In the American Republic, the ubiquitous phrase "American People" peppers every political discourse from Democrats or Republicans. In France, politicians sometimes refer to the "Français", but more frequently refer to the Republic (La République). Abstraction has its reasons.
It comes as no surprise that high school history and social sciences emphasise the republican nature of the French State. The Republic is everywhere in symbol and in person. Is the town Mayor not a Republican Bishop?
Long live the Republic This famous phrase has been a rallying cry for many French statesmen. Almost all Frenchmen have a mental picture of De Gaulle, arms deployed, yelling his "Vive la République, Vive la France" in 1958.
"Vive la révolution! Vive la république! Fraternity! Equality! And death!" -from Les Misérables
The Republican Symbols
Marianne, the beautiful Marianne, represents the French State. This French icon has roots in antiquity, her Phrygian bonnet was the symbol of Free Slaves from the Roman Empire, democracy is represented as woman: she cares little about power, she cares for her people. During the French revolution Liberty was also symbolised by a woman, a warrior-like women who was ready to fight to be free. In 1792, she is baptised Marianne and is represented as a soldier from Athens, she is a protective warrior. Under the Third Republic, Marianne is represented in a more pacific light: the Phrygian bonnet makes a comeback. In the XXth century, every city hall in France is adorned with a statue of Marianne. She takes on the facial characteristics of famous beautiful French women: Brigitte Bardot or Catherine Deneuve. Her popular representation is also more common in caricatures from the left (Plantu) and the right (Faizant).
The Republics, Five and counting France has had a tumultuous series of revolutions during which Emperors, Kings and Republics have taken turns at the helm. To date, Five Republics have governed France.
The First Republic: The Revolutionary Republic 1789 to 1799. The most ideological and violent of the Republics led to the execution of Louis Capet, otherwise known as Louis XVI. The Republic soon became a violent and repressive regime only to suffer its demise after the coup d'État of the Consulate and the Napoleonic dictatorship.
The Second Republic: The hijacked Republic 1848 to 1852 This "romantic" republic born after the July Revolution that over threw the French Monarchy soon realised it was governing a very divided country. Very soon the Bonapartist president, Louis Napoléon Bonaparte solidified his hold on power and declared France an Empire in 1852.
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