10 Things to know about the Industrial Revolution of France

France is a major economy in Europe and in the world and much of its industries witnessed their growth during the 19th century that saw an explosion of innovation and advancements. Here are 10 things to know about the industrial revolution of France:

1. France was an epitome of the Ancien Regime

The Ancien Regime of France revolved around the powers of an absolute monarchy. A state where in a social hierarchy laid the monarchy at the top followed by the nobility, the clergy, then the peasantry.

In economic terms, agriculture dominated the economy with the peasantry, the labor behind the sector, paying most of its taxes to the ruling elite, i.e. the nobility and the clergy who owned the land. Local and international trade faced tough restrictions with the domestic market crippled by local tariffs while the overseas commerce by mercantilist tariffs.

Finally, in terms of crafts and industries, guilds monopolized control and regulations. Entry to a field meant dealing with this ancient institution.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert, First Minister of State (1661-1683)

2. Attempts to expand industries, but never last

Despite the dominance of agriculture, attempts to expand industries were made by the government, for instance during the time of Jean-Baptiste Colbert and Napoleon Bonaparte. Both men had different ideas to stimulate industry.

For Jean-Baptiste Colbert, he promoted high-end industries such as silk and porcelain manufacturing. He made the extravagance of the monarchy and the nobility an opportunity for industries. Moreover, leaning back to mercantilist policies, it prevented currency from leaving the country. 

For Napoleon Bonaparte, being Napoleon, war pushed industries forward. The needs of the Grande Army stimulated production especially in textile, iron, and food. Infrastructure for better mobilization of resources and manpower developed as well.

Though the policies of both men failed to be sustainable, it became a warm up, a learning experience for the future industrialization that took place decades later.

Napoleon Bonaparte, Military Leader and Emperor of France (1804-1814)

3. The Revolution and Napoleon set the Foundations for Industrialization

Despite the upheavals brought by the 1789 French Revolution and the subsequent Napoleonic Wars, it eliminated the institutions that stagnated industries. The land reform following the downfall of the nobility and the enactment of the Napoleonic Code created the environment that fostered industrialization.

For instance, the guilds saw their abolition, liberalizing industries while domestic trade barriers disappeared expanding domestic markets for local industries.

The demolition of the old economic institutions allowed the opening that businessmen needed to expand investments and production. 

4. Railroad Boom Boosted Industries

King Louis Philippe ascended to the throne in 1830 and unofficially marked the beginning of France’s industrialization. He wished to have the same railroad as Great Britain had. This project demanded a lot of industrial materials that local businesses hoped to meet.

The St. Etienne-Andrezieux line that opened in 1827 extended to Lyon began a railroad construction boom. Luckily, King Louis Philippe’s successors, whether Napoleon III or the Third Republic, continued the railway constructions. It gave local industries a constant market for their products.

As a result of the railroad constructions, coal, iron, and machinery productions rose. It resulted in spectacular numbers and growth of different regions and individual, or even familial, wealth.

5. Most Industrial Outputs grew more than a thousand folds

A story of industrial revolution or at least any industrialization saw leaps and bounds in output numbers. Same goes for France's narrative.

Iron production expanded from 125,300 tons in 1826 to 1.25 million tons by 1865.

Machinery usage increased from 625 in 1830 to 32,000 by 1875, a jump of 5,000%.

Coal output increased from 230,000 tons in 1789 to 4.4 million tons by 1850, a 1,900% growth.

6. Textile faced from tough competition

France’s textile industry, on the other hand, faced stiff competition against the cheap cotton fabrics from Great Britain. Some French businessmen attempted to corner the high-end textile market such as wool and silk, but this required craftsmanship rather than machinery and technology. 

Despite British dominance, innovations and production increases still occurred. The introduction of British spindle technique expanded local production of textile. A Frenchman named Barthelemy Thimonnier invented the sewing machine. Though No. 1 seemed far-fetched, France nevertheless progressed. 

7. Industrial Centers Emerged

Some industrial centers in France emerged during the rise of industries in the 19th century. Most of these centers owed their growth to their close proximity to raw materials, such as coal and iron deposits. Rouen and Lille became centers of textile manufacturing. The regions of Alsace and Lorraine alongside Saint-Chamond and Le Creusot became centers of iron and heavy industries. 

Eugene Schneider

8. Rise of Industrial Families

Just like the Chaebols of Korea and Zaibatsus of Japan, France also witnessed the emergence of family-led businesses. Families such as the De Wendel Family that continued to operate today as an investment firm built up from the success of the iron forgery business of Francois de Wendel. Eugene Schneider also established a business dynasty that later rivaled Germany’s Krupp and even today called Schneider Electric.

9. France became a leading country in the so-called Second Industrial Revolution

French scientist, inventors, and engineers defended France’s position as a major economic power in the second half of the 19th century, a time when the so-called Second Industrial Revolution took place.

Electricity, oil, telegraph, and automobile industries emerged. The Hall-Heroult Process brought France among the leaders of the electrometallurgy industry. Men like Arman Peugeot and the Renault Family represented France in the automobile industry. Such investments and innovations continued France’s status as a player in the global economy

10. There are question if France only industrialized and did not underwent an Industrial Revolution

A module from University of Calcutta stated that France industrialized and did not undergo Industrial Revolution. By the dawn of the 20th century, the number of industrial workers rose, but most of the population remained in the agricultural sector. Mainly because French agriculture remained sustainable especially with most peasants owning their own land after the French Revolution. Furthermore, scarcity of resources, such as iron and quality coal, lagged France behind its traditional rival Great Britain and later even Germany.

Summing Up

Every country faced different circumstances and thus brought their own spin to their respective story of industrialization. This is posited and the message of Alexander Gerschenkron in his work Economic Backwardness in Historical Perspective. France may have experienced a less stunning narrative as Great Britain or Germany, but it brought significant changes in society, economy, and even culture. The rise of affluence or the so-called Bourgeoisie, allowed artists to explore new avenues beyond the classics which gave rise to the Impressionist movement - which is another story with its own business sense. French industrialization brought the wealth that powered the so-called Belle Epoque. The intensity may be lesser than its competitors, but the story of France’s industrial revolution or industrialization showed the differences in the development story of countries.

See also:

The Industrial Revolution of France

Bibliography:

Beaud, Claude, "Schneider, Joseph-Eugene," in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History, Volume 1, Joel Mokyr (ed.). New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

Berand, Ivan. An Econoic History of Nineteenth-Century Europe: Diversity and Industrialization. New York, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013.

Carlock, Randel. Strategic Planning for the Family Business: Parallel Planning to Unify the Family and Business. New York, New York: Palgrave, 2001.

Caron, Francois. An Economic History of Modern France. New York, New York: Routledge, 1979.

Caron, Francois. "France: Modern Period" in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History, Volume 1, Joel Mokyr (ed.). New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

Klooster, John. Icons of Invention: The Makers of the Modern World From Guttenberg to Gates. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2009.

Inventors and Inventions. Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2008. 

"Industrial History: France." European Route of Industrial Heritage. Accessed on March 30, 2015. http://www.erih.net/industrial-history/france.html  

"Industrial Revolution France." University of Calcutta. Accessed on March 10, 2024. URL: https://www.caluniv.ac.in/academic/History/Study/IR-France.pdf