7. Mass Politics and the Political Challenge from the Left

France Since 1871 (HIST 276)

The history of socialism in France can be understood in terms of the competition between revolutionary socialists and reform socialists. The former advocated abandoning electoral politics, while the latter attempted to improve conditions for workers by means of reforms within the political system. These two attitudes found figureheads in Jules Guesdes and Paul Brousse, respectively. Reform socialists and revolutionary socialists are united under the leadership of Jean Jaures, whose organizing efforts define and influence French socialism well into the twentieth century.

00:00 - Chapter 1. The Lure of Revolutionary Socialism: Jules Guesde, the Red Pope
17:09 - Chapter 2. The Challenge of Reform Socialism: Brousse and the 'Possibilists'
22:20 - Chapter 3. Fragile Integration: Compromises in Municipal Socialism
30:18 - Chapter 4. The Heroic Age of Syndicalism: The Dream of Fernand Pelloutier
38:32 - Chapter 5. Jean Jaures and the Unification of the Socialist Party

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Fall 2007.