The Disappearance of France, 1896-1940: French Politics and the Birth Rate

"It grieves me to say it, but I see firm proof of the imminent disappearance of our country." This remark, made by Dr. Jacques Bertillon in 1897, drew attention to a phenomenon which still causes grave public concern in France today. Bertillon was referring to the latest national census, which revealed that in four of the previous six years there had been a net excess of deaths over births. The French preoccupation with population growth during this period was by no means unique, but it was certainly more intense than in any other European country. This was chiefly because in their own history the French saw a direct link between population size and political power. This article traces the importance given to population size by French politics across regimes and the development of the idea that "in order to be great, France ha[s] to be numerous."