Change in French society: A critical analysis of Crozier's bureaucratic model

The object of this article is to examine critically Michel Crozier's view of the way in which organisational and social change occurs in France. Attention is focused particularly on key concepts such as change, equality and crisis. A clarification of these concepts and the examination of certain logical differences involved in their use leads to the conclusion that the Crozierian account must be rejected. It is suggested finally that an examination of change which would take more account of the particularities of different policy arenas would be more appropriate and more capable of elucidating the true nature of obstacles of change in French society.