French Liberalism and Imperialism in the Age of Napoleon III: Empire at Home, Colonies Abroad

Description

This book explores the interplay between liberalism and imperialism in Second Empire France. By examining the political dimension of imperial expansion and the power of words in shaping public opinion, it sheds light on the ways in which liberal ideas developed in the nineteenth century. In contrast to Britain, French imperialism in the third quarter of the nineteenth century was fostered by a Bonapartist regime that liberals needed to fight in order to build their own political brand. The author argues that the 1860s were not so much a period of ‘liberal empire’ in France as has traditionally been suggested, since liberals were in fact more conveyers of political change rather than supporters of the regime. To demonstrate how French liberals succeeded in configuring an alternative political option, the book explores their attitudes to the expanding colonial empire of Napoleon III in the 1850s and 60s through the analysis of parliamentary debates, the press and published texts. Providing three in-depth case studies on Bonapartist expansion projects in Algeria, Cochinchina and Mexico, the book provides new insights on the foundations of the liberal position on imperialism, and the intellectual outlooks and belief systems that informed these views. Analysing discourses and ideas, as opposed to facts and policies, this book presents a new perspective on the nature of the French Second Empire and illustrates how this shaped a specific liberal political culture in France. Acknowledgements Contents About the Author Abbreviations 1 Introduction Liberalism in the Nineteenth Century and the French Context Empires and the Imperial Imaginary The Interplay Between Liberalism and Imperialism 2 Rethinking the French Second Empire: New Bonapartism, Liberal Voices and Imperial Languages Napoleon III, the Empire and the Nation The Emperor and New Bonapartism Empire and Nation Liberal Voices in an ‘Illiberal Democracy’ The Group of Five Other Liberal Voices Censorship and Freedom of the Press Overseas Ventures and Imperial Languages Civilisation Glory and Greatness 3 The Nation Abroad?: Algeria and French Colonialism in the 1860s Politics of Assimilation and Rights of Representation Industrial Production and Economic Strength Algeria’s Economic Appeal Industrial Production Investments and Labour The Crescent Under the Sign of the Cross Further Evangelisation Girardin and the Link Between ‘Two Worlds’ 4 The Search for World Prestige in Cochinchina ‘Base Du Génie Rayonnant De La France’: Cochinchina and Fascination with the Empire A Golden Opportunity for Trade Cochinchina and the Protection of Christian Missionaries 5 Mexico and French Visions of the Empire’s ‘Greatest Thought’ The Principle of Non-intervention and the ‘Right of Nations’ International Law and Non-intervention On Mexico A Central Issue Towards Failure ‘Arrêtez-vous!’ Mexico and France’s Financial Stability Religion and Culture 6 Conclusion Political Spheres and Mutual Influences Imperial Ventures Liberals and the Empire Sources and Bibliography Index