peasants into frenchmen the modernization of rural france, 1870-1914
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Peasants into Frenchmen
The Modernization of Rural France, 1870-1914
Interpretations of Eugen Weber’s Work
Weber’s Thesis
During the Belle Epoch/Fin de Siecle –so during the 3rd Republic- …
Pre-Modernization France-Mentalite “Most of France was isolated & impoverished
peasant communities where urban-based French culture, French language, and national consciousness had made few inroads- despite 1789 and 1848”
Underdeveloped France
“1789 & 1848 were not trivial, just incomplete.” Politics remained local and personal until those interests became linked to national ones and understood as such.
Traditional Culture of France
Oral Culture Illiterate Majority of rural France was; oral tradition KEY
Veillees Village goes to one person’s house at night to tell stories AND save fuel; creates a sense of community
Subsistence farming NOT part of the market econ Markets & fairs Local events that create a sense of
community
Peddlers Itinerate travelers who carried songs & stories
No concept of being part of the nation
Pre-Modernization Statistics
1810- Agriculture accounted for 66% of the national product; ¾ of citizens were rural
1812- 121 French bell ringers killed during storms to ward away evil hail-bringing spirits
1860- 1 in 5 citizens of France didn’t speak French- French was a foreign language!
Basque, Breton, Flemish, German, Gascon, Italian, Corsican, Catalan, & Bearnais
1906- only 1 in 4 draftees could explain why July 14th was a national holiday
Peasants resistant to Change Tradition
Plot size too small to modernize
Pervasive insecurity can’t take risks on new techniques
Prayer over fertilizer
Resistant to education Distrust of the government France ONLY administratively unified 1
government, 1 tax code, 1 army, but many nations
NOT just mindless devotion to the old ways….
Agencies of Change
Transportation
Educational Reforms
Universal Military Conscription
Rail Road“Greatly undermined the
isolation of separate communities”
Bikes & roads
Centralization Results Culture connected
Trade GREATLY increased
Transportation
31 496 9,167 23,089 38,109Kilometers of RR in… 1830 1840 1860 1880 1900
1850 1860
1870 1890
Education Reforms
Jules Ferry led reforms (1881-1886) Free & compulsory education Centralized curriculum New buildings & books Trained teachers
Centralization Results of Education Reform
Taught French language
Taught urban values
Created shared experience
Taught nationalism
Progress = good
Teaching Nationalism & Lying with MapsMap French texts books are using
ACTUAL map of Europe- note the Rhine River
The magic “moving” border between France & Germany!
Universal Military Conscription
Orders and signs…
Patriotism & nationalism
shared experience
Made the gov’t more acceptable
agent of emigration
Illiterate soldiers had to serve one more year
Continued the process schools began
Results Modernity brought “unexpected hope and comfort to the peasants”
“Many grieved over the loss of yesterday, but few who grieved were peasants… Thatched cottages…are picturesque on the outside, [but] living in them is another matter.”
When modern farming techniques proved useful…
Attitudes toward education changed Parents WANTED their kids to go to school
Civil Servant jobs Jobs in gov’t & military
More good feelings about the gov’t
More Results Technology changed customs RR- no more peddlers, so
songs & stories die out; better heat, so veillees die out
Printing killed oral culture
Development of a national consciousness
French unity now more than just administrative unity-->
Altered mentalite
France “becomes” L’hexagone nickname- ONE nation
(state?)
Analysis
Shows how small communities are absorbed into a nation and a nation-state
Reminds us how recent present levels of integration really are
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