Ida Nasatir writings   List of honorees         Louis Rose Society         Jewishsightseeing home

Ida Nasatir book review

For All Mankind by Leon Blum

May 22, 1947—Book review—For All Mankind  by Leon Blum—Southwestern Jewish Press, page 6:  This book, written in 1941-42 behind the walls of a Vichy prison by the one-time Jewish premier of France, is the spiritual testament of one of the few remaining great figures in modern progressive politics. It is the credo of a man who—in the midst of events that shattered the whole structure of the society in which he lived and worked—summoned up the will and courage to proclaim from the ruins his unshakeable belief in a resurrection of liberal values. As such, Blum's book, is a profoundly moving document. He gives an illuminating sketch of the downfall of the Third Republic, its causes and antecedents; he indicts France for its relaxation and its lack of moral fiber. He discusses the sociological and economic factors behind the degeneration of the French upper bourgeoisie. He attributes many of the weaknesses and deficiencies of the Third Republic to the instability of French society itself. He stresses the average citizen's lack of participation in the affairs of the Republic, and he points an accusing finger at that vast, centralized bureaucracy which from Paris has smothered all local initiative. Obviously, Blum is a vital part of the Third Republic. There are times in his book when, try as he might, he cannot transcend it. Ever since her liberation, France has been haunted by the spectre of the Man on Horseback. Blum wants this spectre done away with. His brief, pungent, attractive book is an attempt to explain to the world how this can be accomplished. Apparently, as now, the world is neither sufficiently interested, nor well informed about the Third Republic.  Leon Blum writes with a sincerity and simplicity which is decidedly appealing.