La Belle Époque, (“The Beautiful Era” ) 1871-1914

Background and France

La Belle Epoque -- Political• Political stability in western and central

Europe

• Tension, but cooperation: France and Germany–Congress of Berlin in 1878, 1884

• New Alliances, Old Differences–Workers find similarities –Tension between working-class socialists,

bourgeois liberals, and aristocrats

La Belle Epoque -- Social

Post-Impressionism

Moulin Rouge

Characteristics of La Belle ÉpoqueCharacteristics of La Belle Époque

2.2. Increased European PopulationIncreased European Population

2. 1 in 5 people worldwide lived in Europe in 1900 (about 400 million people)

3.3. Growth of Cities & Urban LifeGrowth of Cities & Urban Life

4.4. Migration from EuropeMigration from Europe

1850-1940 1850-1940 60 million left Europe 60 million left Europe

Went to Went to US, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Australia/N. US, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Australia/N. Zeal.Zeal.

5.5. ““SecondSecond”” Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution

Steam Steam electricity electricity

Internal combustion & diesel engines.Internal combustion & diesel engines.

Cars, planes, submarines.Cars, planes, submarines.

Characteristics of La Belle ÉpoqueCharacteristics of La Belle Époque

                          

Glenbow Archives, Calgary, Canada

P-4346C-4

5. “SecondSecond”” Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution Britain Britain ““The WorldThe World’’s Industrial Workshops Industrial Workshop””

Corporations Corporations limited liability of investments. limited liability of investments.

Mass production.Mass production.

6.6. Free Trade [esp. in England]Free Trade [esp. in England]

7.7. World Markets [Global Economy, Part II]World Markets [Global Economy, Part II]

8.8. Advance of DemocracyAdvance of Democracy

5.5. Extension of the vote to the working class.Extension of the vote to the working class.

6.6. Creating a Creating a ““welfare state.welfare state.””

Characteristics of La Belle Characteristics of La Belle ÉpoqueÉpoque

9.9. The Appeal of SocialismThe Appeal of Socialism

By the 1880s, most socialist parties were Marxist By the 1880s, most socialist parties were Marxist [esp. Ger. & Fr.][esp. Ger. & Fr.]

Not very successful in England.Not very successful in England.

10.10. Faith in Science AloneFaith in Science Alone

Science at the core of industrialization.Science at the core of industrialization.

““New WondersNew Wonders”” of daily life. of daily life.

Charles DarwinCharles Darwin

• Origin of SpeciesOrigin of Species [1859] [1859]

• ““survival of the fittestsurvival of the fittest””

Characteristics of La Belle Characteristics of La Belle ÉpoqueÉpoque

10.10. Faith in Science Alone [conFaith in Science Alone [con’’t.]t.]

““Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism”” Herbert Spenser Herbert Spenser

EugenicsEugenics

Newtonian Science turned on its headNewtonian Science turned on its head

• Einstein Einstein ““Theory of RelativityTheory of Relativity”” nature & energy were nature & energy were separate & distinct. separate & distinct.

• Max Planck Max Planck Quantum Physics Quantum Physics

Professionalization of Professionalization of ““newnew”” sciences [anthropology, archeaology,etc.] sciences [anthropology, archeaology,etc.]

• PsychologyPsychology

Ivan Pavlov Ivan Pavlov conditioned responses conditioned responses

Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud psychoanalysis psychoanalysis

o The Interpretation of DreamsThe Interpretation of Dreams [1900] [1900]

o The role of the unconscious [the id, ego, super egoThe role of the unconscious [the id, ego, super ego

Characteristics of La Belle Characteristics of La Belle ÉpoqueÉpoque

11.11. New Trends in PhilosophyNew Trends in Philosophy

AgnosticismAgnosticism

NihilismNihilism

• Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche

ÜbermenschÜbermensch ““Super ManSuper Man””

IrrationalismIrrationalism

ExistentialismExistentialism

• Sören Kierkegaard Sören Kierkegaard existence proceeds essence existence proceeds essence

12.12. Internal Religious StrugglesInternal Religious Struggles

modernists vs. fundamentalistsmodernists vs. fundamentalists

Characteristics of La Belle Characteristics of La Belle ÉpoqueÉpoque

14. Anti-Semitism14. Anti-Semitism

Dreyfus AffairDreyfus Affair

Theodore Herzl Theodore Herzl Der JudenstaatDer Judenstaat [ [The Jewish The Jewish StateState], 1896], 1896

