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1789
-1815

Loïc

C harles

Guillaume Daudin

Silvia

M arzagalli

SCIENCES PO

OFCE WORKING PAPER n° 06/2022

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Chair: Xavier Ragot (Sciences Po, OFCE)

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: Jérôme Creel (Sciences Po, OFCE), Eric Heyer (Sciences Po, OFCE), Sarah Guillou (Sciences

Po, OFCE), Xavier Timbeau (Sciences Po, OFCE)

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ORKING PAPER CITATION

T his Working Paper: Loïc Charles, Guillaume Daudin and Silvia Marzagalli In the epicenter of the storm? The effects of the revolution and warfare on the French Economy, 1789
-1815

Sciences Po OFCE Working Paper, n° 06/2022.

Downloaded from URL

: www.ofce.sciences-po.fr/pdf/dtravail/WP2022-06.pdf

DOI - ISSN

© 202

2 OFCE

ABO

UT THE AUTHORS

Loïc Charles, Université Paris 8 Saint-Denis, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED),

Email Address:

charles@ined.fr Guil laume Daudin, Université Paris-Dauphine, PSL University, CNRS, LEDa, DIAL, Sciences Po-OFCE,

Email Address:

guillaume.daudin@dauphine.psl.eu

Silvia Marzagalli, Université Côte d'Azur, Centre de la Méditerranée Moderne et Contemporaine,

Email Address:

Silvia.Marzagalli@univ-cotedazur.fr

ABS TRACT

To assess the consequences of warfare and revolution on the French economy from 1792 to 1815, this chapter

compares the dynamics of the French economy in the decades preceding 1789 and those following 1815. It

discusses institutional changes, sectorial transformations, and macroeconomic trends of the French economy.

The institutional reforms implemented by the various governments during the period between 1789 and 1815

were wide ranging. However, their direct impact on the economy is difficult to measure. What seems clear is

that, on the whole, they reinforced the authority of the central state and favoured the development of rural

France. The period had a profound influence on the industrial structure of the French economy. External trade

was shattered by more than two decades of war and blockades and trade and export-led industrial sectors

were badly hit. After 1815, the dynamism of the French economy was transferred from coastal ports and re

gions

to the interior. These changes shaped the French economy of the nineteenth century which was dominated by

agriculture and specialised in industrial sectors and techniques that used sparingly coal energy, and thus took

an original path of development.

KEYWORDS

French Revolution; Napoleonic France; French Economic history; Economic consequences of warfare; eighteenth -century France. JEL

N13, N33, N43, N54, N63, N73.

1

IN THE EPICENTER OF THE STORM?

THE EFFECTS OF THE REVOLUTION AND WARFARE

ON THE FRENCH ECONOMY, 1789-1815

1 2 -!./0**(/1+!2(/304 3 -!50*60(!7()8(9(**0 4

Abstract

;'#,+!=#**#>049 !AEAFH!I;!30, %/, ,+,!04,;0;/;0#4(*!%'(49+,-!,+%;#)0 (*!;)(4,=#)1(;0#4,-!(43! %#(,;(*!G#);,!(43!) +90#4,!;#!;'+!04;+ )0#)H!:' +,+!%'(49+,!,'(G+3!;'+!?)+ 4%'!+% #4#1@!#=! ;'+! KeywordsR!?)+4%'!S+6#*/;0#4T!U(G#* +#40%!?)(4%+T!!?)+4%'!M%#4#10%!'0,;#)@T!M%#4#10%!

JEL!R!UAV-!UVV-!UWV-!UFW-!UXV-!UBV!

1

This working paper is the author manuscript of a chapter published in O'Brien, Patrick (2021) "The Crucible of

Revolutionary and Napoleonic Warfare and European Transitions to Modern Economic Growth" Brill.

