From Light to the Heart of the System. Electricity and Society in the Paris Area [1880-1939]

A study of the early consumption of electricity in Paris, France, & vicinity between 1880 & 1939, delineating three partially overlapping stages. The first stage (1880-1914) is associated with the expansion of electricity, particularly with the replacement of gas lights by electric lights. T...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annales : histoire, sciences sociales (French ed.) sciences sociales (French ed.), 1989-09, Vol.44 (5), p.1113-1136
Main Author: Beltran, Alain
Format: Article
Language:fre
Subjects:
Electricity
Industrialization
Nineteenth Century
Paris, France
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:A study of the early consumption of electricity in Paris, France, & vicinity between 1880 & 1939, delineating three partially overlapping stages. The first stage (1880-1914) is associated with the expansion of electricity, particularly with the replacement of gas lights by electric lights. The use of electricity had no social implications, & though it was considered important in combatting the negative aspects of industrialization, high prices & unclear technological value made it quite restricted. The second stage (1819-1920) brought about the first industrial applications of electricity, which were related to the invention of the electric motor. The popularity of motors was reinforced by the rapid economic growth in the early 1900s & the development of military technology in WWI. The use of electricity in small businesses led to a new stage of industrialization (1920-1939), characterized by the introduction of home electric appliances, which subsequently brought about dramatic changes in the lifestyles of French women. 4 Figures. M. Polinsky
ISSN:0395-2649