La Hantise du déclin : La France de 1914 à 2014

Why this book?

Robert Frank's La Hantise du déclin : La France from 1914 to 2014 is a profound analysis of how the perception of decline has shaped political, economic and social actions in France over the past century. This version, published in 2014, covers one hundred years of history, from the eve of the First World War to the beginning of the 21ᵉ century. This book grew out of a first version, covering the period from 1920 to 1960. This more in-depth and academic version offers a detailed analysis of interwar France in financial, military and identity terms. Our analysis is based primarily on the latter version.

The point here is not to repeat the umpteenth sterile comparison between the 1930s and today, which systematically leads every analysis to the Godwin point. The idea is to use this fascinating work to draw lessons and build a reading grid, without presuming what the future will bring.

The book's main lesson lies in its analysis of the debacle of June 1940 and the reasons that led to defeat. France's deep political divisions prevented its elites from understanding its strengths and weaknesses. Convinced they were in decline, and paralyzed by differences over how to halt the country's moral, economic and political decline, the elites were unable to determine the country's strengths and weaknesses. This led to a series of dramatic decisions, culminating in the collapse of June 1940.