Revolutionary politics in France, 1788-91: The case of Languedoc

Scholars generally assume that the nobility and bourgeoisie came into conflict in 1789. Yet in many regions, the nobility and bourgeoisie jointly rallied to the banner of Revolution. Nobles gained prestige for having led opposition to arbitrary government in 1788 and 1789. They also seemed to have the wherewithal to contend with popular unrest, which threatened all those who enjoyed a certain ease. Nobles thus won free elections throughout the nine departments of Old Regime Languedoc. They could have led by consent. Yet many nobles provoked enmity by their unwillingness to lead in this consensual manner, dependent on the approval of other property owners. The nobles' intransigence was a legacy of political and economic relations of the absolutist state that had maintained these nobles' pre-eminence against possible challenges. The economy and society of the Old Regime thus had a bearing on revolutionary politics. Copyright © 2004 SAGE Publications.