Action Française and its transition from organic monarchy to Vichy collaborationism (1908-1940)

Abstract

The conservative movements are guided by the pragmatism dictated by the national tradition and the path established from the past to the present. In the case of Action Française, these values ​​were affirmed in the organic monarchy, that is, in the corporatism established in the family as the basis of society, and in the king as the central point of political forces. Thus, its project was consolidated between the late 1890s and early years of 20th century. However, as it was a long-lived movement, its doctrinal configuration underwent changes under the need to update and keep coherent with contemporary problems. Thus, the article proposes to analyze the doctrinal bases of the movement and the reception of Action Française from the first years of the 20th century to the rise of fascism. For this purpose, will use as a source the periodical with the same name as the movement between 1908 and 1944 in order to perceive the changes and continuities experienced by the Action Française in its fascistization process and the tensions between the doctrinal update and its original aspects.