2586 Essays France 1814-48 To what extent was the reign of Louis XVIII a failure?

First Argument (continued)

• Made mistakes – Flag, title, issue of Charter based on royal prerogative
• Charter was a good start!
• Fled from Napoleon’s return & 2nd restoration not well received!
• La Chambre Introuvable & White Terror threatened his policy
• Franchise altered & more moderate assembly elected

First Argument (continued)

• By 1818 French able to pay indemnity
• Army of occupation withdrawn
• France joined Quadruple Alliance (the international community of Great Powers)
• National finances put on sound footing for the first time for many years
• First 5 years relatively successful – all change in 1820!

Second Argument

• 1820 growing threat from Bonapartists/Liberals
• 1820 year of revolutions across Europe
• Murder of de Berri
• Growing Ultra influence – appointment of de Villele
• Involvement in Spain 1822
• Charbonniers : evidence of political polarisation
• By 1824 more authoritarian government in place

Conclusion

• Successful for first half of reign
• Established stable regime after shaky start
• French finances put on sound footing which encouraged confidence in the regime
• After 1820 lost grip and allowed more authoritarian forces to take control
• “…slide from moderate policies and towards extreme Royalism had already begun before Charles X officially became king.” (Randell)

To what extent was the economic recession of 1846-8 the main reason for the fall the July Monarchy?

• Poor harvests and
• potato blight led to
• food shortages in
• countryside and rising
• prices. Falling
• demand for
• manufactured goods

• Parisian poor hit by
• rising prices &
• unemployment.
• Middle classes
• experiencing
• problems too.
• No action by
• the government- big
• mob developing in
• the capital

Economic recession the main reason?

• Spark for revolution was the cancellation of Reform Banquet in Feb 1848
• Part of pressure campaign set up to bring about extension of franchise
• This resulted from key issue – LP’s refusal to allow any political changes
• LP wanted to rule and was prepared to use corrupt means

Foreign Policy

• Turned down chance to get control of Belgium in 1830 – did not go down well!
• Attempt to gain powerful ally in Near East (Mehemet Ali) failed – France isolated
• Spanish Marriages issue only lost him the support of GB
• Cautious foreign policy paled next to former glories
• BUT how big a deal?

Political Opposition

• L-P disliked by Legitimists – one failed rising in support of young de Berri
• Louis Napoleon Bonaparte staged 2 failed attempts to seize power
• Clearly the ‘Legend’ not effective
• Republicans most serious challenge – number of assassination attempts
• Lacked co-ordination

How much support did L-P have?

• ‘Bourgeois’ monarchy had very narrow basis of support
• Lack of social reform and heavy handed attitude towards unrest increased support for republicanism & socialism
• Middle classes began to support Reform campaign
• National Guard unwilling to fight in 1848

Conclusion

• To great extent July Monarchy just collapsed! – no one was prepared to fight
• Social problems were important – L-P did nothing to address them
• Refusal to allow political reform important
• Cautious foreign policy perhaps an irritant
• Recession 1846-8 was a trigger to the revolution NOT root cause

‘Neither popular nor successful’. How fair is this judgment on L-P’s foreign policy?

• French foreign policy limited by the restraints of Vienna Settlement – French expansion checked by ‘buffer states’
• French had long tradition of being dominant military and political power in Europe
• Much glory under Napoleon!

Belgium 1830-39

• Joined to Holland in 1815
• Belgians treated as 2nd class citizens
• Overthrew Dutch rule in 1830
• Crown offered to French prince
• Louis-Philippe chose to work with GB
• Helped Belgians to repel Dutch in 1831
• German prince became King

Comment

• Belgium long been considered by French as their sphere of influence
• Unhappy at L-P’s actions
• Given circumstances was the only course of action!

Adventures in the Middle East

• Conflict between MA & his master the Sultan of Turkey
• French opted to support MA
• Other GPs supported Sultan
• MA defeated – French lost valuable ally

Comment

• Considerable French investment in Egypt so naturally public opinion supported MA
• Thiers planned foreign policy to take advantage of this
• He threatened war against GPs but bluff called
• Resounding diplomatic defeat
• Thiers sacked!

The Spanish Marriages

• Guizot worked hard to create good relations with GB
• Deal made in 1846 over marriage of Queen Isabella of Spain
• Guizot scored brief victory through marriage of younger sister
• Victory hollow as Isabella had a son!

Algeria

• Guizot continued colonisation programme
• By 1847 50K French citizens in Algeria
• Venture was expensive in lives & money
• King showed little interest
• Many French only interested in European adventures

How far were the Ultras the greatest threat to the Bourbon Restoration?

• Ultras led by Comte d’Artois – very organised!
• Won elections in 1815 – able to initiate White Terror after 100 Days
• After 1820 Ultras re-established influence over King
• Intervention in Spain clear evidence of this

Other Factors?

• Economic Problems?
• Poor government under Louis?
• Legacy of the treaties?
• Lack of popular support?
• Threat from Bonaparte & followers?
• Fears of Pays Legal?
• Louis’s unwillingness to compromise

Conclusion

• The French historian Maurois wrote of the Ultras that
• ‘They dug deeper instead of filling the bloody trenches of revolution’

Comparison of LP’s foreign & domestic policies in leading to his downfall

• From the beginning Louis Philippe regarded 1830 as a signal to conserve and not change the status quo
• Very limited changes made to the Charter
• He aimed to rule, not to be a figure head
• Appointed weak chief ministers
• Ruled corruptly

Problems

• Regime rested on narrow basis – made no attempt to widen appeal
• Pressure growing because of social problems caused by industrialisation & urbanisation
• Matters brought to head by recession of 1846-8
• Rejection of calls for reform led to Reform Banquets

Foreign Policy

• French brought up on diet of glory
• Rejected chance to add Belgium to territory in 1830
• Best policy in circumstances but not popular with subjects
• Diplomatic defeat over Mehemet Ali
• Algeria successful but costly and won him little credit

Conclusion

• Foreign policy was perhaps uninspired and disappointing
• But this would add to lack of popularity rather than cause downfall
• More important was resistance to change
• Refusal to listen to calls for political reform was major cause of decline in popularity

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