Abstract
The policing of woodlands in France became more consistent and effective during the eighteenth century, but the men who were responsible for enforcing the king's forest regulations still had to confront an entrenched elite of privileged nobles, powerful clergymen, urban oligarchs, and (it must be admitted) the holders of judicial and legal offices. While the administration of criminal justice may have developed some cohesion and uniformity, the fact that its venal officers were often rural landowners prevented some (or perhaps many) from seeing beyond their self-interest. Judges, lawyers and other court personnel also remained closely attached to pervasive networks of local and regional influence, and apparently did not consider that they shared very much with "auxiliaries" such as the men who policed the countryside and its resources.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 14-26 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | French History and Civilization |
| Volume | 7 |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |
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Copyright © 2017 by the George Rudé Society, all rights reserved. The George Rudé Society permits the electronic distribution for nonprofit educational purposes, provided that full and accurate credit is given to the author, the date of publication, and its location on the George Rudé Society website. No republication or distribution by print media will be permitted without permission. For any other proposed uses, contact the Editor-in-Chief of H-France.Keywords
- France
- forests and forestry
- history
- police