Abstract
In the late 1880s and early 1890s, there was a climate of agitation in France because of the Boulanger crisis which fueled nationalism. This nationalist movement split but the 1930s saw a growth of French fascism and during WWII many French collaborated with the Nazis. The origin of such rise of fascism in France probably has its origins in the 1890s. The Republic survived the threat of General Boulanger. The French then embarked on a policy of colonial expansion. Boulanger had made the army popular before its suicide in 1891.
The Eiffel Tower was a Republican symbol in the 1890s (opposed to the Sacré-Coeur). At this time, there were celebrations of French Revolution and lavish banquets were organized 15000 French nobles. They stressed the Republican legacy whereas monarchists wanted to restore the ‘Ancien Regime' before. There was a process of Ralliement.
In 1892, the Panama Canal Affair broke out. The engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps and Gustave Eiffel were both involved in this Affair. They suffered from financial difficulties and unhealthy circumstances of construction. Hence, they had to raise more capital and got the State to run a lottery to raise funds. There were rumors of corruption about a number of politicians. Several Republican politicians were discredited because they were accused of bribery.
