Les Corporations du textile à Caen au dix-huitième siècle
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Abstract EN:
In the eighteenth century, lower normandy is considered as an agricultural area, but this characteristic does not exclude the existence of sime manufactories. In this respect, in caen, the textile industry holds a privileged place on account of its importance and the tradition on which it in founded. The textile branch is in the hands of masters grouped into corporations within which they whish to keep their privileges as well as the monopoly of the production and sale of various kinds of material and hosiery articles. Essentially based on the analysis of the documents kept in the record office of the "departement du calvados", the present study aims at apprehending the different aspects of the activity of these communities of trades at a time when the reforning spirit questions again the very principle of corporative organization. The radical measures taken by turgot temporarily pull down these century-old structures which are immediately restored, only undergoing superficial alteration, so eager are their supporters to defend them yet. Unadapted to a waning production condement either to modernize or to be in jeopardy, they escape the first measures of the revolution but fade out unnoticed in 1791
Abstract FR:
Au dix-huitieme siecle, la basse-normandie est consideree comme une region agricole mais ce caractere n'exclut pas l'existence de certaines manufactures. A ce titre, l'industrie textile occupe a caen une place privilegiee en raison de son importance et de la tradition sur laquelle elle se fonde. Le secteur textile est aux mains de maitres, groupes en corporation au sein desquelles ils desirent conserver leurs privileges ainsi que le monopole de production et de vente des divers etoffes et articles de bonneterie. Fondee essentiellement sur le depouillement des documents conserves aux archives departementales du calvados, la presente etude entend cerner les divers aspects de l'activite de ces communautes de metiers a une epoque ou l'esprit de reforme remet en cause les principe meme de l'organisation corporative. Les mesures radicales de turgot abattent momentanement ces structures seculaires qui sont retablies aussitot, ne subissant qu'un remaniment superficiel, tant est econre vif l'acharnement de leurs defenseurs. Inadaptees a une production en declin condamnee a se moderniser sous peine de pericliter, elles echappent aux premieres mesures revolutionnaires mais disparaissent dans l'indifference en 1791.