Professions and the French State, 1700-1900

This collection of essays represents the first focused attempt to treat the professions in France as a single large historical problem. It is at once a contribution to the history of the professions and to the social history of France. The essays point toward a common conclusion: in the French context, by striking contrast to standard Anglo-American assumptions, professional "autonomy," power, and success virtually require "dependence" on the state.