Le paradoxe de la politique énergétique française depuis trente ans c'est qu'à chacune de ses bifurcations, les « productivistes » l'ont régulièrement emporté sur les « autonomistes », à qui l'histoire semble pourtant toujours finir par donner raison.

French energy policy has given rise to several major controversies : in 1974, how to respond to the quadrupling of the price of petroleum ? In the 60's, what path to follow in nuclear policy ? How to manage petroleum development ? How far to allow the decline of coal-mining to go ? In the 50's, how to exploit natural gas from Lacq ? In each of these controversies, the « productionists » have won the battle against the « autonomists » who seem, however, to have always been shown correct by history. A strange game, in which the will to power of the great technocrats sometimes deviates from the common interest, and in which traditional political means of mediation fait to control.