*RESTORED BOURBONS [1815 - 1830]*
*LOUIS VIII [1815 - 1824]*
- He ruled France from 1815 to 1824
- D Thompson notes _"Louis VIII was a reasonable statesman who wanted to maintain from where
Napoleon Bonaparte had left"_ He did not want to reverse the clock back to pre 1789 France.
- The Allied powers had given Louis VIII a charter which he was supposed to rule France according to its
terms.
- The Charter stated that Louis VIII was supposed to rule in full consultation of the Legislative Assembly
- Louis VIII ruled France for a short period because of immense opposition from the Ultra royalist
- He eventually died in 1824 due to protracted illness but he warned his successor Chalse X to abide by
the Charter.
*Domestic policy*
*Political Reforms*
- He ruled using a Charter
- Political parties were not banned until 1819.
- Political rallies were held until 1819
- Local elections were held and a number of people participated in these elections
- People were tried by jury and the justice system benefited all the French citizens
- Newspapers were not censored until 1819. They published their work freely without hindrance from
the government
*Economic reforms*
- Taxes were equally paid
- The Bank of France continued giving loans to the people
- Industrial production continued to strive.
- Inflation was curbed and prices of basic goods were affordable.
- Telecommunications, railway line construction continued.
- Roads were improved for easily transportation of goods from one city to another
- Louis VIII adopted quite a number of Napoleon's reforms thus French economy greatly improved
during the reign of Louis VIII.
*Social reforms*
- He adopted the Code Napoleon, Legion of honour, Career open to talents
- He cemented good relations with the Church thus he got a lot of support of the people
- In Education the literacy level greatly improved
- The rate of unemployment was greatly reduced as youths were absorbed in industries and factories
- Problems of hunger, starvation and poverty was greatly reduced.
- Peasants remained with their lands
*NB* Around 1819 he dissolved the Legislative Assembly after the white terror had took place. He
ordered new election and the franchise was widened. Newspapers were now censored. Political
opponents were arrested esp the Ultra royalist
*Qsn* _New wine in old bottles_ how far true is this assertion in light of the restored bourbons in
France
*Qsn* _The restored bourbons learnt nothing and forgot nothing_ Discuss
Learnt nothing
Louis xviii dissolved the Legislative assembly in 1819.
From 1819 he started to censor the new papers
He began to have powers of Veto
Charles x
He refused to rule with a charter
Liberalism was swept aside
Narrow Franchise
Appointed government officials
Newspapers were censored
Taxes were reintroduced
Compensated the emigres
Monopoly over the bank of France
Industries were taken by the Ultra Royalist
Land was retaken from the Peasants
Education was put under the Jesuit missionaries
Introduction of the ordinance of St Cloud.. Newspapers were heavily censored
Here the Bourbons learnt nothing and forgot nothing
However
Louis learnt something
He ruled with a Charter
Continued with a number of reforms that were introduced by Napoleon eg
Code Napoleon
Bank of France
Legion of honor
Education
Career open to talent
Commerce and lndustry
Employment.. Through public works
Etc
*CHALSE X [1824 - 1830]*
- He was a brother of Louis VIII and was a Ultra royalist.
- He was not pleased by what the revolution had done in France
- He was therefore interested in reserving the clock back to the France of pre 1789.
- He refused to rule in terms of the Charter, _l would rather chop wood than rule in an old fashioned
way of the King of England_
- It is clear that Chalse X was a despot who wanted to restore royal absolutism in France
- As a result his reign was short lived because of his radical nature.
*Domestic policy*
*Political reforms*
- He appointed all the member of the government
- He appointed unpopular ministers such as Polignac and Martignac
- D Richards notes _the Ultras of the Ultras_ This was because his government was interested in uphold
the interest of the monarchist.
- Political opponents were arrested and their activities were banned.
- People were no longer tried by jury.
- Elections were suspended and Chalse X controlled everything in France
- Newspapers were censored
- He established the Ordinance of st Cloud.
- He never consulted the Legislative Assembly
- The Charter was done away with.
*Economic reforms*
- Industries and factories were given to Ultra royalist.
- The French economy started to face problems
- Prices of basic goods skyrocketed and Inflation started.
- The peasants and middle class were forced to compensate Ultra royalist through taxes
- Industries no longer exported goods like during the reign of Napoleon 1 and Louis VIII respectively
*Social reforms*
- Peasants lost their lands to Ultra royalist
- Education was given to the Jesuits missionaries thus dividing the church
- Relations between Church and state were antagonized
- He did away with Career open to talents, Legion of honour and Code Napoleon
- The rate of unemployment skyrocketed
- The conditions of workers in industries were pathetic since they suffered and they worked for long
hours and salaries were below the poverty datum line
- Freedom of expression was swept aside, people no longer were free to express themselves
*foreign policy*
- In 1825 Chalse X invaded Spain and this was a success however he antagonized relations with Britain.