The authors thank the Patrick O'Brien, Jérôme Creel and all other authors of the book for their helpful comments. They

are grateful to the Leverhulme Trust for funding the "Economic O utcomes Flowing from the Revolutionary and

Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815" project (PI : Patrick O'Brien) that made this chapter possible. 2

Université Paris 8 Saint-Denis, Led (EA 339), 2 rue de la liberté, F-93526 Saint-Denis cedex, France. Institut

national des études démographiques (INED), 133 Blvd Davout, F-75980 Paris cedex, France. Orcid id: 0000-0001-9698-

3707 charles@ined.fr

3

Université Paris-Dauphine, PSL University, CNRS, 8007, IRD, 260, LEDa, DIAL, 75016, Paris, France. Sciences Po,

OFCE, 75007, Pa ris, France. Orcid id: 0000-0001-9698-4750. Corresponding author : guillaume.daudin@dauphine.psl.eu 4

Université Côte d'Azur, Centre de la Méditerranée Moderne et Contemporaine (UPR 1193). 98 Bd. Edouard

Herriot, 06204 Nice Cedex 3, France Orcid id: 0000-0003-0387-470X. silvia.marzagalli@univ-cotedazur.fr

2

4(;/)+!=)#1!(!3+=+4,06+!;#!(4!#==+4,06+!%#4=*0%;H!Y@!,+08049!G#>+)!;')#/9'!(!coup d'État!04!ABCC-!

+N;+)4(*0,+!?)(4%+],!=04(4%0 (*!J/)3+4,H!L()!,/J,+U(G#*+#40%!)+901+!/G!;#!AEAFH! 3 5 ?)+4%'!'0,;#)0(4,!'(6+! (%)01#40#/,*@!3+J(;+3!;'+!%#4, +For a general bibliography and a comprehensive assessment of this debate, see the special issue of leading

French economic journal Revue économique on this subject (1989). ! 6

This methodological stance should not be taken as a sign that we believe that political and military events did

not affect the French economy.! 4 ,+%;0#4!(3#G;,!(!30,(99)+9 (;+3!(GG)#(%'!04!#)3+ )!;#!+,;(J* 0,'!;'(;!;'+!?)+4%'!+%#4#1@ !>(,! Q*#49!>0;'!1(d#)!,# %0(*!/G'+(6(*,- !;'+,+!%'(49+,!, '(G+3!;'+!)/)(*-!,1(* *P%0;@!?)(4%+!#=!;'+! #6+)(**!1(%)#+%#4#10%!3@4(10,1H!

1. Institutions

:'0,!,+%;0#4!#=! ;'+!G(G+)!*##O,!(;!;'+!*#49!)/4!04,;0;/;0#4(*!%'(49+,!04;)#3/%+3!3/ )049!;'+! S+6#*/;0#4()@!(43!U(G#*+#40%!+)(,!;'(;!01 G(%;+3!;'+!+ 6#*/;0#4!#=!;'+!?)+4%'!+%#4#1@ H!:'+!

;')#/9'!;'+!9+4+)(*0,(;0#4!#=!propriété libre Z=)++'#*3\H!Q,!(!)+,/*;-!;'+!9+4+)(*!04 ,;0;/;0#4(*!

;'+0)!30==/,0 #4!04;#!G#*0;0+,!/43+)!?)+4%'!10*0;()@!#%%/G(;0 #4!>(,!(!3+%0,06+!=(%;#) !04!;'+0)! U(G#*+#40%!)/*+!04!;'+!1#3+)40,(;0#4!#=!04+4;(*!M/)#G+!G#*0;0+,-!,++!Q%+1#9*/!et al. DcAA\H! 5

1.1. Disappointing reforms?

Q%%#)3049!;#!(!404+;++4;'P%+4;/)@!,/)6+@-!;'+!1+(4!,G++3!Z04%*/3049!,;#G,\!#=!;'+!Messageries >(,!

1(d#)!;+%'4#*#90 %(*!046+4;0#4!;'(;!,G++3+3!/G!;'+!;)(4,10,, 0#4!#=!04=#)1(;0#4-!&'(GG+],!

6 U+6+);'+*+,,-!;'+!#6+)(**!;)(4,G#);!4+;>#)O!#4*@!01G)#6+3! ,*09';*@H!I4!;'+! ABEc,-!;'+)+!>+)+! ;#!%(;%'!/G!#4!a*3!S+901+!;)+43,H

Figure 1: Evolution of post roads, 1708-1833

5#/)%+R!j+)30+)!g!Y)+;(94#**+!ZDccB\!

