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

Title Page......Page 4
General Editor’s Preface......Page 6
Contents......Page 8
List of Contributors......Page 12
Introduction -- William Doyle......Page 14
1. The economy -- Joël Félix (Translated by David A. Bell)......Page 20
Agricultural archaism, agricultural modernization......Page 22
Cycles of growth......Page 24
The hardships of the seventeenth century......Page 26
Possibilities for growth......Page 28
The pitfalls of modernization......Page 31
Commercial and industrial development......Page 32
The textile industry......Page 34
Mercantilism and Colbertism......Page 35
A century of growth......Page 38
Prosperity and economic liberalism......Page 40
The economy and state finances......Page 43
Finances and war......Page 44
Forms of state credit......Page 46
Peace and the repayment of state debts......Page 49
The American war, economic crisis, and the end of the old regime......Page 52
2. Society -- Gail Bossenga......Page 55
Social stratification: class and status......Page 56
Honour and rank......Page 59
Legal status: the importance of privilege......Page 65
The clergy in a confessional state......Page 67
A divided nobility......Page 70
Peasants, seigneurialism, and rural communities......Page 75
Urban groups and privileges......Page 82
Conclusion: stresses in society in the old regime......Page 88
3. Culture and religion -- David A. Bell......Page 91
The two Romes......Page 92
A widening cultural gap......Page 95
A militant and divided church......Page 98
The hidden God and the terrestrial city......Page 102
From the Court to the city......Page 104
The Enlightenment......Page 107
4. France overseas -- Pierre H. Boulle and D. Gillian Thompson......Page 118
Colonial policies and administration......Page 119
The colonies to 1713......Page 121
The West Indies and the sugar revolution......Page 126
Peace and development to mid-century......Page 131
New France after Utrecht......Page 135
The colonial empire at war, 1740s-1763......Page 139
The colonies after 1763......Page 145
A fragile economic boom......Page 147
Conclusion......Page 150
5. The state and political culture -- Julian Swann......Page 152
King in council......Page 153
The royal Court......Page 156
State and administration......Page 158
The fiscal military state......Page 164
The critics of state power......Page 167
The parlements......Page 168
Corporate politics......Page 173
The public and its opinions......Page 177
Conclusion......Page 181
6. Politics: Louis XIV -- William Doyle......Page 182
Personal rule......Page 183
Authority asserted......Page 185
Government under Colbert......Page 188
A warrior king......Page 189
Domestic dissidence......Page 191
The arrogance of power......Page 194
The Nine Years War......Page 197
The Spanish Succession......Page 199
The war effort......Page 202
The final years......Page 204
The great reign and its legacy......Page 206
7. Politics: Louis XV -- Julian Swann......Page 208
The regency, 1715-1723......Page 209
The ‘golden age’ of Fleury......Page 214
Louis le bien-aime......Page 218
The mid-century crisis......Page 220
The diplomatic revolution......Page 225
The Seven Years War......Page 227
The parlements: the enemy within?......Page 228
The Brittany affair......Page 230
Maupeou’s revolution......Page 232
Conclusion......Page 234
The reign in context......Page 236
The new reign......Page 239
The system of Maurepas......Page 242
Foreign policy and the American war......Page 247
Finance, 1774-1787......Page 251
Politics, 1781-1787......Page 254
The final crisis......Page 257
Conclusion -- William Doyle......Page 262
Further reading......Page 266
Chronology......Page 271
Maps......Page 275
Index......Page 282