Social Republicanism (french: social républicain) is French center-right nationalist mass movement that is also republican, corporatist, anti-communism and anti-fascism. Its motto is 'Travail, Famille, Patrie'.
The Party
The Parti social républicain (PSR, Social Republican Party) was founded by François de La Rocque in 1930 as the political and electoral successor of the Croix de Feu (1927).
The PST unlike traditional French right-wing parties has an extensive membership among the middle and lower classes. The PSR mobilizes, recruits and promotes members and followers through a variety of associated organizations (sporting societies, mutual help, labor organizations, youth organizations, and leisure and vacation camps).
It is anti-parliamentarian, but respecting and promoting the republican legality. Social republicanism advocates a presidential regime to end the instability of the parliamentary regime of the Third French Republic. The PSR proposes a new civic republicanism for all French citizens and members of the French Union.
Its corporatism is an economic system founded on the association of capital and labor. Along economic dirigisme and volontarisme (namely the defense of spatial planning, economic planning, and Keynesianism).
The PSR in favor of a social legislation inspired by Catholic social teachings. Its program includes a 40 hour working week, paid leaves, minimum wage and right to strike. A key element of its program is the protection and promotion of of the family. The PSR advocates women's suffrage and full social and legal equality. Female militants are heavily involved in grassroots activities at the neighborhood level.
The PSR promotes a strong national defense.
Its colonial policy was the promotion of closer links with overseas territories and cultural promotion (Francophonie). The Loi organique sur l'Union française (1936) was approved based on this values. Its work in the French Union was characterized in heavy investments in public works, promotion of private and public investment in Africa and Asia. The cultural dimension of the Francophonie was done by a reorganization of overseas public education and private schools.
Although the PSR is not anticlerical it established good working and fraternal relations with the governments and republican parties of Spain and Portugal.
Organization
The organism of the PSR are the President, Executive Committee of 15 members, Directing Committee, regional councils, departmental federations, communal sections. The communal sections are the basic party structure.
The annual National Congress debates and votes the party program, political line and any resolution presented by the delegates or the Executive Committee. It elects the President for a five year term and Executive Committee annually. Unlike traditional right-wing parties it enforces party discipline to all its members, parliamentary group and other elected national, regional and local representatives by means of discipline commissions in all its national, regional, departmental and communal levels.
Factions
The PSR has informal factions that exist part of the party life but they are not allowed to organized within the party. The main factions are:
- Social Republicans
- Social Christians
- Republican Workers
- 'Non-Conformists' groups
Overseas parties associated with the PSR
Keeping with its promotion of closer links between Metropolitan France and Overseas territories the party statute allows the association of overseas parties with the PSR. This association can be by means of an autonomous regional council or associated party. Members of the overseas party can participate in the PSR's inner organization and likewise members of the PSR in the overseas parties.
Autonomous regional councils have been established in French Guiana, Antilles, La Reúnion and French India, Wallis-Futuna, and New Caledonia. The overesas parties members are the French Polynesia (Social Union of Polynesia, USP) and Territory of Kwang-Chou-Wan (Party of Civic and Social Action, PACS).