Education, Aristocracy, and Morality in the Political Thought of François Guizot

This thesis examines the conceptual foundations of the French education system through an analysis of the political thought of the French historian and politician François Guizot (1787-1874), who played a central role in developing public instruction during the July Monarchy. It argues that Guizot’s educational reforms were designed to generate a new aristocracy based on merit that would be compatible with a democratic social order. Throughout his political and intellectual career, Guizot sought to reconcile a society predicated on hierarchy with popular aspirations for equality, a political project that had a profound influence on the trajectory of the French education system. In so doing, this study challenges the conventional sociological interpretation developed by Pierre Bourdieu that emphasises the reproduction of cultural and social capital of the bourgeoisie. By adopting Pierre Rosavallon’s philosophical approach to the history of the political and looking at the role of practical initiatives, intellectual goals, and political compromises, it examines the multifaceted and complex causes behind the reproduction of middle-class power, which emerged over a long period of historical change. The thesis also challenges previous characterisations of Guizot’s thought, which often portray his views on education as part of his broader anti-pluralist conception of state authority. In contrast, it argues that Guizot’s efforts to generate a new aristocracy through education was a response to what he perceived as inherent threats to democracy: its volatility and tendency towards excessive centralisation. It is in this context that Guizot formulated his key concepts of ‘government of minds’ (gouvernement des esprits) and ‘political capacity’ (capacité politique), which formed the conceptual foundation of his educational reforms. By situating Guizot’s writings within the broader historical and political context of post-revolutionary France and putting his thought in relation to those of Montlosier, Victor Cousin, Alexis de Tocqueville, and his wife, Pauline de Meulan, this research provides new insights into the complexities of his educational policies. In doing so, it highlights their enduring impact on the structure of French society, particularly in relation to the reproduction of social power and the role of education in shaping modern democratic states.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Rouot, Madeleine

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hopkins, Tom

• Alexis de Tocqueville
• Civilisation
• Decentralisation
• Education
• François Guizot
• Liberalism
• Ninetheenth century

Licence

• https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/9ab45388-a286-4017-89c0-25220ceaed7d/download
• http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved

Language dc:language

eng

DOI dc:identifier.doi

https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.117373

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/382675