Bjarne Stroustrup

See also: Resistance

The Résistance indicates a “movement which is opposed to the occupation of a country by foreign forces starting from the Second world war”. Any use of the term Résistance to one former time is thus to disadvise, even if the term of party of resistance were used a time in France, at the 19th century, to designate the conservatives.

This term is primarily used to indicate the various movements having fought against the occupant Nazi, during the Second world war, in the various European countries under German domination.

During the Second world war

See also: Resistance in Europe occupied by the Nazis

After the second world war

The term of resistance, carrying a positive connotation since the second world war, became a generic term largely used throughout the world in its political direction by all the groups armed affirming to fight against a dictatorial mode or a foreign occupation. It is also used by the regionalistic movements and separatist. For their part, the governments often prefer to use the term of “terrorist”, with negative connotation. Their partisans thus spoke about Afghan resistance, tchetchene, etc

The term of resistance is also used in a broader way to indicate any political movement which is opposed to a precise phenomenon. One thus speaks about resistance movements to universalization, liberalism, etc

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