<Articles>The Electoral Process of the Deputies of the Early French Third Republic (1870-1914) : La Republique Parlementaire Seen Through Its Elections

French Third Republic is often called "la Republique parlementaire." It is characterized by the prominence of legislative power, especially the Chamber of Deputies, in contrast to executive power. So, if the French representative system took root then, we need to consider the political culture of the elus, who were its main actors. This article interprets la Republique parlementaire through a consideration of the elus. For that purpose, particular importance is placed on the role of elections. In section 1, research on elections in French modern history is examined critically, and the object of study in this article is clarified. There have been two approaches in the research on elections in modern French history. One is the legal historical approach, which has focused on electoral systems, legislation and rights. The other is the political historical approach, which has considered the meaning of elections in terms of politics. The latter has focused especially on interpretation of electoral results. In contrast, electoral practices have been overlooked in this approach. But, since 1980s, research focusing on some electoral practices (the social and cultural historical approach) has multiplied. Various research on electoral practices, however, has treated separate practices, but not explained them systematically as one process. This article therefore establishes the as yet unexamined axis of the electoral process of deputies in order to gain a systematic comprehension of electoral practices. And, considering the process as a "mixture" of various practices, the collective behavioral patterns of various actors in elections is explained. In this article, the object of study is the legislative elections during the first half of the Third Republic. There were at the time two modes de scrutin, a scrutin uninominal and a scrutin de liste. This article thus focuses in particular on the general legislative elections of 1881 and 1885 as elections conducted under each voting method, and examines exclusively the electoral practices of the republicans. In section 2, the electoral process of deputies under the scrutin uninominal is investigated. In the appearance of candidates, the initiative of a group based on some social bond (groupes electorals), for example a committee or society, was strong. It is supposed that it was notables who comprised their membership, and at their core were the elus locals in particular. So, there would be a social group around which they centered in the groups electorals. On the other hand, most candidates who had received their support were also chosen especially from the elus locals. The groupes electorals existed in multiples in the same constituency. So, the candidates who had received their support also existed in multiples. It was in election meetings that the narrowing of candidates was put into practice. In the election meetings, the candidates made speeches, the electorates defended or criticized them, and finally the candidates were chosen and approved. The electorates not belonging to the groupes electorals thus participated in the narrowing of candidates. In section 3, the electoral process under the scrutin de liste is examined. It started from the creation of the lists of candidates by the groupes electorals. They got together in congress, and created them. After their creation, election meetings were hold. But the meaning of these meetings was different from those under the scrutin uninominal. In contrast to the electoral meetings under the scrutin uninominal, there was little room for the electorates not belonging to the groupes electorals to participate under the scrutin de liste. Based on the above examination, this article explains the following points. In the appearance of candidates, the groupes electorals held the initiative, regardless of voting methods. There were the social groups on which the elus locals were centered. And most candidates who were supported by them were also elus loca