Robert Marjolin - World War II and De Gaulle Administrations

World War II and De Gaulle Administrations

After the June 1940 French surrender to Germany during the Second World War, Marjolin became an economic advisor to the De Gaulle Government-in-exile in Great Britain. Before the final phase of the war he had already sketched plans for the reconstruction of France and the rest of Europe. In 1943 he represented the Government-in-exile in Washington as director of a purchasing mission. He rejected attempts by the American economy to win itself a prominent position in this mission. While in America he met an artist who would later become his wife.

After the war Marjolin became the first director of the foreign trade department in the French Ministry of Economic Affairs and then junior minister for the reconstruction of France. In this role he initiated the economic development of France for the following decades. In contrast with Ludwig Erhard of Germany, Marjolin implemented a strong state control of the economy. This contrast defined the relationship between the French and German economic policies for the remainder of the 20th century.