IR - Second Industrial Revolution (Lesson)

Second Industrial Revolution.

As the century progressed other European nations began to industrialize. Britain was followed by France, Germany, and Russia. Later industrialization was markedly different then the earlier period. Watch the video, from Paul Sargent, below to find out more.

 

Case Study: Haussmann and Paris. 

Haussmann's renovation of Paris was a vast public works program commissioned by Emperor Napoléon III and directed by the prefect of the Seine, Georges-Eugène Haussmann between 1853 and 1870. It included the demolition of crowded and unhealthy medieval neighborhoods, the building of wide avenues, parks and squares, the annexation of the suburbs surrounding Paris, and the construction of new sewers, fountains and aqueducts. Haussmann's work met with fierce opposition, and he was finally dismissed by Napoleon III in 1870; but work on his projects continued until 1927. The street plan and distinctive appearance of the center of Paris today is largely the result of Haussmann's renovation.

From Wikipedia.org

 

With the quick onset of industrialization combined with a massive urbanization movement and a history of revolutionary activity, Paris was clearly overwhelmed. Sections of the city were overcrowded, rundown and disease-prone. As the rest of Europe worked to make improvements to their cities and infrastructure (sewage and water systems primarily), Haussmann, as directed by Napoleon III, went bigger. Much of the city was redesigned, creating gathering spaces for its inhabitants as well as widening boulevards and eliminating twisting, confusing streets. Haussmann also erected apartment buildings, theaters, churches, synagogues, train stations and government buildings. The extensive projects employed thousands.

In 1859 Parliament declared the changes "brought air, light and healthiness and procured easier circulation in a labyrinth that was constantly blocked and impenetrable, where streets were winding, narrow, dark and unhealthy." Often the plans called for the demolition of some of Paris' worst neighborhoods, areas where cholera ran rampent as well as neighborhoods riddled with crime. The widening of the boulevards also made it far more difficult for revolutionaries to erect barricades and close off whole sections of the city as had been typical. The wider, straighter boulevards also allowed for taller buildings, ultimately providing 85,000 additional residences.

In Haussmann's journal, he notes he was instructed "do not miss an opportunity to build, in all the arrondissements of Paris, the greatest possible number of squares, in order to offer the Parisians, as they have done in London, places for relaxation and recreation for all the families and all the children, rich and poor." Small pocket parks were added throughout the city, making it so everyone was within 10 minutes walk of public green space. Haussmann also added public restrooms, kiosks and covered gathering spaces.

No part of the city was untouched as Haussmann renovated the outdated sewer system, built aqueducts to bring in fresh drinking water, and created a way to distribute gas throughout the city - while also allowing for gas lamps to light up the streets. Haussmann wrote "The underground galleries are an organ of the great city, functioning like an organ of the human body, without seeing the light of day; clean and fresh water, light and heat circulate like the various fluids whose movement and maintenance serves the life of the body; the secretions are taken away mysteriously and don't disturb the good functioning of the city and without spoiling its beautiful exterior."

Though not everyone was ultimately satisfied with the changes Haussmann made.

 

From Wikipedia.org:

The 20th century historian of Paris René Héron de Villefosse shared the same view of Haussmann's renovation: "in less than twenty years, Paris lost its ancestral appearance, its character which passed from generation to generation... the picturesque and charming ambiance which our fathers had passed onto us was demolished , often without good reason." Héron de Villefosse denounced Haussmann's central market, Les Halles, as "a hideous eruption" of cast iron. Describing Haussmann's renovation of the Île de la Cité, he wrote: "the old ship of Paris was torpedoed by Baron Haussmann and sunk during his reign. It was perhaps the greatest crime of the megalomaniac prefect and also his biggest mistake...His work caused more damage than a hundred bombings. It was in part necessary, and one should give him credit for his self-confidence, but he was certainly lacking culture and good taste...In the United States, it would be wonderful, but in our capital, which he covered with barriers, scaffolds, gravel, and dust for twenty years, he committed crimes, errors, and showed bad taste.

 

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