Louis Bergeron – författare

Presented here is an English translation of a study that was part of a distinguished French series on the country's post-Revolution history. Unlike much Napoleonic literature that features the personality and foreign policy of the Emperor, it describes the condition of France and the French people during the fifteen years immediately following their great revolution. The translator, R. R. Palmer, is a distinguished historian who has written and translated many books in French history, including The Coming of the French Revolution by Georges Lefebvre (Princeton). Applying the methods of the new social history (Annales school), the author covers the political, administrative, social, economic, and cultural facets of the First Empire. Part I deals with the domestic program and institutions under Napoleon and the fervor of the new chief of state as he sought to establish a coherent, efficient, and thoroughly controlled regime. Part II examines the opposition to his system and the reasons behind the imperfect realization of his ideal. It discusses population and demographic trends, social structure, and economic activity--all of which eluded Napoleon's grasp.

Des glaces de Saint-Gobain et des faïences de Sèvres aux sacs Vuitton, des couverts Christofle et des cristaux de Baccarat aux bijoux Cartier, des robes Chanel et Saint-Laurent aux parfums Dior et Guerlain, de la grande cuisine et des vins fins aux champagnes millésimés, nos industries du luxe ont imposé notre goût dans le monde entier. Cette histoire sociale du luxe, entre art et industrie, décrit ce secteur comme une coupe transversale de notre tissu industriel, de l''atelier familial et artisanal au grand groupe intégré. Une histoire industrielle qui est aussi une histoire d''hommes. Historien, Louis Bergeron est directeur d''études à l''École des hautes études en sciences sociales.