France's Policy on Migration From May 1981 Till March 1986: Its Symbolic Dimension, its Restrictive Aspects and its Unintended Effects
| Published date | 01 June 1987 |
| Date | 01 June 1987 |
| Author | C. Wihtol Wenden |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2435.1987.tb00581.x |
Current Trends and Developments
FRANCE'S POLICY ON MIGRATION FROM MAY 198
1
TILL MARCH 1986
:
ITS SYMBOLIC DIMENSION, ITS RESTRICTIVE ASPECTS
AND ITS UNINTENDED EFFECTS
INTRODUCTION
:
The years 1981-1986 were characterized by a change in the status of the migratory
question in French politics. The increasing involvement of migration as an issue in the
political life of France led decision-makers to insist on the symbolic dimension of legis-
lation and on the enunciative effect of the measures adopted.
Two phases may be distinguished:
-
From the summer of 198 1 till the summer of 1983, the policy conducted by FranGois
AUTAIN, Secretary of State for Immigration, resulted in radical changes as far as legis-
lation and governmental guidelines are concerned. From a
body
of laws dealing with
labour, and later with equal treatment of foreigners and nationals, the emphasis was
shifted to human rights. However, this new policy, though rich in symbols, was to
be
spared neither the limitations of institutional measures elaborated within an isolated
national context, nor poorly mastered reforms or eluded questions, since it was conceived
in terms of rights rather than overall social operation.
-
From the summer of 1983 till the legislative elections ofMarch 1986, the new Secretary
of State responsible for the Family, Population and Immigrant Workers, Georgina
DUFOIX, carried out a policy equally concerned with the promotion of equality, though
tougher and more ambiguous; indeed, the pressures, the stakes and the parties involved
had increased both in numbers and in significance.
FROM THE SUMMER
OF
1981
TILL THE SUMMER
OF
1983:
A policy which, though new in certain respects, remains unchanged in others:
The election dFranqois MITTERAND as President ofthe Republic and the success ofthe
Socialist Party in the legislative elections of May and June 198 1 herald a policy which,
though new in certain respects, remains unchanged in others. In view of the previous
failure of depoliticizing as a strategy of the public authorities in the field
of
migratory
policy, one cannot at first avoid being struck by the latter's ideological dimension and by
the concept of the role of the State that it reveals.
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