POLITICAL LIFE IN FRANCE

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27706, 9 July 1955, Page 2

POLITICAL LIFE IN FRANCE

“Less Chaotic Than We Imagine”

VIEW OF PROFESSOR F. MACKENZIE

“I have no doubt that French political life is infinitely less chaotic than we imagine in this country,” said Professor Fraser Mackenzie, a New Zealander who is professor of French language and lecturer at the University of Birmingham, in an interview in .Christchurch last evening. Hqi said that there were seven political parties in France. “I heard General Guillaume, Chief of Staff of the French Army, make the definite statement that they did not want that to change; that this political party system is an expression of their individuality, variety, and intellectual life. What Very often appears to us as chaos is very often the outward expression of keen intellectual analysis of social conditions. “To me the French party system is like a great game of chess.” said Professor Mackenzie. “Every move can be seen by experts to be as normal as the moves on a chess board. “Though governments fall. the essential of French life is that civil servants should continue to develop a logical policy. France is possibly the greatest school of administration in the world.”

Discussing the future role of France in world affairs. Professor Mackenzie said that as soon as France got into major difficulties all Europe, and notably England, felt the repercussions at once. Two years ago, when he had been lecturing to troops in Vienna, he had heard an intimate friend of Sir Winston Churchill say that a strong France has a top priority of England’s foreign policy.