Agerar stora stater utifrån egenintresse? En studie om Frankrikes syn på frihandel.
FranceFree tradeEconomic nationalismDe GaulleSelf-interestPolitical and administrative sciencesStatsvetenskapFörvaltningskunskapLaw and Political Science
AbstractLarge states are not as interdependent as small countries are. Due to the extent of the home market, producers in large countries can sell the greater part of their products at home. Accordingly large countries become less dependent of other states. Large states are consequently in a better position to promote their self- interests internationally than smaller states are. Applying this reasoning on a large state such as France I come to conclude that she probably exerts this policy of self- interest in an area like free trade. This leads to the questions: Which ideas constitute the basis of France view on free trade and how did these ideas evolve? After an ideological analyse, using liberalism and economic nationalism, of texts from de Gaulle and the present French department of finance and industri, I draw the conclusion that France view on free trade is largely influenced by economic nationalism. France especially stresses the importance of maintaining the French national features and the French agriculture, manifestations of French self- interest. These ideas, I claim, is a result of French history and its greatness. France aim is to continue its role as an important world player. Therefore she strives to prevent France from anything that might be harmful to her distinct national character, such as uncontrollable free trade.Keywords: Free trade, France, economic nationalism, de Gaulle, self-interest