France's political culture : is it headed in a new direction? : an honors thesis [(HONRS 499)]

For centuries, the French Revolution has been the topic of heated debate among historians, political scientists, and yes, even "everyday people." Since 1789, the globe has been influenced by the ideals and principles that made the Revolution a turning point in the history of the world. Now, just over two hundred years after that momentous period, the Revolution is being examined in a new light. With the bicentennial year at hand, the time had come to reflect upon the traditional ideological foundations of 1789 in relation to the new ideologies of today.In order to effectively recognize recent changes within the French political system, this thesis makes use of historical accounts, social science journals, and mainstream periodicals and newspapers. By utilizing written sources in French as well as in English, a more thorough analysis can be made. Besides documenting this project with published materials, a second, more personal approach was also taken. Interviews were conducted with French students on their political opinions. At the individual request of some students, names have been changed to protect their identities. While the twenty-six interviewees represent an undoubtedly small non-random sample of French society, their insights provided a wealth of information.Honors CollegeCopy 2 is in English, dated 1990, with advisor, E. Gene Frankland.Thesis (B.?.