Non Au Referendum-Plébiscite / Maurice Thorez, Secrétaire Général Du Parti Communiste Français Et Paul Laurent, Sécrétaire Général de L'Union Des Jeunesses Communistes de France, S'adressent Aux Jeunes de France

This recording was produced in 1958 by La Voix Du Parti Communiste Français to articulate the party's stance against the constitutional referendum proposed by Charles de Gaulle. As France transitioned from the Fourth to the Fifth Republic, the Communist Party campaigned vigorously for a 'No' vote, framing the proposed executive powers as a threat to democratic norms. The record features Maurice Thorez, the longtime leader of the French Communist Party, and Paul Laurent, who headed the Union of Communist Youth of France, speaking directly to the youth demographic to mobilize opposition.

The record serves as a primary political artifact of the era, reflecting the oratorical style of mid-century French communist rhetoric. Designed for distribution during public rallies and through party cells, it was intended to bridge the gap between party leadership and the younger generation of activists. While it lacks a commercial catalog number, it represents the party's strategic use of phonographic media to circumvent traditional broadcasting constraints and deliver its manifesto directly to its base during a period of significant national political upheaval.