Resharing — content from La Croix
From the Ancien Régime monarchy to Macronism, France perpetuates a culture of vertical power. A system in which the State claims to know everything, to the detriment of civil society, notes Jérôme Perrier.
“From the administrative monarchy of the Ancien Régime to revolutionary Jacobinism, from Bonapartism to the presidentialism of the Fifth Republic, the same temptation runs through our history: that of a tutelary State that claims to think the future and act in place of a society deemed immature.
This claim rests on an intellectual illusion as tenacious as it is absurd: the idea that the sovereign and his court would know the needs of their subjects better than the subjects themselves. As if a few advisers to the Prince could possess all the knowledge necessary to govern a society of nearly 70 million individuals!
Emmanuel Macron has undeniably carried the logic of “enlightened centralism” to a degree rarely reached before. Indeed, his vertical conception of power accompanied by verbal emphasis and an intemperate taste for dramatic gestures (first and foremost, the tragic dissolution of 2024), his immoderate confidence in experts (especially if they are from the same ENA graduating class as he is) and his propensity to announce reforms himself down to their smallest details have accentuated the marginalization of intermediary bodies.
Nevertheless, it would certainly be unfair to attribute to him a failing of which he is less the inventor than the overly gifted heir. Our republican presidentialism has ultimately only exacerbated a “Jacobin” tradition that can be traced back to the Ancien Régime.”
The full op-ed: https://lnkd.in/eEPCp8KN
LinkedIn Sources
- Profile: Pierre Jean Duvivier dit Sage (LinkedIn)
- Shared author: La Croix (LinkedIn)
The post From the Ancien Régime monarchy to Macronism, France perpetuates a culture of vertical power. A system in which the State claims to know everything, to the detriment of civil society, notes Jérôme Perrier. appeared first on les plumes qui mordent.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Vertical Power in France From the Ancien Régime to Macronism
1 What does vertical power mean in the French context
It describes a system where decisions flow from the top down from the State the president or the central administration rather than being shaped by citizens local groups or civil society
2 Whats the core argument of Jérme Perriers piece
That France has carried a topdown political culture from the absolute monarchy through to Macrons presidency The State claims to know best and acts accordingly often at the expense of civil society
3 How far back does this culture go
At least to the Ancien Régime when the king ruled by divine right and centralised authority in Versailles The Revolution changed who held power but largely kept the centralised structure
4 Didnt the French Revolution break with all that
It changed the source of authority from king to nation but not the habit of concentrated central power Napoleon then reinforced it with a strong centralised State
5 What are some examples of vertical power in French history
Absolute monarchy under Louis XIV Napoleonic centralisation the Jacobin model of a unified State and the Fifth Republics strong presidency are the classic examples
6 How does this show up today under Macron
Critics point to topdown reforms pushed through with limited consultation heavy use of executive decrees and a governing style often described as Jupiterian the president as a distant allknowing figure
7 What is Jupiterian leadership
A term for a presidential style that is remote authoritative and selfassured the leader deciding from on high rather than negotiating with parliament unions or civic groups
8 What is civil society exactly
The space between the State and the market associations unions NGOs community groups and informal networks where citizens organise themselves
9 Why is a strong State sometimes seen as a good thing
It can deliver fast coherent decisions guarantee equal treatment across the country and carry out big projects from infrastructure to public health without being held hostage by local interests
10 What are the downsides of vertical power
Weak citizen buyin poor feedback from the ground reforms that misfire and resentment that can fuel
