The Ancient RegimeVolume 1 / Book 2 — CHAPTER II. DRAWING ROOM LIFE.2201John Durand translationChapter navigation102 reading sectionsGo to chapterChoose a chapter…THE ORIGINS OF CONTEMPORARY FRANCE, VOLUME 1INTRODUCTIONPREFACE:PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR: ON POLITICAL IGNORANCE AND WISDOM.Chapter I · THE ORIGIN OF PRIVILEGES.I. Services and Recompenses of the Clergy.II. Services and Recompenses of the Nobles.III. Services and Recompenses of the King.Chapter II · THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES. I. Number of the Privileged Classes.II. Their Possessions, Capital, and Revenue.III. Their Immunities.IV. Their Feudal Rights.V. They may be justified by local and general services.Chapter III · LOCAL SERVICES DUE BY THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES. I. Examples in Germany and England.—These services are not rendered byII. Resident Seigniors.III. Absentee Seigniors.Chapter IV · PUBLIC SERVICES DUE BY THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES. I. England compared to France.II. The ClergyIII. Influence of the Nobles.IV. Isolation of the ChiefsV. The King's Incompetence and Generosity.VI. Latent Disorganization in France.Chapter I · MORAL PRINCIPLES UNDER THE ANCIENT REGIME. The Court and a life of pomp and parade.The Physical aspect and the moral character of Versailles.II. The King's Household.III. The King's Associates.IV. Everyday Life In Court.V. Royal Distractions.VI. Upper Class Distractions.VII. Provincial Nobility.Chapter II · DRAWING ROOM LIFE.2201I. Perfect only in FranceII. Social Life Has Priority.III. Universal Pleasure Seeking.IV. Enjoyment.V. Happiness.VI. Gaiety.VII. Theater, Parade And Extravagance.Chapter III · DISADVANTAGES OF THIS DRAWING ROOM LIFE. I. Its Barrenness and ArtificialityII. Return To Nature And Sentiment.III. Personality Defects.Chapter I · SCIENTIFIC ACQUISITION.I. Scientific Progress.II. Science Detached From Theology.III. The Transformation Of History.IV. The New Psychology.V. The Analytical Method.Chapter II · THE CLASSIC SPIRIT, THE SECOND ELEMENT.I. Through Colored Glasses.II. Its Original Deficiency.III. The Mathematical Method.Chapter III · COMBINATION OF THE TWO ELEMENTS. I. Birth Of A Doctrine, A Revelation.II. Ancestral Tradition And Culture.III. Reason At War With Illusion.IV. Casting Out The Residue Of Truth And Justice.V. The Dream Of A Return To Nature.VI. The Abolition Of Society. Rousseau.VII: The Lost Children.Chapter IV · ORGANIZING THE FUTURE SOCIETY. I. Liberty, Equality And Sovereignty Of The People.II. Naive ConvictionsIII. Our True Human Nature.IV. Birth Of Socialist Theory, Its Two Sides.V. Social Contract, Summary.Chapter I · —SUCCESS OF THIS PHILOSOPHY IN FRANCE.—FAILURE OF THE SAMEI. The Propagating Organ, Eloquence.II. Its Method.III. Its Popularity.IV. The Masters.Chapter II · THE FRENCH PUBLIC. I. The Nobility.II. Conditions In France.III. French Indolence.IV. Unbelief.V. Political Opposition.VI. Well-Meaning Government.Chapter III · THE MIDDLE CLASS. I. The Past.II. CHANGE IN THE CONDITION OF THE BOURGEOIS.III. Social Promotion.IV. Rousseau's Philosophy Spreads And Takes HOLD.V. Revolutionary Passions.VI. SummaryChapter I · HARDSHIPS. I. Privations.II. The Peasants.III. The Countryside.IV. The Peasant Becomes Landowner.Chapter II · TAXATION THE PRINCIPAL CAUSE OF MISERY. I. Extortion.II. Local Conditions.III. The Common Laborer.IV. Collections And Seizures.—Observe the system actually at work. ItV. Indirect Taxes.VI. Burdens And Exemptions.VII. Municipal Taxation.VIII. Complaints In The Registers 5272.Chapter III · INTELLECTUAL STATE OF THE PEOPLE. I. Intellectual incapacityII. Political incapacityIII. Destructive impulsesIV. Insurrectionary leaders and recruitsChapter IV · THE ARMED FORCES. I. Military force declinesII. The social organization is dissolvedIII.--Direction of the currentChapter V · SUMMARY. I. Suicide of the Ancient Regime.II.