Tracing the Shadow of Secrecy and Government Transparency in Eighteenth-Century France

The book explores how attitudes towards secrecy changed in eighteenth-century France, leading to the rise of transparency and the French Revolution. It argues that cultural shifts, such as religious ideas and proto-nationalist discourse, influenced these attitudes and highlights the complex interplay of culture and politics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 228 pages
Publication date: 01 December 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This captivating book delves into the intricate tapestry of changing attitudes towards secrecy in eighteenth-century France, shedding light on the cultural roots of ideas surrounding government transparency. As the century unfolded, a growing sense of suspicion enveloped the concept of keeping secrets, both within individuals and governing bodies. By the eve of the French Revolution, writers expressing concerns about corruption began to perceive secrecy as an integral component of despotism, seamlessly intertwining with the emergence of the notion of transparency. The author compellingly argues that the fervent emphasis on government transparency, particularly the mania for transparency that dominated the French Revolution, emerged from the surprising convergence and interplay of evolving attitudes towards honor, religious movements, rising nationalism, literature, and police practices.

In exploring the religious notions that linked secrecy with darkness and wickedness, as well as the proto-nationalist discourse that equated foreignness with secrecy, the book vividly illustrates how cultural shifts in eighteenth-century France shaped its political landscape. Spanning the period of intense fear during the French Revolution and the paranoia of the Reign of Terror, this book offers a profound exploration of the complex interplay between culture and politics, providing valuable insights into our contemporary perspectives on secrecy.

Weight: 436g
Dimension: 216 x 154 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031122354
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023