• ““Father of Modern ZionismFather of Modern Zionism””

15 Women15 Women’’s Movements Movement

Emmeline PankhurstEmmeline Pankhurst

16 The 16 The ““NewNew”” Imperialism Imperialism

17. Militarism 17. Militarism glorification of war glorification of war

Characteristics of La Belle Characteristics of La Belle ÉpoqueÉpoque

Great Exhibition (1851)• Show off to the world the wealth and power of

the British Empire• Crystal Palace was the centerpiece• Designed by gardener and greenhouse

designer Joseph Paxton• Attended by lots of the rich and famous as

well as those who hoped to be…• Including Charles Darwin, Samuel Colt,

Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, George Eliot and Alfred, Lord Tennyson

• Karl Marx hated it

Opening of the Great Exhibition by Queen Victoria

From plans to completion in 9 months…

Exposition Universelle (1889)• A world’s fair to show off France and celebrate

the centennial of the French Revolution

1889 Paris Exposition

* In honor of the French Revolution Centennial.

* Eiffel Tower is entrance to fair

If London is the commerce capital, Paris is the cultural capital.

Central Dome of the Gallery des Machines, Louis Beroud

• The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 15 April to 12 November 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next

Entrance to the 1900 Paris World Fair

Interior, 1900 Paris World Fair

France

Third French Republic Declared! September, 1870 after France’s defeat at the

Battle of Sedan during Franco Prussian War Napoleon III abdicated the throne.

New government headed by Adolphe Thiers. This new government continued the fight against the

Germans who laid siege to Paris. To defend Paris, a National Guard was raised numbering

over 350,000. France surrendered in February, 1871 after 40,000 Parisians

died.

Declaring the3rd French Republic

The Third French Republic Thiers’ government was seen as:

Too conservative. Too royalist. Too ready to accept a humiliating peace with Prussia.

Prussian troops marched into Paris in March, 1871.

The French government established itself at Versailles, NOT in Paris. Parisians were angered by this. They opposed the policies of this new government. It attempted to restore order in Paris.

Paris in Revolt!The Paris Commune [Communards] was elected on

March 28 and established itself at the Hôtel de Ville.

Paris in Revolt Rejected a Gov. that made peace with Germany

Socialist

Controlled Paris for 2 months

Attempted Communard Reforms

* Allowed trade unions & workers cooperatives to take over factories not in use and start them up again.

* Set up unemployment exchanges in town halls.* Provide basic elementary education for all they

were strongly against church-controlled schools.* Attempted to set up girls schools.* Day nurseries near factories for working mothers.

!

Paris in Revolt

Civil War!

CommunardsTroops from

Versailles

The Commune was suppressed by government troops led by Marshal Patrice MacMahon during the last week of May, 1871.

Known as the “Bloody Week.”

First Communist Revolution?

It served as an inspiration

to later revolutionaries like Vladimir

Lenin.

* 25,000 Communards killed.

* 35,000 were arrested.

Communard Casualties

Paris City Hall Destroyed

“Paris the Beautiful”

“Paris the beautiful is Paris the ghastly, Paris the battered, Paris

the burning, Paris the blood-spattered now.

And this in the 19th century and Europe professes civilization, and

France boasts of culture, and Frenchmen are braining one

another with the end of muskets, and Paris is burning.” – an English visitor

The Third Republic:

Government Structure

3rd Republic Conservative

Politically unstable 50 govs. in 1st ten years! Monarchists vs. republicans. Scandals

Numerous factions -- all governments were coalitions Ended 1940

The Constitution* The President:

Can dissolve Chamber of Deputies with the support of the Senate Can nominate the new head of government

* The Senate (Upper House) Elected by “department” representatives 9 year term Conservative

The Constitution

* The Chamber of Deputies (Lower House) 4 year term 600 members elected by universal male suffrage. Many groups:

Socialists: many were Marxists.Moderate Republicans: middle class.Radicals: anti-clerical, anti churchMonarchists: Catholics, Bonapartists, Royalists =

Conservative

The Third Republic:

Scandals