The Political Use Of History:Guizot’s Interpretation Of British History

In post-revolution France, there was a boom of researching on British history, and Guizot was one of the important representatives. Through interpreting British history, Guizot wanted to offer France a constitutional monarchy, which was suited for its development. Although Guizot’s political ideal failed in the revolution 1848, his interpretation of British history had an immeasurable influence on the modern French political development. However, the passion of political intervention also made the loss of objectivity, when Guizot interpreted British history. This article will analyze Guizot’s interpretation of British history from the angle of the political use of history. Following this angle, it will catch a glimpse of the practice of France’s bumpy developmental course in the first half of 19th century.