--Aspirations for the 'Great Revolution.'END OF VOLUMEPrevious chapter ←Volume 1 / Book 2 — VII. Provincial Nobility.Next chapter →Volume 1 / Book 2 — I. Perfect only in FranceAll chapters and sections (102)Sections1Volume 1 · Other sectionsINTRODUCTIONPREFACE:PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR: ON POLITICAL IGNORANCE AND WISDOM.Volume 1 / Book 1 · Chapters1Volume 1 / Book 1 · Other sectionsI. Services and Recompenses of the Clergy.II. Services and Recompenses of the Nobles.III. Services and Recompenses of the King.Volume 1 / Book 1 · Chapters2Volume 1 / Book 1 · Other sectionsII. Their Possessions, Capital, and Revenue.III. Their Immunities.IV. Their Feudal Rights.V. They may be justified by local and general services.Volume 1 / Book 1 · Chapters3Volume 1 / Book 1 · Other sectionsII. Resident Seigniors.III. Absentee Seigniors.Volume 1 / Book 1 · Chapters4Volume 1 / Book 1 · Other sectionsII. The ClergyIII. Influence of the Nobles.IV. Isolation of the ChiefsV. The King's Incompetence and Generosity.VI. Latent Disorganization in France.Volume 1 / Book 2 · Chapters1Volume 1 / Book 2 · Other sectionsThe Physical aspect and the moral character of Versailles.II. The King's Household.III. The King's Associates.IV. Everyday Life In Court.V. Royal Distractions.VI. Upper Class Distractions.VII. Provincial Nobility.Volume 1 / Book 2 · Chapters2Volume 1 / Book 2 · Other sectionsI. Perfect only in FranceII. Social Life Has Priority.III. Universal Pleasure Seeking.IV. Enjoyment.V. Happiness.VI. Gaiety.VII. Theater, Parade And Extravagance.Volume 1 / Book 2 · Chapters3Volume 1 / Book 2 · Other sectionsII. Return To Nature And Sentiment.III. Personality Defects.Volume 1 / Book 3 · Chapters1Volume 1 / Book 3 · Other sectionsI. Scientific Progress.II. Science Detached From Theology.III. The Transformation Of History.IV. The New Psychology.V. The Analytical Method.Volume 1 / Book 3 · Chapters2Volume 1 / Book 3 · Other sectionsI. Through Colored Glasses.II. Its Original Deficiency.III. The Mathematical Method.Volume 1 / Book 3 · Chapters3Volume 1 / Book 3 · Other sectionsII. Ancestral Tradition And Culture.III. Reason At War With Illusion.IV. Casting Out The Residue Of Truth And Justice.V. The Dream Of A Return To Nature.VI. The Abolition Of Society. Rousseau.VII: The Lost Children.Volume 1 / Book 3 · Chapters4Volume 1 / Book 3 · Other sectionsII. Naive ConvictionsIII. Our True Human Nature.IV. Birth Of Socialist Theory, Its Two Sides.V. Social Contract, Summary.Volume 1 / Book 4 · Chapters1Volume 1 / Book 4 · Other sectionsI. The Propagating Organ, Eloquence.II. Its Method.III. Its Popularity.IV. The Masters.Volume 1 / Book 4 · Chapters2Volume 1 / Book 4 · Other sectionsII. Conditions In France.III. French Indolence.IV. Unbelief.V. Political Opposition.VI. Well-Meaning Government.Volume 1 / Book 4 · Chapters3Volume 1 / Book 4 · Other sectionsII. CHANGE IN THE CONDITION OF THE BOURGEOIS.III. Social Promotion.IV. Rousseau's Philosophy Spreads And Takes HOLD.V. Revolutionary Passions.VI. SummaryVolume 1 / Book 5 · Chapters1Volume 1 / Book 5 · Other sectionsII. The Peasants.III. The Countryside.IV. The Peasant Becomes Landowner.Volume 1 / Book 5 · Chapters2Volume 1 / Book 5 · Other sectionsII. Local Conditions.III. The Common Laborer.IV. Collections And Seizures.—Observe the system actually at work. ItV. Indirect Taxes.VI. Burdens And Exemptions.VII. Municipal Taxation.VIII. Complaints In The Registers 5272.Volume 1 / Book 5 · Chapters3Volume 1 / Book 5 · Other sectionsII. Political incapacityIII. Destructive impulsesIV. Insurrectionary leaders and recruitsVolume 1 / Book 5 · Chapters4Volume 1 / Book 5 · Other sectionsII. The social organization is dissolvedIII.--Direction of the currentVolume 1 / Book 5 · Chapters5Volume 1 / Book 5 · Other sectionsII.--Aspirations for the 'Great Revolution.'END OF VOLUMECHAPTER II. DRAWING ROOM LIFE.2201← VII. Provincial Nobility.I. Perfect only in France →