Cambridge University Press People and Politics in France, 1848–1870

This 2004 book is about politicisation and political choice in the aftermath of the February Revolution of 1848, and the emergence of democracy in France. The introduction of male suffrage both encouraged expectations of social transformation and aroused intense fear. In these circumstances the election of Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte as President of the Republic - and his subsequent coup d'état - were the essential features of a counter-revolutionary process which involved the creation of a system of democracy as the basis of regime legitimacy and as a prelude to greater liberalisation. The state positively encouraged the act of voting. But what did it mean? How did people perceive politics? How did communities and groups participate in political activity? These and many other questions concern the relationships between local issues and personalities, and the national political culture, all of which impinged on communities increasingly as a result of substantial social and political change. Review Review of the hardback: 'People and Politics is a towering achievement, one that scholars will consult and engage with for years to come.' European History QuarterlyReview of the hardback: 'Roger Price joins a distinguished line of Anglophone historians of France who have done much to rescue the Second Empire from the 'black legend' of republican propaganda.' The Times Literary SupplementReview of the hardback: '… rich synthesis … a densely documented, lively, perceptive survey of a transformative moment in French history.' The Journal of Interdisciplinary History Book Description A 2004 study of the counter-revolutionary policies pursued by Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte's regime in France after 1848. About the Author Roger Price is Professor of History, University of Wales, Aberystwyth. His recent book The French Second Empire: An Anatomy of Political Power was published by Cambridge University Press in 2001.