Histoire de l'idée laïque en France au XIXe siècle by Georges Weill
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"Histoire de l'idée laïque en France au XIXe siècle" by Georges Weill is a historical account written in the early 20th century. It traces how the French ideal of laïcité took shape across the 19th century, emphasizing the political struggle over Church–State relations from the Restoration to the separation law. The study follows the ebb and flow between clerical offensives and anticlerical pushback, and maps the roles of reformist Catholics, liberal Protestants,
deists, and freethinkers in defining a neutral, civic State. The opening of this study sets its scope and method: laïcité has both a philosophical and a political dimension, but the focus here is the political one, from post-imperial debates to the separation of 1905. It contrasts the confessional State of the ancien régime and its intra-Catholic quarrels with the Revolution’s creation of a laic State, and explains how Catholics sought to restore Church–State union while laic thinkers pursued neutrality—through concordat arrangements or full separation. It defines clericalism and anticlericalism as primarily political stances, notes recurring moments when Church and conservative power aligned, and shows how these sparked waves of anticlerical reform. The narrative of the Restoration highlights the program of “throne and altar,” the ultras’ bids to expand ecclesiastical power, and the doctrinaires’ defense of State authority, culminating in Royer-Collard’s formula of alliance without confusion and his attack on the 1825 sacrilege law. At the same time, public opinion is mobilized by satirists and the press, a storm gathers around the Jesuits and the Congrégation, Montlosier’s exposés amplify fears of priestly domination, and legal and parliamentary fights lead to the 1827–1828 measures on education and help precipitate the July Revolution. The section on ideas sketches the shift from ideologues to Cousin’s spiritualist “two sisters” (religion and philosophy), Guizot’s principled separation of powers, and the Globe’s campaign (Dubois, Jouffroy) for full freedom of conscience and against both a State religion and an education monopoly—even while rejecting anti-Jesuit legalism in favor of consistent liberty. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Weill, Georges, 1865-1944 |
|---|---|
| Title | Histoire de l'idée laïque en France au XIXe siècle |
| Original Publication | Paris: Librairie Félix Alcan, 1925. |
| Credits | Claudine Corbasson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica)) |
| Language | French |
| LoC Class | BX: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: Churches, Church movements |
| Subject | Catholic Church -- France |
| Subject | France -- Church history -- 19th century |
| Subject | Church and state -- France -- History -- 19th century |
| Subject | Secularism -- France -- History -- 19th century |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 78903 |
| Release Date | Jun 21, 2026 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 759 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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