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French Radical Republicans' Anti-Clericalism and 1901 Association Law

  • Korean Review of French History
  • Abbr : KRFH
  • 2012, (27), pp.93~121
  • Publisher : KOREAN SOCIETY FOR FRENCH HISTORY
  • Research Area : Humanities > History

MIN YOU-KI 1

1광운대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to identify historical significance of the 1901 Association law, which has received relatively little attention throughout the history of anti-clericalism under the French Third Republic, compared to the 1905 law on the Separation of the Churches and the State. To this end, this paper examines political and social circumstances behind the enactment of the Association law, parliamentary disputes over establishing the law, and then anti-clericalism policies promoted by Radical Republican Party’s Emile Combe administration that strictly applied the law. The Association law was enacted in 1901 with the intention of controlling and curbing clericalism responsible for endangering the Third Republic with the Dreyfus affair in the final years of the 19th century. The law, spearheaded by Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau’s ‘Republican Defense Cabinet’ dealt with not only allowing citizens to have the freedom of association, but also controlling Congregation, which was wielding strong influence over the society. During the legislation, the conservative right wing and clericalists argued that Congregation also had a right to enjoy the freedom of association, but Radical Republicans and socialists reputed the idea, saying that being a citizen is basically a prerequisite for a right to association, and therefore Congregation defined as a faith community was not eligible for being a free association. Radical Republican Party’s Emile Combe government, which took power after having won the general election in 1902, rigidly enforced the Association law. The government closed unauthorized Congregations and their affiliate educational institutions, made it a law to ban all congregationist educational activities, and began in earnest to discuss a law on the separation of religion and politics. Placing a high value on democracy, republicanism and secularity, the Party did not object to the Church itself, but to clericalists posing a treat to democracy and republic by colluding with conservative force to intervene in political, social realms. The Association law and the Combe government’s anti-clericalism policy served as a basis for establishing the 1905 law on the Separation of the Churches and the State.

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