Social Tensions Lesson 5)

7/29/2019 Social Tensions Lesson 5)

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Social Tensions?In the years that followed the Restoration



General facts

• 1815 population was 29 million (15% of Europe’sentire population) – slow increase to 35.4

million by 1846 (slower than rest of Europe).• Paris = 600,000 in 1815 and over a million by

1846.• Only four other towns had populations over

100,000• Cholera epidemics hit large towns in 1832 and

1848.• France was the most industrialised nation in the

world in 1815 but over 75% of population were

rural. Therefore small scale businesses.• Restoration government saw high tariffs –

protected domestic companies but not exports(notably wine industry)



The Church: The 1st Estate

•

Pre-1789 had owned 10% of Franceand had enjoyed considerable privileges.

• By 1815 owned no land – clergy were paid employees

of the government (Bishops and Archbishops stilldrawn from noble families).

• According to the Charter the Catholic Church becamethe state religion of France – however, did not reclaim

sold church land from 1790s.• Priests roamed France preaching the ‘evils’ of the

Revolution.

• Anti-church books burnt – Voltaire etc. Missionary

crosses littered the countryside.



The Nobles: The 2nd Estate•

Generally suffered in the years that followed the

Revolution -especially those that fled into exile – lost land.

• Napoleon had been conciliatory – allowed Noblesto buy back unsold land.

•

1814 Nobles owned 20% of land (25% in 1789).• 1825 the Ultras used their dominance to introduce

a state loan to compensate those who had losttheir land during the Revolution.

•Remained the largest landowners and thewealthiest men throughout the period 1815-70.

• Some modern Historians therefore claim that theRevolution did little to change the ruling elite in

France...



Emerging bourgeoisie: The 3rd Estate

• New ruling elite chosen by wealth – so somebankers, businessmen and industrialists played akey role in both the National Assembly and local

councils – 17% of deputies by the late 1820s -change from ancien regime.

• Socially ancien regime nobles shunnedNapoleonic and ‘new’ money.

• Generally, everyone didn’t want anotherRevolution in 1815 and so the priority was tomaintain stability.



The Ultras• Championed by the heir to

the throne – Charles,

comte d’Artois

• Deeply suspicious of

bourgeoisie – new ‘liberal’

and ‘immoral’ group.

• Championed the Catholic

Church

• Many wanted a return to

the ancien regime

• Dominated the Chamber of

Deputies in 1815 and led to

the White Terror

Social Tensions Lesson 5)

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