7 !7+(,/)049!9)(04!1()O+;! 7

The Old Regime French economy was increasingly, but incompletely integrated - the price of wheat on local

markets could vary by 300 per cent (Weir 1991, 926). In 1781-1787, an hectolitre of wheat cost 7.93 livres tournois in

Douai (Nord) and 23.37 livres tournois in Aix (Bouches-du-Rhône). 7 G)#9)+,,!J+;>++4!ABFcPABEE-!;'+!ABCVPAEAF!G+)0#3!>(,! #4+!#=!,;)#49!1()O+;!04 ;+9)(;0#4H! ;)+43!;#>()3,!9)+ (;+)!1()O+;!0 4;+9)(;0#4!=)#1!A Bcc!;#!ACcc!>(,!;'/,!04;+))/G;+ 3!J@!;'+! ;)(30;0#4(*!,@,;+1!#=!G)#G+) ;@!)09';,H 8 !:#%Negative judgments on smaller holdings can be traced back to physiocratic ideas. Guy Lemarchand offers a

more nuanced picture and stresses how the persistence of small property mitigated the social tragedies of rapid

industrialisation. 10

Industrial capital found an effective means of avoiding too much division through inheritance , mainly through

inbred marriage (Hirsch, 1991, 291-312). 8

Écoles]!'(3!J+9/4!04!;'+!103P+09';++4;'!%+4;/)@-!>0;'!;'+!École des ponts et chaussées!04!ABWB!

=#**#>+3!J@!;'+!École des mines !04!ABEVH! I4!ABCW!;'+!S+6#*/;0# 4()0+,! +,;(J*0,'+3!;'+!École polytechnique-!;'+!Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (43 ;'+!École Normale;!(43!;'+! S+,;#)(;0#4!04;)#3/%+3!;'+!Ecole Normale supérieure de commerce!ZAEAC\-!(1#49!#;'+),H!:'+!

1#)+!*0;+)(;+!;'(4!;'+!)+,;!#=!?)(4%+H!

1.2. A winner: the central state

)+=#)1,!>(,!;'+!%+4;)(*!,;(;+H! 9 +NG+430;/)+,H!:'+!)+1(043+)!>(,!1(04*@!=04 (4%+3!;')#/9' !;'+!+N;)(%;0#4!#=!)+,#/)%+,!=)#1!! a*3!S+901+-! ;'+!,(*+!#=!+%%*+,0(,;0%(* !+,;(;+,-!;'+!0 4=*(;0#4!#= !;'+!assignats-!(43!;' +!ABCB! '+!04%)+(, 049*@!)+,#);+3!;#!>()!043+140;0+,!`!(!,;) (;+9@!;'(;!*(,;+3!/4;0*!A EAAH!I4 3+140;0+,! 10 ^#'4,#4!DccX-!CXVPCCA\H!:'+!(J#*0;0#4!#=!6+4(*0;@ !04!*+9(*!(43!=0,%(*!(31 040,;)(;0#4 !(43!;'+! >0;'!0;,!G)#d +%;+3!+6#* /;0#4!J(,+3!#4!;'+!ABWcPABEE!9+#1+;)0%! ;)+43H!&+4;)(*!,;(;+!04%#1+! )#,+!;#!XFk!(J#6+!;'+!9+#1+;)0%!;)+43H!! 11

Figure 2: French state income, 1650-1913

Source: Dincecco 1991, authors' computations!

12 Figure 3: The Growth of Ministerial Personnel, 1770-1850 !5#/)%+R!&'/)%'!ACEA-!BV! %#))+,G#43,!;#!;'+!04;+4,+!1#J0*0,(;0#4! #=!;'+ !?)+4%'!, ;(;+],!)+,#/)%+,!;#!=09';!;'+!%#/4;+)P 13

1+)0;H!

1.3. The rise of rural France

G+)'(G,!+6+4!1#)+!,#- !#>4+),!#=!,+09 4+/)0(*!G)060*+ 9+,!>+)+!;'/,!;'+!1(0 4!J+4+=0%0()0 +,!#=! (9)0%/*;/)(*!9)#>;'H 11 #=!?)+4%' !,#0*-!;'+!4#J0*0;@!,* 09';*@!*+,,!;'(4!(!;'0 )3-!(43!1+ 1J+),!#=!/)J(4!J#/)9+#0,0+!

J@!*(43*#)3,H!

11

For a thorough discussion of the differences between rents linked to landowning and owning of seigneurial

privileges and their evolution in the eighteenth-century, see Patrick K. O'Brien and David Heath (1994, p. 23-62).

14

%#1G()(J*+!04!1(940;/3+!;#!;'(;!#=!;'+!4(;0#4(*0,(;0#4!#=!+%%*+,0(,;0%(*!+,;(;+,!ZYm(/)!et al.!ACCB-!

