In Res Publica, David Chauvel and Malo Kerfriden take you on board in the resistance but this war is social and it takes place in France.
Freedom versus solidarity
Res Publica opens with quotes from the Italian revolutionary Auguste Blanqui and the Frenchman Robespierre. The subject is therefore clear: the screenwriter David Chauvel is committed to telling the story of the social war. According to him, Emmanuel Macron's presidency is marked by the imposition of the neo-liberal model in France. This choice triggers in reaction struggles to oppose it. Res Publica does not offer a critical shortcut but a dense long-term search. The goal is not to attack a person but an ideology: neo-liberalism. The screenwriter embraces the entire five years of presidency to dismantle the government's flagship measures and establish his truth about the multiple social movements. No scandal is forgotten. Res Publica is as breathless as a thriller. First of all, we see the danger rising. Res Publica begins with a quick journey through Emmanuel Macron's childhood and schooling showing a path to the highest positions. However, Macron does not access it alone but benefits and builds a network. Private life, friendship network and professional career mingle. He has one foot in socialism since his militancy for Chevènement and another in capitalism by making his fortune in banking. However, as soon as he was appointed Minister of the Economy, he was perceived as a supporter of employers. In 2016, he prepared the structures to become president. He registered the name of his party and took advantage of his advisers in the ministry to organize a battle plan. With such support, Res Publica presents his election as a formality.
A book of combat
David Chauvel and the cartoonist Malo Kerfriden then decipher the first measures showing that they are only in favor of employers and the richest taxpayers. The failure of the CICE is compared with a reduction in housing benefits. Changes in the calendar between presidential and legislative elections strengthen the role of the president by transforming parliament into a rubber stamp. The first renunciations are made with the domination of politicians in the face of "civil society". Collection Director at Delcourt, every page of Res Publica conveys the urgency of this project for David Chauvel. The dense text does not neglect any detail and the sources are listed at the end of the book. In parallel with this rise and the destruction of the social model, Res Publica shows the rise of opposition. This movement begins with the opposition in Parliament but Res Publica highlights the Yellow Vests movement. David Chauvel shows this movement as the awakening of the people suffering from neo-liberal attacks. Cartoonist Malo Kerfriden impresses from the cover. He appropriates the pediment of the National Assembly to sum up Macron's presidency as the smoke of anger rises just ahead. Without ever sacrificing the realism of the faces, the designer goes to the essential. His vivid stroke crunches the actions without unnecessary details. Also a colorist, he chose to keep only the duotone: black and yellow became a symbol of popular resistance. The map of the election result clearly shows where the resistance lies. However, Res Publica remains in an event narrative that makes the facts succeed one another without putting forward the lines of force. This logical sequence creates an implacable logic certainly very effective in the narrative but sometimes the reasoning leaves no room for doubt or critical thinking. Through Res Publica, the publisher Delcourt offers you much more than a new comic book but urges you to support the resistance. David Chauvel and Malo Kerfriden impress by the quantity of facts and the precision of the images but also by their optimism in the awakening of the people. You can discover other chronicles on committed books such as Mon rond-point dans ta gueule or Garder le lien.
