Robert Paxton facts for kids

Robert Owen Paxton, born on June 15, 1932, is an American expert in history and politics. He specializes in the history of Vichy France, fascism, and Europe during World War II. He is a retired professor from Columbia University. Paxton is well-known for his 1972 book, Vichy France: Old Guard and New Order. This book caused a big discussion in France and changed how people understood the Vichy regime.

Early Life & Education

Robert Paxton was born in Lexington, Virginia. He went to Phillips Exeter Academy for high school. In 1954, he earned his first degree from Washington and Lee University. He then received a special Rhodes Scholarship. This allowed him to study at Merton College, Oxford in England for two years. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1963.

Career & Contributions

Paxton taught at the University of California, Berkeley and the State University of New York at Stony Brook. In 1969, he joined the faculty at Columbia University. He taught there until he retired in 1997. He is still a professor emeritus, which means he holds an honored title after retirement. He has also written many articles for The New York Review of Books.

Understanding Vichy France

Paxton is most famous for his 1972 book, Vichy France: Old Guard and New Order, 1940-1944. Before his book, many people believed the Vichy government had resisted Nazi Germany. However, Paxton argued that the Vichy government actually wanted to work with the Nazis. He showed that they did not practice "passive resistance" as some thought.

When his book was translated into French in 1973, it caused a lot of anger. Some French historians and commentators strongly disagreed with him. Despite this, thousands of copies were sold, especially to younger people. These young people were open to new ideas about their country's history.

The "Paxtonian Revolution"

For many years, French historians did not fully discuss the Vichy regime's active role. This included their part in sending French Jews away during the war. Paxton's 1972 book changed this. It was quickly translated into French and became very popular.

This change in understanding was called the "Paxtonian revolution" in France. It greatly influenced how French history was studied. In 1997, Paxton was asked to speak as an expert. He testified about the cooperation during the Vichy period at the trial of Maurice Papon.

French Reactions & Debates

French historian Marc Ferro noted that Paxton's book made some people uncomfortable. It challenged the idea that only a few leaders had betrayed France in 1940. It also showed that the Gaullists, who fought the regime, were in some ways similar to it. However, Jewish groups and Communists welcomed the book.

In 1982, Paxton explained that he wrote the book during the Vietnam War. This war made him dislike strong nationalism. He was not judging France from a winner's point of view. Instead, he was thinking about the Germans' confidence in 1940. Today, his book is seen as a very important study of France during the Vichy era.

Paxton also worked with historian Michael R. Marrus. In 1981, they published Vichy France and the Jews. This book looked at how the Vichy government treated Jewish people during World War II. Paxton also helped create the 1993 documentary The Eye of Vichy.

Defining Fascism

Paxton has also focused on understanding and defining fascism. He believes that fascism is not just one idea, like communism. Instead, it is a complex political movement.

In his 1998 paper, "The Five Stages of Fascism," he described five steps a fascist movement might take. He noted that only Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy went through all five steps:

• Step 1: Exploring Ideas: People become unhappy with democracy. They talk about their nation losing its strength.
• Step 2: Taking Root: A fascist movement grows stronger. It becomes important in national politics, especially when there are disagreements.
• Step 3: Gaining Power: Other political groups, often conservatives, invite fascists to share power. They hope to control rising opposition.
• Step 4: Using Power: The movement and its leader control the country. They work with state groups like the police and traditional leaders.
• Step 5: Becoming More Extreme or Less Powerful: The country either becomes more extreme, like Nazi Germany. Or it becomes a traditional authoritarian state, like Fascist Italy.

In 2021, Paxton wrote an article for Newsweek. He stated that he now believed Donald Trump was a fascist. He had previously called Trump a right-wing populist. Trump's actions during the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol made Paxton change his mind.

Awards & Recognition

In 2009, the French government gave Paxton the Légion d'honneur. This is the highest award France can give.

Personal Life

Paxton enjoys watching birds. He used to be the president of the Linnaean Society of New York.

Works

• Parades and Politics at Vichy (1966)
• Vichy France: Old Guard and New Order, 1940-1944 (1972)
• Vichy France and the Jews (1981), with Michael Marrus
• French Peasant Fascism: Henry Dorgere's Greenshirts and the Crises of French Agriculture, 1929-1939 (1997)
• "[The Five Stages of Fascism]" (1998)
• Europe in the Twentieth Century (5th edition, 2011), with Julie Hessler

See also

In Spanish: Robert O. Paxton para niños

• Vichy syndrome