Electronuclear policy and mobilization: the attempt of creating a challenge

Although the anti-nuclear campaign is partially political, in the sense that it involves some of its leaders in representations and collective choices affecting the general orientation of society, it has not succeeded in becoming a lasting feature of the political spectrum. This is due to partly to the grassroots concept of the anti-nuclear movement which believed that it was possible to stand up against nuclear plant at local level and ignore the real centres of power. It is also due to the fact that the main political and union organisations have not taken responsibility for total opposition to nuclear power in that this calls in question the values of progress and growth to which these organisations are profoundly attached. Lastly, it is due to the political situation; since 1975 and the development of the economic crisis, the nuclear problem is bound to be pushed into the background by the problems of employment, unemployment and the standard of living. (author)