Political History of France, 1789-1910

This insightful exploration begins on the brink of the French Revolution, as a financially mismanaged government struggles under a King described by the author as devoid of both ability and energy. The discontent of a tax-burdened peasantry and an ambitious middle class fuels a revolution that spirals beyond its architects control, plunging France into the depths of the Terror and international conflict. Enter Napoleon, a figure of remarkable diligence and quick understanding, whose ambition and vulgar desire for recognition ultimately lead to his nations tragic downfall. The narrative traces the paths of Napoleons successors, including his nephew Louis Napoleon, whose misguided leadership drags France into the catastrophic Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Following this defeat, the Dreyfus affair ignites a wave of anti-Semitic hysteria that fractures French society for over a decade. Published in 1916, this compelling account concludes in 1910, with France standing on the precipice of the