Lalala

Education can be loosely defined as one the chief obstacles to intelligence and eventually freedom of thought. In modern days this definition of education is often praised, however in Old Regime France the term “freedom of thought” and a new level of vast “intelligence” was feared, doubted, and even condemned; literacy in eighteenth century France was a new concept that caused uncertainty and dispute. With a high literacy rate in the more urbanized Northern France, consisting of the higher of the social classes, compared to the staggering literacy rate in the south of France consisting of the lower social classes, many variations in levels of literacy appeared across Old Regime France. Throughout the many factors promoting and discouraging the spread of literacy, there was a common subject among the aristocracy, most of who saw education a requirement for the wealthy, but unnecessary for the peasants. The spread of literacy in France was also interrupted mainly by those in power on the foundation that educated peasants would possibly realize their potential outside of labor. The fear of what education could bring to the Structure of France in this time caused a discouraging fate for all involved.
Literacy levels in Old Regime France depended significantly on location. In the more residential Northern France the Percent of French Villages with schools over the percentage in the South is evident; with percentages of schools in the north in the high 90’s and percentages in the south in the 50’s and below from (doc. 2), it is apparent that literacy was more supported on areas of high social standings in the North over the laborers and low social classes in the South of France. From 1730 to 1789 these standings remained consistent and were surveyed by various reporters, making the information reliable. This shows that the literacy levels in France we’re given more support in the North making the opportunity for education more accepted and prominent in this vicinity.... [continues]

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