The Independent Foreign Policy And The Status Of Great Power

Gaullism regarded safeguarding independence of nation and sovereignty, striving for the power nation's status of France as purport. It had great influence on the development of foreign policy of the Fifth Republic of France. Gaullism came into being after World War II, with the competition for hegemony between two superpowers, and the decline of French position as background. As a kind of policy thought, Gaullism was not only the need of the reality after the war, but also the result that French culture, French national interests and De Gaulle's personality act on together.The main content of Gaullism included four parts: the independent defense, the European united, the oriental policy and the policy to the third world. These policies reflected the core of the pursuing the great power status on the basis of national interest and independent foreign policy. In De Gaulle's ideological system, great power status was the ultimate and essential goal of Gaullism. In order to achieve this goal, De Gaulle conducted the independent policy in diplomacy which was against U.S.A.'s hegemony, aiming at improving French position. Gaullism had fully reflected the great aspiration of pursuing great power status in the nationalism tradition of France. During the cold war, De Gaulle's independent foreign policy is representative of withdrawing from NATO, promoting Europe united, establishing diplomatic relations with China, which has expanded the diplomatic space of France and emphasized the independent status of France.Gaullism made greatly influence on the development of French foreign policy. It became the keynote of foreign policy that maintains the national independence and status. The foreign policies of the successive presidents of France after De Gaulle had all inherited and developed the spirit of Gaullism in essence. From Pompidou to Chirac, Gaullism had been extended and adjusted in the practice and theory. Gaullism had been more realistic and practical in safeguarding the French national interests.