27

The relationship between the French and their elite is marked with mistrust. Today, this impression has become a certainty, thanks to several international surveys that show that the French not only count among the world’s most pessimistic populations, but also among the most critical of their leaders. This phenomenon is neither novel nor even remotely recent. Since the 18th century and the emergence of public space, attacks have multiplied and – partly – explain the country’s turbulent history.