The French Second Empire: An Anatomy of Political Power (New Studies in European History)

This thoroughly researched book on the Second Empire examines how Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte was able to secure election as President of the Republic and subsequently to launch a coup d'état to establish a Second Empire. It considers the ways in which power was exercised by the new empire and how Napoleon III engaged in a difficult process of transition towards more liberal policies only to experience catastrophic defeat and the destruction of the regime because of war against Prussia. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 4 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgements......Page 11 Abbreviations......Page 12 Introduction......Page 13 PART I The rise of Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte......Page 19 MID-CENTURY CRISIS......Page 21 THE ELECTION OF A PRINCE-PRESIDENT......Page 27 THE COUP D’ETAT......Page 39 CONCLUSION......Page 48 PART II State and society......Page 51 THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SECOND EMPIRE......Page 53 THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON III......Page 55 CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION......Page 61 MINISTERS......Page 66 THE CORPS LEGISLATIF......Page 76 ADMINISTRATION......Page 91 THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM......Page 107 OFFICIAL CANDIDATES......Page 111 INFLUENCING THE ELECTORATE......Page 116 LIBERALISATION......Page 133 THE ORGANISATION OF POLICING......Page 146 PRACTICAL POLICING......Page 155 POLITICAL POLICE......Page 158 MEASURING SUCCESS......Page 165 CONTROLLING THE PRESS......Page 183 LITERARY CENSORSHIP......Page 199 MORAL INSTRUCTION......Page 205 EASING THE BURDEN OF POVERTY......Page 216 INTRODUCTION......Page 222 THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS......Page 226 URBAN RENEWAL......Page 232 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS......Page 239 THE QUESTION OF ‘FREE TRADE’......Page 242 ECONOMY, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS......Page 252 Conclusion to Part II......Page 262 PART III The rise of opposition......Page 265 INTRODUCTION......Page 267 THE POLITICAL CONTEXT......Page 272 CHAPTER 9 The forms of opposition: (1) Legitimism......Page 284 CHAPTER 10 The forms of opposition: (2) Liberalism......Page 303 INTRODUCTION......Page 330 THE IMPACT OF THE COUP D’ÉTAT......Page 331 IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE COUP......Page 333 ELECTORAL ACTIVITY......Page 348 INTRODUCTION......Page 356 THE REPUBLICAN ‘MOVEMENT’......Page 357 POLITICAL PROCESSES......Page 367 REPUBLICANS DIVIDED......Page 376 GROWING ELECTORAL SUCCESS......Page 391 THE PLEBISCITE OF MAY 1870......Page 401 Conclusion to Part III......Page 407 PART IV War and revolution......Page 415 FOREIGN POLICY......Page 417 MILITARY READINESS......Page 424 THE ROAD TO WAR......Page 437 THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO WAR......Page 448 MILITARY DEFEAT......Page 452 THE HOME FRONT......Page 458 REVOLUTION......Page 464 General conclusion......Page 477 1. ARCHIVES NATIONALES......Page 481 4. BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE......Page 486 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS, COLLECTIONS OF DOCUMENTS......Page 487 3. CONTEMPORARY BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS......Page 488 SECONDARY SOURCES......Page 494 Index......Page 510 This book is about a major historical figure, Napoleon III, and a political regime. It examines how Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (nephew of the first Napoleon) was able to secure election as President of the Republic and subsequently to launch a coup d'état to establish a Second Empire. It then considers the ways in which power was exercised by the new imperial regime. Later, apparent stability led Napoleon III to engage in a difficult process of transition towards a more liberal regime; but at the point of success the decision was taken to go to war against Prussia which resulted in a catastrophic defeat and the destruction of his regime. This is a most thoroughly researched book on the Second Empire, which makes a contribution to our knowledge of a vitally important period of French history following the 1848 revolution and the intense mid-century crisis. Machine generated contents note: PART ONE THE RISE OF LOUIS-NAPOLEON BONAPARTE 1 President of the Republic 9 PART TWO STATE AND SOCIETY 2 Napoleon III and the Bonapartist state 4I 3 The system of government 54 4 The management of elections 95 5 Preserving public order 134 6 Constructing moral order 17I 7 Creating the conditions for prosperity 210 Conclusion to Part II 250 PART THREE THE RISE OF OPPOSITION 8 The context for opposition 255 9 The forms of opposition: (I) Legitimism 272 10 The forms of opposition: (2) Liberalism 291 11 The forms of opposition: (3) Republicans in the aftermath of the coup d'etat 318 12 The forms of opposition: (4) The republican revival 344 Conclusion to Part III 395 PART FOUR WAR AND REVOLUTION 13 War and revolution 405. This is the most thoroughly researched book on Napoleon III's Second Empire in any language. It makes a vital contribution to the quarter-century of French history following the 1848 revolution, which saw major developments in the 'modernisation' of the French state and in its relationships with its citizens An analysis of Napoleon III and his political regime. It is about great figures in history and the contexts--the political institutions and social networks within which they were located By Roger Price. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 469-497) And Index.