Why Did The July Monarchy Fail?

The July Monarchy (1830- 1848) was a time period marked by a moderately liberal state, which was controlled mainly by the educated elite, which greatly disenfranchised the middle and working classes. France was emerging from a period known as the Restoration where Ultaroyalist Charles X had been passed the title of king. His term was characterized by economic crisis, political duality and harsh ordinances that attempted to reconstruct a society of aristocratic privilege. Charles realized that he was wrong to attempt such policies, and abducted himself in 1830 after attempts of overthrow. After this, there was much debate on the kind of government that should be implemented; a democratic republic was being called for by a minority that hoped to establish universal suffrage and the liberal bourgeoisie called for a constitutional monarchy, which would restrict the right to vote to the wealthy. The Chamber of Deputies nominated Louis Philippe to become the "King of the French", a title that he accepted which marked the beginning of the July Monarchy.

On 14 March 1831, under the initiative of a patriotic society created by the mayor of , Jean-Baptiste Bouchotte, the Opposition's press launched a campaign in order to gather funds to create a national association aimed at struggling against any and the risks of foreign invasion. All of the major figures of the Republican Left (La Fayette, Dupont de l'Eure, , , etc.) supported it. Local committees were created all over France, leading the new President of the Council, Casimir Perier, to enact a circular prohibiting civil servants to take membership in this association, charged of rivalling the state itself by implicitly accusing it of not complying with its duties.

In the beginning of April 1831, the government took some unpopular measures, forcing several important personalities to resign: Odilon Barrot was revoked from the , General Lamarque's military command suppressed, Bouchotte and the forced to resign. When on 15 April 1831 the acquitted several young Republicans (, Joseph Guinard and Audry de Puyraveau's son), mostly officers of the National Guard who had been arrested during the December 1830 troubles consecutive to the trial of Charles X's ministers, new riots acclaimed the news on 15-16 April. But Perier, implementing the 10 April 1831 law outlawing public meetings, used the military ...

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A riot, started on the on 14 June 1831, degenerated into an open battle against the National Guard, assisted by the and the infantry. The riots continued on 15 June and 16 June.

The major unrest, however, took place in with the Canuts Revolt, started on 21 November 1831, and during which parts of the National Guard took the demonstrators' side. In two days, the Canuts took control of the city and expelled the General Roguet and the mayor Victor Prunelle. On 25 November, Casimir Perier announced to the Chamber of Deputies that , assisted by the royal prince, would immediately march on Lyon with 20,000 men. They entered the former capital of the on 3 December, re-establishing order without any bloodshed.

Civil unrest, however, was permanent, and not only in Paris. On 11 March 1832, exploded in during the . The prefect had cancelled the festivities after that a grotesque mask of Louis-Philippe had been shown, leading to popular demonstrations. The prefect then tried to have the National Guard dissolve the masses, but the latter refused, forcing him to call on the Army. The 35th regiment of infantry (infanterie de ligne) obeyed to the orders, but this in turn led the population to request their expulsion from the city. This was done on 15 March, and the 35th regiment replaced by the 6th regiment, from Lyon. When Casimir Perier learnt the news, he dissolved the National Guard of Grenoble and immediately recalled the 35th regiment to Grenoble.

Another motive for the demise of the July monarchy was “the resistance” and “the movement”. Although some voices began to push for the closure of the Republican clubs, which fomented revolutionary agitation, le Minister of Justice, , and the Parisian public prosecutor, Bernard, both Republicans, refused to prosecute revolutionary associations (although the prohibited meetings of more than 20 persons).

However, on 25 September 1830, the Minister of Interior responded to a deputy's question on the subject by stigmatizing the "revolutionary state," conflated with chaos, to which he opposed the "Glorious Revolution." . Two political currents thereafter made their appearance on stage, and would structure political life under the July Monarchy: the "Parti du mouvement" (Party of the Movement) and the "Parti de la résistance" (Party of the Resistance). The first one was and in favour of support to the which were trying, all over of Europe, to shake the grip of the various Empires in order to create . Its mouthpiece was . The second one was conservative and supported peace with European monarchs, and had as mouthpiece .

The trial of Charles X's ministers, arrested in August 1830 while they were fleeing away, became the major political issue. The requested their heads, but was opposed by Louis-Philippe who feared a spiral of violence and the renewal of . Thus, the Chamber of Deputies voted on 27 September 1830 a resolution charging the former ministers, but at the same time invited in an 8 October 1830 address to the king Louis-Philippe to present a draft law repealing the , at least concerning political matters. This in turn provoked popular discontent on 17 and 18 October, with the masses marching on the where the ministers were detained.

In conclusion, I believe that the main fundamental reason for the failure of the July Monarchy was the lack of aggression and ambition portrayed by Louis Philippe. At the time The French masses wanted a heroic king in a similar mold to Napoleon but instead, they got a very cautious king.

By Owen Taylor