Interpretations of the Orleanist Monarchy (aka Louis Philippe)

1
Interpretations of the Orleanist Monarchy (aka
Louis Philippe)

• www.educationforum.co.uk

2
Traditional Interpretation

• The traditional interpretation has been an
  adapted Marxist one
• LPs regime seen as a bourgeois monarchy
• 1830 seen as the final victory for the
  bourgeoisie after a short Indian summer for the
  Aristocracy 1815-30
• Capitalism and industrialisation allowed to
  develop and thrive under LPs policies and France
  run like a massive joint stock company by a
  narrow oligarchy of capitalists

3
Revisionism

• Revisionists have put forward a very different
  model.
• Pinkney suggests that 1830 was a victory for
  lawyers, bureaucrats and Bonapartists NOT a
  recognisable capitalist class only a change of
  personnel at the top not a seismic shift
• Cobban points out that leading figures in the
  regime were actually landowners not
  industrialists and that Guizot followed an
  economic policy of protectionism not free trade

4
Revisionism 2

• Revisionists like Pinkney have also challenged
  the idea of a vibrant and growing capitalist
  economy sluggish economic growth and patchy
  industrialisation
• Also that Orleanist elites behaved like
  aristocrats mimicking their chateaux and
  lifestyles not a assertive new ruling class at
  all
• Also that the bourgeoisie was too heterogeneous
  to be recognised as a class with class interests
  intra class conflicts between different sectors
  financiers clashed with railway capitalists
  iron, coal and cotton producers wanted protection
  from foreign trade silk wine and shipping
  capitalists wanted free trade

5
Arguments for Marxist Interpretation

• Ruthless repression of socialism and trade
  unionism reveals true class nature of the regime
• Divisions within the elite actually point to the
  strength of their dominance rather than at any
  weakness
• Regime presided over most rapid industrialisation
  despite the fact it may have appeared sluggish
  when compared to GB

6
Reading

• Read Magraw pages 51-63
• Rally write robin on a large sheet of display
  paper evidence supporting Marxist interpretation
  and evidence supporting revisionist
  interpretations
• By the end of the lesson be prepared to state and
  justify which interpretation you favour