Association of French Industry and Agriculture

The Association of French Industry and Agriculture (Association de l'industrie et de l'agriculture françaises or AIAF) was a French employers' organization and pressure group created in 1878 by industrialists and parliamentary deputies during the French Third Republic.

History

Its founders stated it was "for the defence of national employment", to combat liberal free trade and trade treaties and to defend a protectionist economic policy.[1] Its status were presented and approved at an assembly in June 1878.[2]

From the late 1880s onwards the Association became closer to notable landowners in the Société des agriculteurs de France[3] Paul Léon Aclocque took part in the meetings of the Société des agriculteurs de France.[4] The two associations held a joint meeting on 19 October 1892.[5][6] It also linked itself to protectionist politicians like Jules Méline, who began taking part in its meetings.[7] Together they imposed a transformation upon the customs regime in January 1892 thanks to the adoption of the 'Méline tariff', discussed by parliament since 1891. Méline became the Association's president at early in May 1893.[8] Representatives of agriculture were merged into the Association, which changed its name to become the 'Association de l'industrie et de l'agriculture françaises'. At its general assembly in 1894 Méline also greeted the agricultural representatives:

Your presence among us is greatly satisfying. I have always thought that the best way of fighting the offensive returns of our adversaries was to meet together and closely to merge all branches of national production. The union between agriculture and industry makes our strength unshakeable. Welcome, agricultural gentlemen, industry fraternally welcomes you and you can shake the loyal hand it extends to you without a second thought.[9].

Méline affirmed that he had only accepted the presidency on the condition that agriculture was merged into the association.[10]

The Association's rôle diminished after 1919, when the Confédération générale de la production française was set up. It was linked to that organisation but maintained its autonomy. It tried to gain new prominence by making Pierre Lyautey its director from 1925 to 1933, who formed committees such as the Société d'économie nationale with Lucien Romier (chief editor and editorial writer for Figaro) as its president and the Comité économique international (set up in 1928). The Association specialised from then on in customs matters. René Théry, a doctor in law, and from 1925 onwards chief editor and director of L'Economiste européen[11] succeeded P. Lyautey as delegate general.

There was a final attempt to revive the Association after 1945 via links with the Conseil national du patronat français but it was finally dissolved in 1961.

Members and presidents

Presidents

  • Alexandre Jullien, ironmaster, former deputy in parliament[12]
  • Paul Léon Aclocque, industrialist, former deputy for Ariège, 1888 to his death in 1893[13]
  • Jules Méline, 1893 to 1896[14] and 1898 to 1912[15]
  • Charles Sébline, landowner, senator for Aisne, from 1896 to 1898, replacing Méline while the latter was Minister of Agriculture[16]
  • Eugène Touron, industrialist, senator for Aisne and president of the Chambre de commerce de Saint-Quentin, 1912 until his death in December 1924[17]
  • Henry Le Mire, industrialist, deputy for Eure, 1925 to 1934
  • Émile Taudière, industrialist, deputy for Les Deux-Sèvres, October 1934 à 1945
  • René Théry

Hosts

Members - industrialists, landowners, metallurgy and textile industrialists

Campaigns and methods

Bibliography (in French)

References

  1. ^ (in French) Journal des économistes, juillet 1878
  2. ^ (in French) Cf. Le Rappel, 26/6/1878
  3. ^ (in French) Assemblée générale de l'Association de l'industrie française, 6 March 1890.
  4. ^ Le Gaulois, 10/2/1888, Le Rappel, 12/2/1890,Journal de l'agriculture pratique, 1888 , Ibid., 1889, Ibid., 1891, Le Rappel, 18/2/1892, Assemblée générale de l'AIAF, 1892
  5. ^ Joint meeting, 19 October 1892
  6. ^ Marc de Haut a représenté l'Association des agriculteurs de France aux réunions de l'association de l'industrie française: Bulletin de la papeterie , March 1890
  7. ^ (in French) La Réforme sociale, 1890, >Le Rappel, 21/3/1891, Ibid., 27/2/1892
  8. ^ (in French) Le Temps, 7 May 1893
  9. ^ (in French) AIAF General Assembly of 28 February 1894
  10. ^ (in French) Assemblée générale de 1894, Discours de Méline
  11. ^ (in French) Cf. Le Journal des débats, 1/7/1936, Ibid., 9/7/1937, Ibid., 11/7/1938, Ibid., 30/6/1939, Dossier de la Légion d'honneur de René Théry, 1890-1952. Théry a succédé à son père Edmond Théry, décédé en 1925, fondateur de l'Economiste européen, membre du comité de direction de la Société d'économie politique nationale liée à l'AIAF et animateur pendant 20 ans de l'Association de la presse économique et financière. René Théry préside à son tour cette dernière association à partir de janvier 1929 ( Le Petit Parisien, 22 décembre 1928 ). Elle organise un banquet annuel, auquel prennent part des ministres des finances et des représentants du monde de la finance publique et privée, sauf durant le Front populaire ( Journal des débats, 4 avril 1930: banquet présidé par Paul Reynaud, Journal des débats, 27 octobre 1932, L'Information d'Indochine, 21 juin 1934: banquets présidés par Louis Germain-Martin, Journal des débats, 25 juin 1938: banquet présidé par Paul Marchandeau ). Il a été secrétaire général adjoint et rapporteur général de l'Union coloniale. Il a épousé en 1920 Renée Thalmann ( Le Figaro, 11 mai 1920 ), fille du banquier juif Richard Thalmann ( à la tête d'une banque privée, en liquidation en 1936. Il meurt en 1939: cf. Cyril Grange, Une élite parisienne: Les familles de la grande bourgeoisie juive (1870-1939), CNRS éditions, 2016 ). Actionnaire de la Banque Thalmann ( Les Documents politiques, diplomatiques et financiers, 1935 ), René Théry est administrateur de sociétés dans lesquelles son beau-père est souvent actionnaire et/ou administrateur: société française des docks et ateliers de constructions navales ( Les Documents politiques, diplomatiques et financiers, mars 1928 ), société d'assurances La Minerve ( L'Argus, 1st July 1934, Ibid., 10 mai 1936 ), société des plantations de Kratié ( Société des plantations de Kratié, L'Information d'Indochine, 20 février 1937 ) , Oriental carpet manufacturers Ltd ( Journal des débats, 21 août 1939 ), société fiduciaire d'Indochine ( L'Information d'Indochine, 31 juillet 1937, Bulletin fiduciaire d'Indochine, janvier-mars 1937 ). Cf. aussi Augustin Hamon, Les maîtres de la France, Éditions sociales internationales, 1936, p. 207-209
  12. ^ (in French) biographie dans assemblee-nationale.fr, Biographie nationale des contemporains, 1878
  13. ^ (in French) L'Echo des mines et de la métallurgie, 2/4/1893
  14. ^ (in French) Le XIXe siècle, 28/4/1893
  15. ^ (in French) "Le Rappel", 11/11/1898, "Gil Blas", 10/11/1898
  16. ^ (in French) Gil Blas, 12/5/1896
  17. ^ (in French) Membre de son comité depuis au moins 1905:Le Temps, 4/10/1905, Le Rappel, 10/11/1906
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