French Cultural Policy in Question, 1981-2003

The guiding role played by the French government in regulating cultural and artistic affairs is often regarded, within the family of western democracies, as a curiosity. Malraux had been the target of much criticism, especially from adult educationists [l'Education populaire] who disputed the elitist nature of his policies. But a principal debate was triggered by the action of the left-wing government beginning in the early 1980s. Our contribution is intended to clarify the pattern of this debate from the 1980s to the present day, and to describe the main developments that have shaped France's cultural policy