Title page from The Origins of Contemporary France: The Modern Regime, vol. I

Part of: The Origins of Contemporary France The Origins of Contemporary France: The Modern Regime, vol. I

The 1st volume of Hippolyte Taine’s 2 volume history of the Modern Regime which is part of his history of modern France, The Origins of Contemporary France. This volume deals with the state created by Napoleon and how it evolved during the 19th century.

Key Quotes

The State

Not only does the State do the work badly on a domain not its own, bunglingly, at greater cost, and with less fruit than spontaneous organizations, but, again, through the legal monopoly which it deems its prerogative, or through the overwhelming competition which it exercises, it kills or…