The Beauty and Waste of Versailles
The palace of Versailles is one of the most recognized landmarks in
Western Civilization. Built by Louis XIV, it is a striking artistic and
architectural achievement, rivaled only by the marvels of antiquity.
Yet, the palace is also a prime example of government waste and
corruption and the problems of political and economic centralization.
The French economy crumbled following two expensive wars in the 18th
century (The Seven Years War and The American War for Independence), not
to mention the constant warfare under Louis XIV, and the bureaucracy of
Louis XIV was a snake pit littered with intriguing courtiers and
self-interested aristocrats. No one but the “Sun King” could manage it
successfully. The court arrogated both power and wealth to the center
through its heavy-handed mercantilist programs and dominated the
provinces and the French legal system under the model of a unitary
state.
During the reign of Louis XVI, Charles Alexander de Calonne
proposed a series of reforms which would have transformed the French
economy (free trade, hard money, reduced taxes on the 3rd Estate), but
the 1st and 2nd Estates rejected it out of self interest. A political
safety valve did not exist in France–the Estates General had been
suspended in the early 1600s–and the economic and political problems
spilled over into Revolution. Pre-revolutionary France offers fine
examples for modern society to avoid: debt, waste, continual wars,
centralization, corruption, a detached and decadent political class,
inflationary monetary policies and central banking. We should heed the
warnings.
"Pre-revolutionary France offers fine examples for modern society to avoid: debt, waste, continual wars, centralization, corruption, a detached and decadent political class, inflationary monetary policies and central banking. "
ReplyDeleteHaha!
Say whatever what you want about autocrats, but the European monarchs and, later, the US robber barons did promote artistic beauty. Once art and architecture became democratised, we got this:
http://nonprofit.chass[dot]ncsu.edu/about/our-location/
Since other forms of art have no standards left, there really isn't one link that demonstrates what it is.
The conflict of autocratic insistence on standards vs the anything goes of the mob has shaped all of history, and is especially apparent in art history.
Standards. Reminds me of the Bill Whittle video I just posted.:) Man, would I like him for P.
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