French Society 1789-1970

Methuen & Co, 1976

The author describes the daily life of the French in a novel form of social history. A history is presented of the constituent groups of French society, classified according to the position they occupy in the production process and the social division of labour, and of their changung interrelationships over time. The evolution of the various social groups is skilfully illuminated from the period of the three `estates' - nobility, clergy and people, through the rise and decline of the grande bourgeoisie, to the age of managerial man....