A Concise History of France (Cambridge Concise Histories)
Cambridge University Press
Edition: 3, 2/6/2014
EAN 9781107603431, ISBN10: 1107603439
Paperback, 530 pages, 21.6 x 13.8 x 2.3 cm
Language: English
This is the most up-to-date and comprehensive study of French history available ranging from the early middle ages to the present. Amongst its central themes are the relationships between state and society, the impact of war, competition for power, and the ways in which power has been used. Whilst taking full account of major figures such as Philip Augustus, Henri IV, Louis XIV, Napoleon and de Gaulle, it sets their activities within the broader context of changing economic and social structures and beliefs, and offers rich insights into the lives of ordinary men and women. This third edition has been substantially revised and includes a new chapter on contemporary France - a society and political system in crisis as a result of globalisation, rising unemployment, a failing educational system, growing social and racial tensions, corruption, the rise of the extreme right, and a widespread loss of confidence in political leaders.
List of plates
List of figures
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part I. Medieval and Early Modern France
1. Population and resources in pre-industrial France
2. Society and politics in medieval France
3. Society and politics in early modern France
Part II. The Dual Revolution
Modern and Contemporary France
4. Revolution and empire
5. The nineteenth century
continuity and change
6. A time of crisis, 1914–45
7. Reconstruction and renewal
the Trente Glorieuses
8. A society under stress
A short guide to further reading
Index.