Le radical-socialisme dans le département du Nord (1914-1936) : parti du « mouvement » ou de « l'ordre établi » ?

In: Revue française de science politique, Band 24, Heft 2, S. 236-277

Abstract

Radical-socialism in the North Department (1914-1936): the party of "movement" or of the "established order"?, by Jean-Pierre Florin
Radical-socialism in the North Departement has an original duality: since the early years of the century, perhaps even since its creation, both the electorate and the radical cadres of the North have been split into an advanced and a moderate wing. The power relationship between these two trends has constantly tended to shift towards the moderate wing. In giving way to a brand of socialism which in this region was more administrative than revolutionary, the decline of radicalism in the North was apparent as early as the 1920s. Being in a centre position in a region with pronounced left-right bipolarity, radicalism disintegrated at the mercy of the elections which punctuated the period between the two wars. When the Radical Party joined with the Popular Front in 1936, the leaders of the Northern federation, headed by Emile Roche, were especially reticent. Although in the first round of the elections radicalism benefited from the movement of unity and also from the increased number of candidates, and seemed to have regained some of the boldness it had lost, it failed in the second round. As far as one can tell, its electorate turned to the opponents of the Popular Front, while those of its candidates who contested the second round by virtue of their order of arrival or through lack of discipline, became indistinguishable from the right.
[Revue française de science politique XXIV (2), avril 1974, pp. 236-277.]