Maurice Thorez: A Biography

Description

Maurice Thorez (1900-1964) was a major figure in the history of twentieth-century France and European Communism. During more than three decades as Secretary-General of the French Communist Party, the PCF - Parti communiste français - it became France's largest political party and one of the most important communist parties in the Western world. This book, based on a wealth of original source material, is the only biography of Thorez available in English and provides a unique insight into this extraordinary man, at once firebrand and party apparatchik. John Bulaitis dissects the personality of Thorez and shows how his political life intersected with many key events in French and European history and demonstrates how his politics were conditioned by a tension between his identity with French nationalism, his commitment to the working-class movement and his devotion to the Soviet Union. Thorez was a frequent visitor to Moscow and remained a loyal and trusted servant of Stalin throughout his life. Bulaitis explains how Thorez came to be involved in the Communist party and documents his rapid rise to the leadership - a rise that took place in parallel with Stalin's consolidation of power in the Soviet Union. He highlights the development of Thorez's 'Popular Front' strategy to confront fascism and his reaction to the controversial Stalin-Hitler pact in 1939. Finally, he considers Thorez's life and work as someone who aspired to the role of statesman, his leadership skills and the development of a 'personality cult' which contributed to the shaping of his legacy. Part of the acclaimed Communist Lives series, this book will be invaluable reading for historians of communism and anyone interested in modern French and European history. Cover Half-title Title Copyright List of Plates Acknowledgements Content Series Foreword Introduction Thorez in the Biographical Matrix 1. Young Man in a Hurry Childhood in a mining community Teenage refugee The birth of French communism Private Maurice Thorez Young militant Member of the left faction Regional leader Trade unionist 2. The Hesitant Revolutionary Lyon Congress Maurice Thorez: Trotskyist? ‘Notre bon collaborateur’ In the Russian capital Campaign against war in Morocco Maurice Thorez: Zinovievist? Stalin against Thorez Lille Congress Nord by-election 3. Class against Class Clash with Bukharin Championing ‘Class against Class’ Fugitive Political prisoner The ‘turn’ of 1930 Letter of resignation The Barbe – Celor affair Towards the Popular Front? ‘Allow Maurice a rest’ 4. Popular Front February days ‘Listen carefully, Maurice’ People’s Front The Popular Front government Spanish solidarity A time of heroisation ‘Party of government’ 5. Exile in the Promised Land ‘Profound inner turmoil’ An ‘unjust imperialist war’ Deserting the army La Barbe A second melody Negotiations with the occupier National Front for national liberation A family in wartime Ufa Disbanding the Comintern The long return 6. In the Corridors of Power Battle of production ‘Thorez to Power’ Minister of State ‘Absolute Monarchy’ The Times interview Expelled from government Szklarska-Poreba 7. The Party of Maurice Thorez Scapegoating Marty Seeking reassurance from Stalin ‘Insurrectional’ strikes, 1947 – 48 ‘Peace hangs on a knife-edge’ Fiftieth birthday Illness ‘Il revient il revient il vient il va venir’ (Louis Aragon) A new routine The Lecoeur affair Back to the thirties 8. The Trauma of 1956 At the Twentieth Congress Reinterpreting the Secret Speech Seeking advice from Togliatti The fight against ‘byrth-controle’ The May Central Committee ‘The report attributed to Khrushchev’ Polish October and Hungarian November ‘A senile incapacity to rise to the level of the event’ International communist diplomat 9. Algeria and de Gaulle Thorez and inter-war Algeria ‘The part and the whole’ De Gaulle: ‘a personal dictatorship that opens the way to fascism’ ‘I remain, but against my will’ The Casanova – Servin affair Thorez and Khrushchev 10. Final Years and Legacy ‘Common programme, not communist programme’ ‘Stalinism weighs heavily on us’ Modernising the party In defence of French art President Maurice Thorez Legacy Notes Select Bibliography Index Plates