The Body and the French Revolution: Sex, Class and Political Culture

This book, first published in 1989, explores how the French Revolution diminished the body and its historic dignity and authority, leading to major crises of public culture. It argues that the revolutionary middle class created a new public world with myths such as the division between public and private, male and female worlds, and masculine values.

Format: Hardback
Length: 198 pages
Publication date: 07 February 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book, first published in 1989, delves into the profound transformations that occurred in 1789 with the French Revolution and the enduring impact it has had on contemporary society. It goes beyond a mere recounting of historical events with global repercussions; rather, it represents the cornerstone upon which middle-class dominance has flourished in social, cultural, and political realms. This dominance, which still persists today, is plagued by significant crises in public culture. One such site of concern is the human body, despite its prominent role in consumer culture as an object of adornment and beautification. Regrettably, the human body has lost none of its historical dignity and authority.

The central argument of this book is that the French Revolution played a pivotal role in the diminishing of the body. It explores revolutionary models of behavior and their influence on public life, shedding light on how myths such as the division between public and private, male and female worlds, and masculine values like objectivity were integral to the new public world created by the revolutionary middle class.

The book also examines the ways in which the body has been used as a tool for political and social control, particularly during times of revolution. It highlights the ways in which the body has been subjected to surveillance, discipline, and manipulation, as well as the ways in which it has been celebrated and idealized.

Through its comprehensive analysis, this book offers a valuable insight into the complex relationship between the body, society, and power. It challenges readers to consider the ways in which historical events and societal norms have shaped our understanding of the body and its significance, and it encourages us to reevaluate the role that the body plays in our contemporary world.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032126388