A book published in France in 2014 and recently translated into English posits that the radical ideologies emerging from France's 1968 social uprising have profoundly influenced American politics and academic institutions. Éric Zemmour's "The Suicide of France" argues that the "liberationist ideology" espoused by far-left radicals during the May 1968 protests in France has, over the subsequent decades, reshaped French society and subsequently impacted the West.
The May 1968 events in France, characterized by widespread student protests and worker strikes, aimed to challenge the nation's conservative norms and governmental structures. According to Zemmour, these radicals sought to dismantle existing institutions, viewing traditional Judeo-Christian values and national loyalties with disdain. Their pursuit of an uninhibited form of liberty, encapsulated by the slogan "It is forbidden to forbid," prioritized individual emancipation over self-restraint.
Ideological Spread
Zemmour contends that this ideology, initially confined to campuses, spread outwards, merging collectivist and identity politics with a focus on personal expression and the rejection of established social constraints. The book suggests that French moderates and conservatives, rather than resisting this shift, were gradually influenced by its perceived prestige, leading to a series of policy and societal changes in France.
These changes, as detailed in the book, include shifts in national identity and immigration policies, the undermining of traditional family structures, and the broader integration of France into European governance, which Zemmour suggests diminished national sovereignty. The book also points to the constitutional enshrinement of abortion rights in France as an example of a conservative capitulation to progressive demands.
Transatlantic Influence
The author draws parallels between the evolution of French progressive thought and what is often termed "American wokeness." Zemmour asserts that French postmodernist thinkers such as Alain Badiou, Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, and Gilles Deleuze have become foundational to humanities curricula in American universities. This intellectual cross-pollination, he argues, represents a mutual imitation where extremist ideas and practices move between France and the United States.
Conversely, Zemmour suggests that American concepts like anti-racism and political correctness have found resonance in France, challenging the nation's universal "republican values." The book critiques a pervasive "culture of repudiation" throughout the Western world, where radical elements on both sides of the Atlantic allegedly reinforce each other.
While acknowledging that Zemmour's observations might be sweeping at times and require careful consideration, the book's central argument is that the ideological currents originating from the French left's 1960s radicalism have had a lasting and significant impact on Western societies, including the United States. Zemmour concludes by noting a perceived return to civilizational roots in other global powers, contrasting it with what he sees as a hesitant or corrupted reclamation of heritage in Europe and among American elites.