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CROWDS, CULTURE AND POWER

The political battles of the interwar period—in France as elsewhere—are inconceivable without the agency of the press. This article contributes to a deeper understanding of mass politics by focusing on the relationships between the press and the people in the case of the Parti Communiste Français and the right-wing Parti Social Français. Its originality lies in its comparative approach and varied subject matter, encompassing not only press articles and photography, but also theatre and film. Exploring the strategies by which these two extreme political groupings sought to implant themselves in popular culture and to substantiate their claims to speak for the French people, the article reveals tensions between concepts of the “people” as historical actors, readers, and consumers.