Citation

Fontanela J, Hébert JP. Def. Peace Econ. 1997; 8(1): 37-55.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10430719708404868

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The “policy of grandeur” was one of the main characteristics of French policy since Louis XIV. After World War II, France became a more modest State, but with de Gaulle and the Fifth Republic a new form of “policy of grandeur” was developed, based on nuclear deterrence, the importance of military expenditure, the independence of the national armament industry and arms exports. Since the mid-nineties, there has been a profound change of French defence policy, concerning the definition of means and the organization of armament production. European co-operation no longer appears as one option among others but as the only way out. For France, European co-operations is now placed at the centre of defence policy. The most important transformations in French arms production have yet to come.