S. de l’Aéronautique...etc E.N.S. de l’Aéronautique...etc

12. -15-”GRANDES ECOLES”(3) MANAGEMENT, TEACHING AND RESEARCH MANAGEMENT, TEACHING AND RESEARCH ENA (E. Nat. D’Administration) ENA (E. Nat. D’Administration) Ecole Normale Supérieure (“Normale Sup”) Ecole Normale Supérieure (“Normale Sup”) Institut d’Etudes Politiques (“Sciences Po”) Institut d’Etudes Politiques (“Sciences Po”)...etc...etc

13. -16- THE HISTORIC ORIGINS OF FRENCH CULTURE A) THE GREEK LEGACY A) THE GREEK LEGACY Strong hierarchy (adm. and politic) at the Mycenian period Strong hierarchy (adm. and politic) at the Mycenian period B) THE ROMAN OCCUPATION AND ITS BUREAUCRATIC LEGACY B) THE ROMAN OCCUPATION AND ITS BUREAUCRATIC LEGACY Written tradition, formalism, “red tape” Written tradition, formalism, “red tape” Contempt for the workers Contempt for the workers Honour to the “Patricians” (Bourgeois, politicians) Honour to the “Patricians” (Bourgeois, politicians)

14. -93- THE MEDIEVAL TRADITION OF FEUDAL SYSTEM PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN “SUZERAIN” AND “VASSAL” PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN “SUZERAIN” AND “VASSAL” Protection and permission to exploit the “fief” vs respect and faithfulness Protection and permission to exploit the “fief” vs respect and faithfulness TRANSPOSITION IN OUR SOCIETY TRANSPOSITION IN OUR SOCIETY Values of the aristocracy Values of the aristocracy Some jobs are to be bought (given by the king before) Some jobs are to be bought (given by the king before) Up to 1789, only the aristocrats could have the military power (Napoleon’s destiny) Up to 1789, only the aristocrats could have the military power (Napoleon’s destiny)

15. -94-THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN TRADITION THE SACRED MONARCHIC POWER (“DE DROIT DIVIN”) THE SACRED MONARCHIC POWER (“DE DROIT DIVIN”) Egyptian legacy Egyptian legacy Catholicism=State religion up to the end of 16th c. (Henri IV) Catholicism=State religion up to the end of 16th c. (Henri IV) Today it’s used by the members of government Today it’s used by the members of government THE WOMEN IN OUR SOCIETY THE WOMEN IN OUR SOCIETY Devaluated (religious, public or private areas, and politically) Devaluated (religious, public or private areas, and politically) THE ATTITUDE FACING MONEY THE ATTITUDE FACING MONEY Taboo in religious and social fields Taboo in religious and social fields Correlation between Catholicism and unemployment Correlation between Catholicism and unemployment

16. -195- JOAN OF ARC 1412-1431 1412-1431

17. LOUIS XIV 1638-1715 THE GREAT CENTURY (“Le Grand Siècle”) LOUIS XIV 1638-1715 THE GREAT CENTURY (“Le Grand Siècle”)-96-

18. -98- RENE DESCARTES 1596-1650 His principles of Physics : everything is measurable, countable and comparable. His principles of Physics : everything is measurable, countable and comparable. Nature obeys to its laws Nature obeys to its laws Even human nature must have its proper laws Even human nature must have its proper laws

19. -104- THE XVII th CENTURY The King protects sciences and arts The King protects sciences and arts Beginning of experimentation Beginning of experimentation Science becomes an instrument of technique Science becomes an instrument of technique Scientific bubbling in Europe Scientific bubbling in Europe Development of capitalistic enterprise Development of capitalistic enterprise Pierre-Paul RIQUET Pierre-Paul RIQUET

20. -105 à 108- THE “CLASSICS” Pierre CORNEILLE (1606-1684) Pierre CORNEILLE (1606-1684) Jean RACINE (1639-1699) Jean RACINE (1639-1699) Jean de LA FONTAINE (1621-1695) Jean de LA FONTAINE (1621-1695) MOLIERE, Jean-Baptiste POQUELIN (1622-1673) MOLIERE, Jean-Baptiste POQUELIN (1622-1673)

