💸
COLIN HEYWOOD -
DEVELOPMENT OF THE
FRENCH ECONOMY
1. Introduction: The Outlines of a Debate
In 1789, France electrified the world with her revolutionary ideals, providing
inspiration for generations of political radicals. During the 1800s, it was French
military prowess that came to the fore, as the Napoleonic armies overran
Europe. By 19th century. French specially Paris became famous for arts and
creativity.
But France was lagging behind it neighbor such as Britain and Germany in
economics. The French people are infamous for their luxury and frivolity
whereas the British were known for their Industriousness and patience. Later
this industrial civilization shifted to of Germany and America. French remained a
agricultural regime with its exports of wine, silk and perfumes.
Reasons counted for French failure to catch up are:
inefficient peasant farmers
reluctance to exploit potentially important inventions
the hesitation in expanding beyond the limits imposed by the family firm
COLIN HEYWOOD - DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRENCH ECONOMY 1
, the preference for overseas instead of home investments
the timorous sheltering behind tariff barriers
Later there were radical revision theories about the French Economy
including of Rondo Cameron who in 1950s described the French
performance as 'disappointing', but in 1983 he asserted that 'the French
economy performed very well in comparison with other industrializing
nations'. Revisionists started discarding earlier theories of stagnation,
retardation and backwardness.
This led to a new perspective of French economy as revisionists brought out
new sources contrasting views of 1950s and 60s historians. Also saying that
one should not judge France from the prism of Britain. But revisionists are
often seen as doing favorable assessment of France.
Recently its again clear that France was slow in economic growth than others
due to the permanence of traditional structures, the high level of agricultural
income until the early 1880s and the obstacles in front of industrialization.
2. The Performance of the French
Economy
QUANTITATIVE STUDIES OF FRENCH ECONOMY
Statistical sources from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are known
for their lack of reliability. Therefore, it is not surprising that historians have
often reached different conclusions regarding specific economic variables,
such as the growth of agricultural production in the eighteenth century or levels
of industrial productivity in the nineteenth century.
It is evident from the start that France's performance in terms of total GNP
growth was relatively poor. With a growth rate of 1.41 percent per year, it fell
well below the European average of 1.88 percent. France seems to have been
surpassed by all of its competitors, with a few exceptions like Italy and Spain.
Based on this, it could be said that the French economy in the nineteenth
century was lagging behind.
It is a fact that France had the slowest growing population in Europe during this
period, with an increase of only 0.16% per year. As a result, her economic
performance appeared more impressive when measured on a per capita basis.
Between 1860 and 1910, the growth rate of French GNP per capita was 1.25%,
COLIN HEYWOOD - DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRENCH ECONOMY 2
, surpassing the European average of 0.96% and positioning France among the
leading countries.
Maddison's analysis reveals France's underwhelming performance in terms of
total output growth between 1820 and 1870. However, France shows closer
alignment with major competitors like the United Kingdom and Germany in
terms of GDP per capita growth. To fully assess French economic growth, two
additional points must be considered.
Franois Crouzet propounded that product per capita is 'the genuine criterion
of economic progress.' His view would be more acceptable to most
economists and economic historians, and so it will be proposed here as the
best single measure of economic welfare available. It is certainly the starting
point for most of the recent revisionist writing in French economic history.
Firstly, the levels and growth rates of per capita incomes in Europe can be
measured. France is positioned in an intermediate position rather than being an
obvious leader or laggard.
Secondly, the unique patterns of French economic growth have attracted the
attention of historians. While previous criticism of French performance
compared to the British Industrial Revolution or the rapid growth of the German
economy has been discredited, recent research highlights that overall
economic growth in nineteenth-century Europe was slow by contemporary
standards. In the case of France, a gradual and inconspicuous path to
development had its own merits.
France experienced a growth pattern marked by occasional slowdowns rather
than exceptional acceleration. The upheavals of the Revolutionary politics and
prolonged warfare during the 1790s and 1800s led to a deceleration period,
often referred to as a "national catastrophe." The resulting setback allowed the
British to take a decisive lead over their old rival. The late nineteenth-century
"Great Depression" years brought another period of lean years.
Researchers like Uvy-Leboyer and Bourguignon have highlighted the extended
pause in economic growth between 1860 and 1886 as a unique experience for
France. This had negative long-term consequences, as France fell behind its
main competitors during a period of liberalized trade and technical innovation.
In summary, experts describe French economic growth as "not brilliant, but
quite creditable" or "respectable but certainly not outstanding." These
conclusions strike a balanced perspective between the extremes of pessimism
and praise found in the literature.
