Research on the Establishment Process of Modern Local Administration System during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Era

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13219
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03040:History of Europe and America-related
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Women's University
• Principal Investigator: Fujihara Shota 福岡女子大学, 国際文理学部, 准教授 (50824166)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 地方議会、ナポレオン、フランス革命、ラングドック

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To elucidate the specific process of local interest group formation within the local councils during the French Revolution and Napoleonic era in France, the case of the Gard department, located in the former Languedoc province, was examined. This involved uncovering the backgrounds of local council members during the Napoleonic era, their socio-economic characteristics, regional representation, as well as the activities of the departmental and district councils, and their relationship in tax allocation. Through this research, it became evident that the urban dominance structure observed in the former Provincial Estates persisted in the local councils of the Napoleonic era. Additionally, it was found that these local councils, with their regional representation, fiercely opposed each other in tax allocation. In response to such conflicts, the Napoleonic regime acted as a "neutral power," ensuring fair regional representation and striving for the stabilization of regional order.

Free Research Field

近代フランス史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

フランス革命の終息プロセスを明らかにするには、地方社会における非政治化の具体的な展開を検討しなければならない。本研究により、ナポレオン時代の地方議会における公正な地域代表性の実現、並びに旧体制期の都市支配構造の反映が、地域社会の非政治化、すなわち地域秩序の安定化をもたらしたことが明らかになった。このことは、地方利害の代表と非政治化が決して矛盾するものではなく、むしろ密接に結びつくことによって、社会に政治的無関心を引き起こすメカニズムが存在することをよく示している。その点で、現代社会における政治的無関心の蔓延と権威主義体制の成立の関係を理解するうえでも、本研究の成果は意義を有するものである。