21. -109- THE SECRET OF THEIR SUCCESS They want to show the human nature as it is They want to show the human nature as it is And analyse the human heart and psychology with the utmost precision And analyse the human heart and psychology with the utmost precision This desire of absolute needs a rigorous discipline in the writing This desire of absolute needs a rigorous discipline in the writing The literature of this century is still now an example of perfection The literature of this century is still now an example of perfection

22. -121- XVIII th century : THE AGE OF ENLIGHTMENT General Interest for Sciences, Art, Literature, Principles of government, Morale, Economics, Metaphysics... General Interest for Sciences, Art, Literature, Principles of government, Morale, Economics, Metaphysics... This fever of knowledge will lead to scepticism and focus on human beings This fever of knowledge will lead to scepticism and focus on human beings Disrespect and contestation as rules of thinking pave the way of future revolution Disrespect and contestation as rules of thinking pave the way of future revolution Coming out of the “philosophical and literary salons” of ladies of the aristocracy Coming out of the “philosophical and literary salons” of ladies of the aristocracy

23. -122- THE ENCYCLOPEDISTS Voltaire, Diderot, d’Alembert, protected by Mme de Pompadour (Louis XV) and Malesherbes Voltaire, Diderot, d’Alembert, protected by Mme de Pompadour (Louis XV) and Malesherbes Critics of the Church Hierarchy and the official dogma Critics of the Church Hierarchy and the official dogma They write the Encyclopaedia to impose rationality instead of accepted opinions. Great success They write the Encyclopaedia to impose rationality instead of accepted opinions. Great success

24. -123- THE RADIANCE OF FRANCE The french civilisation is at the height of its glory The french civilisation is at the height of its glory All Europe is speaking french. All the Courts are inviting the french scientists and philosophers. All Europe is speaking french. All the Courts are inviting the french scientists and philosophers. Many sovereigns are copying Versailles and the “French way of life” in court. Many sovereigns are copying Versailles and the “French way of life” in court.

25. -124- THE FRENCH REVOLUTION Very important in the collective mind Very important in the collective mind Liberation of the low class people by themselves from the seizure of the aristocracy upon all the control levers Liberation of the low class people by themselves from the seizure of the aristocracy upon all the control levers The philosophical movement prepared the Revolution The philosophical movement prepared the Revolution No more Royalty; a Constitution; Equal citizens; Human Rights are published No more Royalty; a Constitution; Equal citizens; Human Rights are published

26. -126- LOUIS XVI

27. -127- THE FIRST EMPIRE

28. -128- NAPOLEON’S CONTRIBUTIONS After the Revolution, some troubled years (The Constitutional Monarchy, the Terror, the Convention and the Directory) After the Revolution, some troubled years (The Constitutional Monarchy, the Terror, the Convention and the Directory) In 1799, Bonaparte 1st Consul strengthens the conquests of the Revolution: a centralised Administration, the Civil Code (which takes into account the social reforms of 1789). In 1799, Bonaparte 1st Consul strengthens the conquests of the Revolution: a centralised Administration, the Civil Code (which takes into account the social reforms of 1789). He creates the Central Bank, the “franc”, the National Educative System, the Account Court... He creates the Central Bank, the “franc”, the National Educative System, the Account Court...

29. -129- NAPOLEON III

30. -130- Charles DE GAULLE

31. -132- THE FRENCH COLONIAL EMPIRE The Quebec : 1608-1759 The Quebec : 1608-1759 The West Indies : Martinique 1635, Guadeloupe 1815 The West Indies : Martinique 1635, Guadeloupe 1815 Algeria 1830-1962, Tunisia (Protectorate in 1881), Morocco (P. in 1912) Algeria 1830-1962, Tunisia (Protectorate in 1881), Morocco (P. in 1912) La Reunion 1638, Madagascar 1895 La Reunion 1638, Madagascar 1895 French Polynesia 1842, New Caledonia French Polynesia 1842, New Caledonia Cameroon, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Guinea... Cameroon, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Guinea...

32. -133- THE EMPIRE AT ITS PEAK

33. -135- THE “REVOLUTION” OF MAY 68

34. -138- THE SORBONNE

35. -137- Daniel COHN-BENDIT