This work offers a detailed coverage of the political phenomenon of Gaullism after de Gaulle left power in 1968-69. It makes clear that Gaullism is hard to pin down - that it is easier to say what it did than what it was. The distinction between the essential and the contingent, which has always been a tension in Gaullism, is explored. Four fundamental topics are covered: the independence of France; the authority of the State; the unity of the French; and the leadership of de Gaulle.