Question: What
specific factors can you identify that allowed France to remake itself? How
could this work or not work with the nation/state/area of your interest and
why?
During Louis XIV’s reign and Colbert’s time in office, the
dwindling amounts of gold and silver circulating in Europe led to the basis of
Colbert’s plan for France: the prioritization of French exports over imports when
it came to Louis XIV’s lavish possessions, and the importance of having a large
following behind the purchase of these items (DeJean, 8). France had enough
financial stability and technology to produce the various commodities desired
by Louis XIV. France also had the ability to educate and train workers through
institutions established in France. France’s absolute monarchical government
system assisted as well, as it allowed for the king to have a strong influence
over the population and drive the consumption of French goods.
My group and I have not fully decided on a nation at the
moment, but if I were to use the Philippines in the same time period, the Philippines
was under Spanish rule, and so did not have the same autonomy that France had
to authorize new industries for production. The Philippines was also more agriculturally
based, and so may not have had the same resources to establish factories for
production, and also did not employ mercantilism as France did with Colbert (Merchant,
55).
These factors allowed the remodeling of France’s image through
its creation and establishment of cafes, boutiques, the fashion industry, specialization
of interior design, and others. The combination of Louis XIV’s pure passion and
dedication to the high class image, Colbert’s economic expertise, and the many
industries available for production drew in the French population of all
classes. This led to the fulfillment of all three aspects needed for a national
aesthetic and the successful shift in France’s image. The creation of new
features in guidebooks and the way in which merchants learned to persuade their
customers also managed to draw in and leave a good impression on foreigners as
well (DeJean, 17). Based on this time period, given that the results of this
image change did lead to conflict mainly in French industries, I would say having
a stronger regard for industrial workers and managers and taking into account
the barriers preventing the smooth establishment of new industries would be
helpful (Usher, 1934).
I found that Louis XIV, the highest seat of French government
at the time, being one of the main initiators and promoters of this
transformation in French culture and class could be linked to how Korea’s
government was the biggest driver for the focus and strengthening of culture
and culture policy in Korea.
I had been aware that France was the origin of fashion and
cafés, but I had no idea that interior design, the modern shop, and the current
method of shopping started there as well. I also found it particularly interesting
how much of France’s success relied largely on aesthetics - how products
looked, how they were advertised, and the environment around them – and I think
really showed just how powerful and long-lasting the effects of aesthetics can
be.
My Question: Even
though the high-class image seemed to be unanimously embraced, were there areas/groups
that disliked the new French aesthetic itself (as opposed to the consequences
of this image in the French industries, as discussed in Colbert and Governmental Control…)? If so, how did they deal with
or protest against these changes?
Sources:
DeJean Joan. 2005. The
Essence of Style: How the French Invented High Fashion, Fine Food, Chic Cafes,
Style, Sophistication, and Glamour. Free Press: New York.
Usher, A. P. (1934, November 15). Colbert and Governmental
Control of Industry in Seventeenth Century France. The Review of Economics and Statistics, Vol. 16, No. 11, pp.
237-240.
Merchant, Pranav. "Economic effects of the Spanish
conquest of the Philippines and Mercantile theory." Stanford Univ Res J 9 (2012):
53-59.
Image:
http://www.impressiveinteriordesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/French-Interior-Design-Ideas-Style-And-Decoration-12.jpg
This book may have the information you need.
ReplyDeleteOpposition to Louis XIV: The Political and Social Origins of French Enlightenment by Lionel Rothkrug. (page 463)
And read more about "Mercantilism".
"It was after Colbert’s ministry was well established that anti-mercantilist themes became a central part of religiously inspired criticism" (Rothkrug, 1965). High tariffs, especially on manufactured goods, are an almost universal feature of mercantilist policy. Other policies have included: forbidding colonies to trade with other nations, monopolizing markets with staple ports, banning the export of gold and silver, even for payments, forbidding trade to be carried in foreign ships, subsidies on exports, promoting manufacturing and industry through research or direct subsidies, limiting wages, maximizing the use of domestic resources, restricting domestic consumption through non-tariff barriers to trade (Wikipedia).