Georges Marchais facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Georges Marchais
Georges Marchais in 1981
General Secretary of the French Communist Party
In office 1972–1994
Preceded by	Waldeck Rochet
Succeeded by	Robert Hue
Personal details
Born	(1920-06-07)7 June 1920 La Hoguette, Calvados, France
Died	16 November 1997(1997-11-16) (aged 77) Paris, France
Political party	PCF
Signature

Georges René Louis Marchais (born June 7, 1920, died November 16, 1997) was an important French politician. He led the French Communist Party (PCF) for many years, from 1972 to 1994. He also ran for president of France in 1981.

Early Life and Work

Georges Marchais was born into a Catholic family. Before World War II began, he became a mechanic. He worked for a company that made airplane engines.

During the war, after France was defeated, he went to Nazi Germany. There, he worked in a factory that built Messerschmitt aircraft. He returned to France in May 1943 using fake documents.

In 1946, Marchais became a leader for metalworkers in a trade union (a group that protects workers' rights). This was in a town called Issy-les-Moulineaux. He continued to rise in the Confédération générale du travail, a large French trade union. From 1953 to 1956, he was the secretary for the metalworkers' union in the Seine area.

Political Journey

Georges Marchais joined the French Communist Party (PCF) in 1947. This party believes in a society where everyone is equal and resources are shared.

Rising in the Party

In 1956, he became part of the PCF's Central Committee. This is a main group that helps run the party. He also led the local PCF group in the southern part of the Seine area. This was an important region for the party.

Just three years later, he became a full member of the Central Committee and the Politburo. The Politburo is an even smaller, more powerful group that makes key decisions. He rose quickly because he was a hard worker and very loyal to Maurice Thorez, the party's long-time leader.

Marchais supported Thorez's leadership. In 1961, he became the party's secretary for organization. He then supported the new General Secretary, Waldeck Rochet. Rochet wanted the PCF to work with other left-wing parties.

Views on Student Protests

In May 1968, there were big protests in France, especially by students. Marchais wrote an article in the party's newspaper, L'Humanité. He criticized some student leaders, calling them "false revolutionaries." He believed they came from rich families. From then on, he often spoke for the PCF in the media.

Leading the PCF

When Waldeck Rochet became ill in 1970, Marchais was promoted to junior General Secretary. This meant he was the real leader of the PCF at that time. In 1972, he helped create the Common Programme. This was an agreement with the Socialist Party and other left-wing groups.

From 1973 to 1997, Marchais was a deputy (like a member of parliament) for the Val-de-Marne département. This is an area south of Paris.

In December 1972, he officially became the General Secretary of the PCF. He continued to work for the "Union of the Left." The PCF supported François Mitterrand (from the Socialist Party) in the 1974 presidential election.

Challenges and Changes

When Marchais first became leader, the PCF was very popular, getting about 20% of the votes in elections. But in the mid-1970s, the Socialist Party became more popular. The PCF lost its place as the biggest left-wing party.

Marchais first supported reforms within the party. The PCF joined other European Communist parties, like those in Italy and Spain, in a movement called Eurocommunism. They even gave up the idea of a "dictatorship of the proletariat" (a belief that the working class should rule completely).

However, as the Socialist Party grew stronger, Marchais changed his mind. He made the PCF align more closely with the Soviet Union in the late 1970s. The left-wing parties failed to update their Common Programme and lost the 1978 election. Many people blamed Marchais for this defeat.

A year later, he supported the Soviet Union's actions in Afghanistan (1979). He said that Communist governments were "fairly positive." He also criticized the Socialist Party for moving too far to the right.

Presidential Election and Later Years

In the 1981 presidential election, Marchais came in fourth place, with 15% of the votes. He then supported Mitterrand, who won the election. Marchais helped get four PCF politicians into the government led by Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy.

In 1984, the PCF ministers left the government. This happened after President Mitterrand changed some policies and the PCF got only 11% of the votes in the European Parliament election. The party's support continued to drop. Marchais faced disagreement from within the party. He believed some members were trying to weaken the PCF.

He was cautious about perestroika, which were reforms happening in the Soviet Union. Unlike some other Communist parties, he refused to change the name of the French party after the Soviet Union collapsed.

In 1994, at the PCF's 28th Congress, Marchais stepped down as General Secretary. Robert Hue took his place. Marchais remained a member of the Politburo, which was renamed the National Office. That same year, he became president of a PCF committee that worked to defend human rights. He passed away in 1997.

Memorable Moments

Georges Marchais was known for his unique personality and direct way of speaking. He often used phrases like Ct'un scandaaaale ("This is a scandal!"). Comedians often made fun of his style.

One famous moment was when he supposedly told a journalist, Taisez-vous Elkabbach ("Shut up, Elkabbach!"). However, Marchais never actually said this. It was a line from a comedian imitating him.

During his TV appearances, which many French people remember, he often had a strong and funny way of talking to journalists and opponents. For example, when asked about his economic ideas, he once told two journalists: "You are privileged, you have many jobs and make good salaries (in TV, radio, papers...). You are probably worried about my idea for a wealth tax. I understand why you don't want change!"

Works

• Les Communistes et les Paysans – "The Communists and Peasantry" (1972)
• Le défi démocratique – "The Challenge of Democracy" (1973)
• La politique du PCF – "PCF Policies" (1974)
• Communistes et/ou chrétiens – "Communists and/or Christians" (1977)
• Parlons franchement – "Let's Be Frank" (1977)
• Réponses – "Answers" (1977)
• L'espoir au présent – "Hope in the Present" (1980)
• Démocratie – "Democracy" (1990)

See also

In Spanish: Georges Marchais para niños