Interpretations of the Orleanist Monarchy (aka Louis Philippe) www.educationforum.co.uk

Traditional Interpretation The traditional interpretation has been an adapted Marxist one LP’s 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 LP’s policies and France run like a massive joint stock company by a narrow oligarchy of capitalists

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

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

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

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