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- Title
The ‘Jacobin machine’, a historical fantasy revisited in the light of a local study: the Popular Society of Honfleur (1791–95).
- Authors
Biard, Michel
- Abstract
Besides the well-known diatribes of Augustin Cochin against Jacobin sociability, which came back into fashion in the 1970s, the history of the popular societies that appeared during the French Revolution has also been subject to a number of simplifications, from historians keen to distinguish different political groups at the national level. Thus, during the decisive years of 1792 and 1793, popular societies were classified variously as ‘Girondin’ and ‘Montagnard’, while several general works and historical atlases offered a nation-wide version of this categorization. Unfortunately, hostile discourse about a ‘Jacobin machine’ and political classification at the national level has often rested on generalized perspectives. The example of the Société des Amis de la Constitution of Honfleur, considered here, emphasizes the futility of basing arguments on Cochin and adds nuance to the traditional taxonomy applied to different societies. In fact, while the Honfleur club is alleged to have been ‘Girondin’, a detailed examination of its records proves that the reality was far more fluid.
- Subjects
HONFLEUR (France); GIRONDE (France); FRANCE; JACOBINS; COCHIN, Augustin, 1823-1872; FRENCH Revolution, 1789-1799; POLITICAL participation; LOCAL history; HISTORY; HISTORIOGRAPHY
- Publication
French History, 2012, Vol 26, Issue 1, p79
- ISSN
0269-1191
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/fh/crs007