Old Regime France: 1648-1788 (The Short Oxford History of France)

297 Pages·2001·2.81 MB·English

by  William Doyle

The Short Oxford History of France
Old Regime France
The Short Oxford History of France
General Editor: William Doyle
in preparation, volumes covering
Early France –
France –
Revolutionary France –
Modern France –
The Short Oxford History of France
General Editor: William Doyle
Old Regime
France
1648–1788
Edited by William Doyle
1
3
Great Clarendon Street, Oxford ox2 6dp
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First published 2001
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ISBN 0–19–873130–2 (hbk)
ISBN 0–19–873129–9 (pbk)
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General Editor’s Preface
During the twentieth century, French historians revolutionized the
study of history itself, opening up countless new subjects, problems,
and approaches to the past. Much of this imaginative energy was
focused on the history of their own country––its economy, its society,
its culture, its memories. In the century’s later years this exciting
atmosphere inspired increasing numbers of outsiders to work on
French themes, so that, more than for any other country, writing the
history of France has become an international enterprise.
This series seeks to reflect these developments. Each volume is
coordinated by an editor widely recognised as a historian of France.
Each editor in turn has brought together a group of contributors to
present particular aspects of French history, identifying the major
themes and features in the light of the most recent scholarship. All
the teams are international, reflecting the fact that there are now
probably more university historians of France outside the country
than in it. Nor is the outside world neglected in the content of each
volume, where French activity abroad receives special coverage. Apart
from this, however, the team responsible for each volume has chosen
its own priorities, presenting what it sees as the salient characteristics
of its own period. Some have chosen to offer stimulating reinter-
pretations of established themes; others have preferred to explore
long-neglected or entirely new topics which they believe now deserve
emphasis. All the volumes have an introduction and conclusion by
their editor, and include an outline chronology, plentiful maps, and a
succinct guide to further reading in English.
Running from Clovis to Chirac, the seven volumes in the series
offer a lively, concise, and authoritative guide to the history of
a country and a culture which have been central to the whole
development of Europe, and often widely influential in the world
beyond.
William Doyle
University of Bristol

Contents
General Editor’s Preface v
List of Contributors xi
Introduction 1
William Doyle
1 The economy 7
Joël Félix
Agricultural archaism, agricultural modernization 9
Cycles of growth 11
The hardships of the seventeenth century 13
Possibilities for growth 15
The pitfalls of modernization 18
Commercial and industrial development 19
The textile industry 21
Mercantilism and Colbertism 22
A century of growth 25
Prosperity and economic liberalism 27
The economy and state finances 30
Finances and war 31
Forms of state credit 33
Peace and the repayment of state debts 36
The American war, economic crisis, and the end of the old regime 39
2 Society 42
Gail Bossenga
Social stratification: class and status 43
Honour and rank 46
Legal status: the importance of privilege 52
The clergy in a confessional state 54
A divided nobility 57
Peasants, seigneurialism, and rural communities 62
viii | contents
Urban groups and privileges 69
Conclusion: stresses in society in the old regime 75
3 Culture and religion 78
David A. Bell
The two Romes 79
A widening cultural gap 82
A militant and divided gap 85
The hidden God and the terrestrial city 89
From the Court to the city 91
The Enlightenment 94
Les enfants de la patrie 99
4 France overseas 105
Pierre H. Boulle and D. Gillian Thompson
Colonial policies and administration 106
The colonies to  108
The West Indies and the sugar revolution 113
Peace and development to mid-century 118
New France after Utrecht 122
The colonial empire at war, s– 126
The colonies after  132
A fragile economic boom 134
Conclusion 137
5 The state and political culture 139
Julian Swann
King in council 140
The royal Court 143
State and administration 145
The fiscal military state 151
The critics of state power 154
The parlements 155
Corporate politics 160
The public and its opinions 164
Conclusion 168
contents | ix
6 Politics: Louis XIV 169
William Doyle
Personal rule 170
Authority asserted 172
Government under Colbert 175
A warrior king 176
Domestic dissidence 178
The arrogance of power 181
The Nine Years War 184
The Spanish Succession 186
The war effort 189
The final years 191
The great reign and its legacy 193
7 Politics: Louis XV 195
Julian Swann
The regency, – 196
The ‘golden age’ of Fleury 201
Louis le bien-aimé 205
The mid-century crisis 207
The diplomatic revolution 212
The Seven Years War 214
The parlements: the enemy within? 215
The Brittany affair 217
Maupeou’s revolution 219
Conclusion 221
8 Politics: Louis XVI 223
Munro Price
The reign in context 223
The new reign 226
The system of Maurepas 229
Foreign policy and the American war 234
Finance, – 238
Politics, – 241
The final crisis 244