Abstract
The Dynamics of Rual Societies in France from the Revolution of 1848 to the First World War
Two concepts, that of small scale rural enterprises (petite exploitation rurale) and the local community (micropolis), form the focal point of the article. The paper examines the new questions, methods and results which the micro-historical approach to French rural history has developed, in order to understand the economic dynamism and the political mobilisation of rural societies between 1848 and 1914. Collective biographies, studies of villages and the micro-history of rural economy bring the local level into focus. Based on highly varied social, economic and geographical elements, the rural, proto-industrial and commercial as well as small and mid-sized agrarian family businesses became established as the backbone of rural societies in France in the second half of the 19th century. At the same time, in a process dating back to the Revolution of 1789, the institutions of the local community (commune) became the autonomous point of reference for the political system. The rural classes, especially peasants, were firmly integrated into the nation during the Third Republic, agrarian interests had a strong impact on national politics. The very complex struggle of group interests and political ideas in the local communities generated numerous variations in local political language – oriented toward the right as well as to the left.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.