Les activités urbaines en France pendant la Révolution

Abstract

Revue economique ; THE ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF FRENCH CITIES DURING THE REVOLUTION ; jean-pierre Poussou ; The cities, and especially the seaports, were the sector the most active and dynamic of the french economie during the reign of Louis XVI. The cities of the inside of the country stimulated often real industrial districts. Besides, the industries of luxury had a very important part into the economy. ; Ail these activities were entirely dislocated by the revolutionary events when from 1792 had occured the outside war, the inside war and the « Terror ». Surely, the dislocation was not complete and activities of substitution had appeared, parti-cularly those linked with the military necessities. With obstinacy, and sometimes success, merchants tried to stand opposite to decline and to size ail the possibilities of recovery. ; To describe a general view is difficult : we hâve not enough studies of detail nor general documentation. The general balance appears nevertheless very negative ; this evidence is very clearly manifested by the backwards of tirban demographies, altough they were not immediate. The french desurbanization, especially for the big cities, is one evidence proof and the pursuit of the wars under the First Empire don't give the possibility of the recovery. ; GROWTH AND DECLINE OF FRENCH COLONIAL TRADE (1793-1830) paul butel ; A general rise in the value of the colonies, both as exporters and importers in the eighteenth century, in relation to the progress of the French sugar islands, of Saint-Domingue especially, was the most amazing phenomenon in trade deve-lopment. The impact of the French Wars in the 1790's and 1800's was significant : the outbreak of revolution and war in the French West Indies gave new opportunities to London and New-York which became the most dynamic ports because they took advantage of the growth of new colonial areas, as Spanish islands, Cuba. The dismantling of French trade altered the rules of competition in caribbean area. Howewer, under the cover of a neutral flag, part of the French trade to the West Indies was not negligible. ; In 1815, the French West Indies were recovered in Martinique and Guadeloupe but with the black victory Saint-Domingue bas been lost. French colonial trade bas been superseded by the american and british trade. Ports like Le Havre were chief suppliers of the industrial areas while old entrepot ports like Bordeaux declined. But new markets were opened in Spanish area and that trade gave new returns to Bordeaux or Nantes.