INDG 401 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Franco-Prussian War, Bonapartiste, Class Conflict
9 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lecture 5 and 6 MONUMENTS AND MEMORY
I. basilica de Sacré-Coeur (Harvey 1979)
A. Location
B. Content and Design
II. War memorials in Britain (Marshall 2004)
A. Commemorative Vigilance
B. Visitor experience: The Senses
relationship between monuments and memory (core theme of the class)
sacré coeur: straightforward story about memory monuments and power
orthodox motivations that underlie or motivate constructions of monuments
Harvey is telling us about a top down story
way in which political elite is able to impose or construct a monument
Marshall: she examines War memorials in Britain
she’s concerned w experience of visitors to monuments and experience during
commemoration ceremonies
she’s taking a bottom up view while Harvey talks about a top down approach (elite)
Harvey is a Marxist
in the article, he describes political conflicts that occurred around the construction of the
basilica at the end of the 19th century
he’s primary interested in class dimension of the struggle
class conflict
he’s telling a typical story of political conflict over memorials
same period that Durkheim worked in
France is coming off a devastating defeat in Franco Prussian war and is facing
industrialization changes
poli conflict not only between classes but also between urban Paris and the rest of France
Harvey reviews development of the cult of the sacré coeur
cult is a sect of Catholicism that emphasizes mysticism and repentance
King louis the 16th and Marie Antoinette embraced the sect just before they were killed
so the sect was in opposition to French revolution and in opposition to secular ideals of the
revolution
during rest of 19th century, the sect became popular among conservative Catholics who prefer
monarchy over republic
effects of industrialization; concentration of wealth and power in Paris
Paris is seen as center of domination, as center of authority, centralized power, center of
moral decadence, vice and unrest
classic story in 19th century
geographic conflict going on
increasing tension in terms of class: tension between middle class bourgeoisie and rapidly
growing industrial working class
growth of industrial proletariat
all of these tensions come in the course of Franco Prussian war
they’re important because history of these conflicts shows how poli relationship worked out
during the course of the war
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
the war ends w 3 different positions
- radical democratic working class, v well-armed
that group wants to continue fighting the war
- faction in control of government during the war, bourgeois republican faction in former
bonapartiste government, they’re blamed for mismanaging the war and losing, they end w no
support and no power
- conservative monarchist political faction: they’re political, morally, religiously conservative
and support return of a monarchy
they wanna end the war, support peace, and gain majority in national assembly
at the end of the war there is government of Paris, secular democrats who wanna keep
fighting and national government controlled by democratic monarchs
national government sends to regain military control of Paris
during this attempt two generals are executed by crowds protesting occupation of the city
(they represent national government)
These 2 generals are killed in Montmartre
the Parisians declare the Paris commune
the national army withdraws
national government says go back and conquer Paris
so they return and do conquer the city in serious of bloody battles
during one battle, the chef of the communard is also executed in Montmartre
so, both national government and Parisians had leaders killed at Montmartre
the pope says communards are evil
war ends and the secular leftist communard government of Paris is defeated but monarchist
government imposes …
after conquest of Paris, national government proposes construction of basilica dedicated to
cult of the Sacré Coeur
Two important take aways:
- dramatic political and military conflict w a clear winner and a clear loser
conservative monarchist Catholic faction wins and control both Paris and France
losers are secular revolutionary democrats
- messy military and social history
no good guy bad guys both sides are ding atrocities
basilica celebrates the winner, conservative Catholics
but since both side’s leaders were killed there, building this basilica just for one side is a proof
of political power
the exercise of that kind of power, memorializing only one side is the most obvious example
of political power in memorialization
The monument is on high ground, it looks down on the rest of the city
if u look down on someone it’s a sign of power
basilica visible from most areas of Paris, it has a dominant position in the city
physical location thus carries symbolic height
De Maisonneuve and Jeanne Mance
place d’Armes: in the middle of a major city square
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Lecture 5 and 6 monuments and memory: basilica de sacr -coeur (harvey 1979, location, content and design. Harvey is telling us about a top down story way in which political elite is able to impose or construct a monument. Marshall: she examines war memorials in britain she"s concerned w experience of visitors to monuments and experience during commemoration ceremonies she"s taking a bottom up view while harvey talks about a top down approach (elite) France is coming off a devastating defeat in franco prussian war and is facing industrialization changes poli conflict not only between classes but also between urban paris and the rest of france. Harvey reviews development of the cult of the sacr coeur cult is a sect of catholicism that emphasizes mysticism and repentance. Radical democratic working class, v well-armed that group wants to continue fighting the war.
