Introduction

How much did Vichy change the mentality of French industry? At first glance the dynamism of post-war France looks very different from the malthusianism, individualism and isolation seen to have characterized industry in the Third Republic. In particular, it could be argued that Vichy anticipated the foundations of French post-war prosperity in three respects. Firstly, Vichy was founded on a search for a new role in Europe for France; it might be suggested that this was the first step on the road which was to lead to the European Coal and Steel Community and eventually to the EEC. Secondly, the idea of a national economic plan was first seriously discussed by the Vichy government; this was an idea that was to become central to the French economy with the advent of the Monnet plan in 1946. Thirdly, it can be argued that the pressure of the war economy drove the French industry to rationalization and modernization. This chapter will examine the attitude of industrialists to these changes. It will be suggested that the rhetoric of Vichy politicians did indeed anticipate certain post-war developments, but that the peculiar circumstances of war and occupation meant that industrialists were very sceptical about these grand projects presented to them by the government.

A new Europe?

The idea of Franco-German co-operation was the justification for the very existence of Vichy. More generally, Vichy politicians wished to search for a new role in a Europe free from Anglo-Saxon influence.