56

Contrary to the literature on social movements, which sees demonstrations as a tool for civil society against political power, the republican march held on January the 11th in Paris can be seen as a « state demonstration », since the main actors of the executive branch acted as a social movement organization. Of course, the shock and the emotion provoked by the terrorist attacks represented a favourable context for such a demonstration. Of course, political parties launched the idea and one MP was the official organizer of the event. Nevertheless, one needs to analyse the acts, the gestures and the rhetoric of the French political leaders at the head of the State to really explain the success of this historical march.