FE\H! 12 !:'+!)+=#)1!#=! 12

For a very good synthesis of the situation in the fiscal situation in the 1780s and its evolution during the

Revolution and the Empire, see Eugene White (1995, 227-255). 15 13 G+(,(4;,!#=!(GG)#N01(;+* @!AF!G+) !%+4;!#=!;'+0)!)+6+4/+,!04!;'+!:#/* #/,+!)+90#4-!J/;!>+)+! :'+!,/GG)+,, 0#4!#=!J#;'!,+094+/)0(*!3/+,!(43!;0;'+, !4#;!#4*@! %#4;)0J/;+3!;#! 01G)#6049!=0,%(*! J+;>++4!;'+!(J#*0;0#4!#=! 4#4P,;(;+!;(N+,!%# **+%;+3!J@!;' +!&'/)%'!(43!4#J0*0;@!(43!;'+! >'#*+!04%)+(,+3H!?/ );'+)1#)+-!1#)+!,;(J*+!(43!%*+()*@ !3+=04+3!G)#G+);@!)09';!(*,#!G)#603+3 !

3+*(@+3!J@!>()P)+*(;+3!=0,%(*!J/)3+ 4,-!0;!%+);(04*@!%#4 ;)0J/;+3!;#!;'+!3@4(10,1!#=!?)+ 4%'!

13

In 1791, the least taxed département had a seven times lower rate than the heavily taxed, but the ratio

dropped to one to three by 1821, see Robert Schnerb (1972, 97). 16 G)#603+3!(!=(6#/)(J*+!04,;0;/;0# 4(*! =)(1+>#)O!=#)!;'+!%#4,;)/%;0#4 !#=!4+>!)#(3,!Z(43!*(;+)! )(0*>(@,\-!+==0%0+4;!G/J*0%!, +)60%+,-!(43!(!1#)+!9+#9)(G'0 %(**@!/40=#)1!(**#%(;0#4!#=!,;(;+!

2. Structural change

;'(;!#=!;'+!a*3!S+901+H!

2.1. Agriculture

=09/)+,!'(6+!J++4!'+(60*@ !%)0;0%0,+3!J @!1(4@!'0,;#)0(4, !>'#,+!3(;(!()+!=#%/,+3!#4!>'+(;! >'+(;!;#!#;'+)!= ##3!%) #G,!3+%)+(,+3!# 6+)!;'+!+09';++4 ;'!%+4;/)@H!5/J,;0;/;+, !,/%'!(,!)0%+-! 17 G)#3/%;0#4!(43!04!%#4,/1G;0#4!Z+ ,G+%0(**@ !(1#49!;'+!*#>+)! %*(,,+,\H!I4!(330;0#4 -!1()O+;(J*+! >()!G+)0#3 !Zj+)*+@!ACCB-!VWCPVFV\H!Q*;'#/9'!;'+! ;)+43!'(3!J+9/4! 04!;'+!,+% #43!'(*=!#=!;'+! +09';++4;'!%+4;/)@-!(9)0%/*;/)(* !G)0%+,!)#,+!,;+(30*@!04! ;'+!AEAFPAEFc!G+)0#3H!:' +!,'()+,!#=! ,/%'!(,!>04+-!1 +(;!(43!J ++;)##;,!9)+>!1/%'!=(,;+) !;'(4!%+)+(*!G)#3 /%;0#4H!:'+!,(*() 0+,!#=! 14 14

However, Hoffman (1996, 194-198) argues that the French Revolution had on the whole a deleterious impact

on agricultural productivity through a combination of devastations linked to warfare and troop movements, the

destruction of the sources of agricultural capital and the disruption of trade. 18

2.2. International trade

15 >0;'#/;!>()=()+!(43!3+=+(;H! :'+!4+;!*#,,!=#)!;' +!?)+4%'!G#) ;!%0;0+,-! 1()0;01+!+%#4#1@! (43!

1+)%'(4;!%(G0;(*0,1!>(,!,08+(J*+H!

;)(3+H 15

To some extent, the decline of the first French colonial empire began even before its peak with the loss of

Newfoundland in 1713 and that of Canada in 1763. However, the losses associated with the 1792-1815 period were

much more significant for external trade. They included the loss of markets in India and other places that were

incorporated into the British empire.quotesdbs_dbs46.pdfusesText_46

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