COLIN HEYWOOD - DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRENCH ECONOMY 3
COLIN HEYWOOD -
DEVELOPMENT OF THE
FRENCH ECONOMY
1. Introduction: The Outlines of a Debate
In 1789, France electrified the world with her revolutionary ideals, providing
inspiration for generations of political radicals. During the 1800s, it was French
military prowess that came to the fore, as the Napoleonic armies overran
Europe. By 19th century. French specially Paris became famous for arts and
creativity.
But France was lagging behind it neighbor such as Britain and Germany in
economics. The French people are infamous for their luxury and frivolity
whereas the British were known for their Industriousness and patience. Later
this industrial civilization shifted to of Germany and America. French remained a
agricultural regime with its exports of wine, silk and perfumes.
Reasons counted for French failure to catch up are:
inefficient peasant farmers
reluctance to exploit potentially important inventions
the hesitation in expanding beyond the limits imposed by the family firm
COLIN HEYWOOD - DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRENCH ECONOMY 1
, the preference for overseas instead of home investments
the timorous sheltering behind tariff barriers
Later there were radical revision theories about the French Economy
including of Rondo Cameron who in 1950s described the French
performance as 'disappointing', but in 1983 he asserted that 'the French
economy performed very well in comparison with other industrializing
nations'. Revisionists started discarding earlier theories of stagnation,
retardation and backwardness.
This led to a new perspective of French economy as revisionists brought out
new sources contrasting views of 1950s and 60s historians. Also saying that
one should not judge France from the prism of Britain. But revisionists are
often seen as doing favorable assessment of France.
Recently its again clear that France was slow in economic growth than others
due to the permanence of traditional structures, the high level of agricultural
income until the early 1880s and the obstacles in front of industrialization.
2. The Performance of the French
Economy
QUANTITATIVE STUDIES OF FRENCH ECONOMY
Statistical sources from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are known
for their lack of reliability. Therefore, it is not surprising that historians have
often reached different conclusions regarding specific economic variables,
such as the growth of agricultural production in the eighteenth century or levels
of industrial productivity in the nineteenth century.
It is evident from the start that France's performance in terms of total GNP
growth was relatively poor. With a growth rate of 1.41 percent per year, it fell
well below the European average of 1.88 percent. France seems to have been
surpassed by all of its competitors, with a few exceptions like Italy and Spain.
Based on this, it could be said that the French economy in the nineteenth
century was lagging behind.
It is a fact that France had the slowest growing population in Europe during this
period, with an increase of only 0.16% per year. As a result, her economic
performance appeared more impressive when measured on a per capita basis.
Between 1860 and 1910, the growth rate of French GNP per capita was 1.25%,
COLIN HEYWOOD - DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRENCH ECONOMY 2
, surpassing the European average of 0.96% and positioning France among the
leading countries.
Maddison's analysis reveals France's underwhelming performance in terms of
total output growth between 1820 and 1870. However, France shows closer
alignment with major competitors like the United Kingdom and Germany in
terms of GDP per capita growth. To fully assess French economic growth, two
additional points must be considered.
Franois Crouzet propounded that product per capita is 'the genuine criterion
of economic progress.' His view would be more acceptable to most
economists and economic historians, and so it will be proposed here as the
best single measure of economic welfare available. It is certainly the starting
point for most of the recent revisionist writing in French economic history.
Firstly, the levels and growth rates of per capita incomes in Europe can be
measured. France is positioned in an intermediate position rather than being an
obvious leader or laggard.
Secondly, the unique patterns of French economic growth have attracted the
attention of historians. While previous criticism of French performance
compared to the British Industrial Revolution or the rapid growth of the German
economy has been discredited, recent research highlights that overall
economic growth in nineteenth-century Europe was slow by contemporary
standards. In the case of France, a gradual and inconspicuous path to
development had its own merits.
France experienced a growth pattern marked by occasional slowdowns rather
than exceptional acceleration. The upheavals of the Revolutionary politics and
prolonged warfare during the 1790s and 1800s led to a deceleration period,
often referred to as a "national catastrophe." The resulting setback allowed the
British to take a decisive lead over their old rival. The late nineteenth-century
"Great Depression" years brought another period of lean years.
Researchers like Uvy-Leboyer and Bourguignon have highlighted the extended
pause in economic growth between 1860 and 1886 as a unique experience for
France. This had negative long-term consequences, as France fell behind its
main competitors during a period of liberalized trade and technical innovation.
In summary, experts describe French economic growth as "not brilliant, but
quite creditable" or "respectable but certainly not outstanding." These
conclusions strike a balanced perspective between the extremes of pessimism
and praise found in the literature.
COLIN HEYWOOD - DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRENCH ECONOMY 3
