Army of Shadows (L’Armée des Ombres) is an altered copy of a semi-autobiographical novel that was published in the year 1943 by the Joseph Kessel, a French Resister. The novel was set predominantly in the southern part of France, which is popularly known as the Free Zone. This zone was still not occupied at the time of this book’s publication. Marshal Philippe Pétain, a hero and survivor of the First World War, was the government leader based in Vichy. After the disgrace of the downfall, he was seen as a rescuer and liberator who would reinstate the honour of the French, disengage the liberal policies that apparently weakened the country and tarnished France from within.
This book is one of the most amazing and enlightening books that offers a plethora of details about the French resistance movement. Contribution and involvement, according to the leaders of this movement would normally result in death within a span of six months. One of the most valuable possession of every member taking part in this movement was a cyanide pill. The resistance movement was also more about Laïcité or secularization.
Laïcité is a theory that was passed by the French in order to make it into a law about a century ago. Laïcité is a theory that continues to be extremely powerful even in the contemporary France and it even continues to play a significant role in the political environment of France. Laïcité does not have an equivalent word in the English language.
Freedom of thought as well as freedom of religion along with the right to believe in any religion is the basic grounds on which Laïcité is grounded upon. The very absence of an official religion and thereafter the separation of state from Religion are said to be the foundation for the freedom of thought for the French. Laïcité evidently divides the role of every individual in the French society in two ways, private and public. The private role of an individual is the case where religion belongs and the public role is that of a normal citizen where everything and everybody are equal. It is crucial to appreciate while also understanding the differences that Laïcité is not an antagonistic concept against any single religion or spiritual belief. It is essentially a neutrality towards religion.
Laïcité essentially denotes the separation of Church from the State and this is translated to layman terms to be that of the State having religion. The French government and Constitution religion a strictly private thing and hence there is no official recognition for any religion in that country. Contrary to the situation in England, wherein the Church plays a formal role in the administration of the State, the Catholic Church of France has no such authority in the State’s administration. Also, another surprising thing in this context is that most of the French are Catholics.
The segregation of the church and the State has a long history. This segregation has its roots in the 1789s French Revolution where the supporters of the Revolution wanted to fence the influence and power of the Church in a move to ensure a steady but definite shift towards creation of a secular society. The changes in the law were initiated towards the end of 19th century in an effort to make French state a secular one.
One of the initial articles of the French Constitution (1958) states this clearly as – “La France est une République indivisible, laïque, démocratique et sociale”. Since the introduction and enactment of this law the French state has never recognized any religion and it always upholds the right of an individual to practice any religion.
There are many hitches in following this law strictly. Despite the fact that the State does not recognize any religion and that it does not fund any of the churches it maintains them. Even when the state maintains the churches it allows people to worship in them so as to allow them to practice their faith. It allows people to worship in these churches to uphold the freedom to worship. These are classified as historical monuments.
The formal segregation between the Church and the State initiated by the formal law in the year 1905 metamorphosed into a state of political correctness which construed of bringing religious affairs into public affairs a strict no-no. The French President Sarkozy is known to have gone on record criticizing this manner as negative Laïcité and promotes developing a positive Laïcité that should actually contribute positively faith to French society at large. He is also known to promote public debates on religion as well as giving government subsidies for religious groups.
The law of separating the Church from the State which was finally passed in 1905 was not without political moves based in religion. This law was supported by the Jews and the Protestants who were seen as minorities. They apparently supported the bill because they wanted to fight the hegemony of Catholic Church. The basic principle of the law which is the Republic assuring freedom of conscience and also further guaranteed the free exercise of worship. Every individual is one way or the other, connected to Laïcité and relationship of attitudes between the religion and the society. Possibly, these two can never be seen as two separate concepts in any culture.
Sarkozy has often said that France’s main religion is an extremely positive contributor to the French culture and societal affairs. As a matter of fact, he visited, during December 2007, Pope and acknowledged the deeply ingrained France’s Christian roots and in the same breath highlighted the importance of freedom of though and insists that discussion and management of faith must come back into public domain.
Sarkozy has publicly gone on record that Burqa is definitely not welcome in France in the year 2009 and strongly argued in favor of the legislation to outlaw Burqa. Fortunately for Sarkozy, during February 2010, a post office was robbed by two robbers wearing Burqa who entered the post office just removed the veils. These robbers’ ethnicity is unknown.
On September 2008, Pope Benedict XVI supported Sarkozy’s argument that there is a need to reform the concept of Laïcité and there was an imminent need to examine the relationship between the Church and the State while promoting the cause for the so called healthy form of Laïcité.
The practice of Laïcité is implemented on the ground by different policy frameworks. One of the important of them is the recognition of different religious bodies. This is done by very rigorous laws that recognize the bodies and does not interfere in the practices thereof. If observed, French political leaders do not make obvious religious comments and most of them refrain from such a practice.
Religion and its practice are considered to be unsuited for politicians. While it is being noted with extreme caution that the political leaders are not banned or prohibited from practicing a religion, they have to ensure that their religious beliefs does not influence their actions at all times.
French have serious reservations about the various religions in the world. They normally do not have the awareness of such and are likely to not take into consideration of the evolution of Religion and its practices in France.
Looking at the concept of Laïcité from any other view point - strictly other than the French would not do full justice to the concept. On the contrary the concept of Laïcité also today provides extremely interesting insights into the French Society. Laïcité is exceptionally related to France and the French society. The way in which this particular theory has evolved since the time it has evolved during the French Resistance movement until the present day society has also served as a contributing factor to the French society and its culture.
Sarkozy has often said that France’s main religion is an extremely positive contributor to the French culture and societal affairs. As a matter of fact, he visited, during December 2007, Pope and acknowledged the deeply ingrained France’s Christian roots and in the same breath highlighted the importance of freedom of though and insists that discussion and management of faith must come back into public domain.
Works Cited
Beita, Peter B. 2008. French President's religious mixing riles critics. January 23. Accessed December 02, 2014. http://www.christiantoday.com/article/french.presidents.religious.mixing.riles.critics/16423.htm.
Beita, Peter. 2008. French President's religious mixing riles critics. January 23. Accessed December 02, 2014. http://www.christiantoday.com/article/french.presidents.religious.mixing.riles.critics/16423.htm.
Caron, Nathalie. 2007. Laïcité and Secular Attitudes in France. Research Report, Connecticut: Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture .
Jr., John L. Allen. 2008. Pope in France: The case for 'Healthy Secularism'. September 12. Accessed December 01, 2014. http://ncronline.org/node/12101.
Kessel, Joseph. 2010. L'armée des ombres. France: Pcoket Publishers.
Streeter, Michael. 2012. France is a secular state. But what does that mean? Accessed December 01, 2014. http://www.frenchentree.com/societe-francaise/displayarticle.asp?id=20486.
