Friday, December 3, 2010

How true is the claim that the restored Bouborn monarchs in France had learned nothing and forgotten nothing?

The statement, which is attributed to the Marquis de
Talleyrand, a member of the Directory, Napoleon's government, and the restored Bourbon
government under Louis XVIII, is referring to the fact that Louis XVIII allowed himself
to be influenced by conservative royalists in his government, including the future king
and would-be absolutist Charles X. They had forgotten nothing in that they tried to
restore the traditions of the ancien regime, particularly those pertaining to the power
of the monarchy. They had learned nothing because in so doing, they ignored the
aspirations of the liberals whose unhappiness had helped trigger the revolution that
started the whole business in 1789. Ultimately, it lead to Charles's downfall in the
revolution of 1820, when the "liberal" Louis-Philippe was installed as monarch. Most
historians, I suspect, would agree with Talleyrand's assessment.

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