Beautiful Time

The “ Belle Time ” is an expression born after the First World War to evoke the period former to the Great War and posterior in the Napoleonean campaigns, of 1890 with 1914 is. In this designation, there is a share of reality (expansion, unconcern, faith in progress…) and a nostalgia. Reality in fact was enjolivée because of the traumatism of the First World War.

In Europe

After the War free-Prussian, the Europe saw one long period of peace, rare, which is favorable to economic progresses and techniques. All this progress more particularly touches the France, the the United Kingdom, the Germany, the Italy and the Austria-Hungary.

In all the Europe, “labor” is organized in Syndicat S or political parties: it is for this period that to the first political parties socialist Europeans appear, increasingly influential.

People of this time are very optimistic and carefree as for the future, thanks to the extraordinary technological advancements. The Positivism (Faith in science) and the Scientisme (science explains all) make their appearance. The Beautiful Time is made feel primarily on the boulevards of the European capitals, in the coffees and the cabarets, the workshops and the art galleries, in the concert halls and living rooms - attended by a middle middle-class which benefits from economic progresses.

In France

After the great depression of the years 1873 to 1896, France enters during one period of growth supported within the framework of the second Industrial revolution.

France increased much in 1860: it acquired Nice and the Savoy, but it loses the the Alsace-Moselle with the Traité of Frankfurt of 1871 and acquires by there a nationalism Revanchard. The French population, although remaining treated on a hierarchical basis, becomes aware to belong to only one and even Nation; for example the Jalopy, whose densified railway network, then contributes to disenclose the campaigns. Indeed the population remains in major rural part.

The access to the culture and the leisures is democratized, helped by the Lois Jules Ferry of 1882, although the Bourgeoisie still preserves social places which are clean for him. Social laws contribute to improve the living conditions of the workmen, who remain nevertheless difficult.

The Russian aristocracy is greedy French goods and also shines by its cultural and artistic radiation as a “Extreme Is” remote.

It is the great time of the sea bathings.

The France of the Beautiful Time is also one of the greatest colonial empires of the time. This empire is exposed at the time of the World Fairs. The Colonisation at the time was perceived like positive, and there existed little of voice to criticize it.

This report positive on beautiful time must however to be moderate since one observes in France “delay” economic undeniable due to problems of order demographic (few births), structural (a majority of very small companies, very little of paid and a craft industry very attached to the tradition which slows down the production), in spite of many investments abroad (Russian loans), and in the field of agriculture (too many agricultural labor and crises).

Technology

During these years, one sees appearing a succession of inventions which will modify the lifestyle of the human being deeply. The Photographie beginner will generate the cinema, the vélocipède is moulted in Bicyclette, the realization of engines smaller and light the settling allows of the motor cycles, of the automobile , the planes. Immense progress is also accomplished in the Chimie, the electronic and the Sidérurgie. The development of medicine and hygiene make it possible cause a drop in the mortality of the infants and to increase the life expectancy. France is equipped more and more with the electricity. In 1895, the projection of the first film of the history in Paris marks the success until the Cinématographie waits.

The men of the time see a hope on the development in technology, for them it was able of all, even of impossible the one century before.

World Fairs

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References

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