Freycinet Plan
Encyclopedia
The Freycinet Plan was an ambitious public works
programme, launched in 1878 by the Minister of Public Works Charles de Freycinet
, principally for the construction of railways, but also for canal
s and maritime port
s. In its initial codification – which very largely was superseded – the plan foresaw the hypothecation
of 3 billion francs to the railway lines, 1 billion to the canals and 500 million to the ports.
and Léon Say
, the Minister of Finance, organised a meeting between them all to prepare the political terrain. A first law was voted in on 18 May 1878, creating the Compagnie des Chemins de Fer de l'État ("State Railway Company"), by acquisition of several other companies.
On 8 June, a report was published. The main objective of the Freycinet plan was to give every French person access the railway, so as to favour the economic development of the country and to open up remote areas. It was made law on 17 July 1879.
The plan foresaw the construction of 8700 kilometres (5,405.9 mi) of railway. They were built both by large private companies, mostly underwritten by the State, and by the State itself: Freycinet had formed the State Railway Company with the law of 18 May 1878.
In 1879, Freycinet became President of the Council of Ministers
. He chose Henri Varroy to succeed him as Minister for Public Works and implement his plan. He brought in the engineer Alfred Picard, who was named Director of Railways in 1882.
The implementation of the Freycinet Plan took until 1914, and it was completed fully. However, many chefs-lieux
were only served by small meandering metre gauge
railways, of somewhat mediocre quality.
in the rural areas, who were often hostile to the new régime.
Albert Broder, Professor of History at the University of Paris-XII, explains this forcefully:
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
programme, launched in 1878 by the Minister of Public Works Charles de Freycinet
Charles de Freycinet
Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet was a French statesman and Prime Minister during the Third Republic; he belonged to the Opportunist Republicans faction. He was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences, and in 1890, the fourteen member to occupy seat the Académie française.-Early years:He...
, principally for the construction of railways, but also for canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s and maritime port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
s. In its initial codification – which very largely was superseded – the plan foresaw the hypothecation
Hypothecation (taxation)
The hypothecation of a tax is the dedication of the revenue from a specific tax for a particular expenditure purpose. Hypothecation is the pledging of assets....
of 3 billion francs to the railway lines, 1 billion to the canals and 500 million to the ports.
Characteristics
The project became part of the Finance Act in January 1878. Freycinet, being close to Léon GambettaLéon Gambetta
Léon Gambetta was a French statesman prominent after the Franco-Prussian War.-Youth and education:He is said to have inherited his vigour and eloquence from his father, a Genovese grocer who had married a Frenchwoman named Massabie. At the age of fifteen, Gambetta lost the sight of his right eye...
and Léon Say
Léon Say
Jean-Baptiste Léon Say , French statesman and economist, was born in Paris.-Biography:The family was a most remarkable one. His grandfather Jean-Baptiste Say was a well-known economist. His brother Louis Auguste Say , director of a sugar refinery at Nantes, wrote several books against his theories...
, the Minister of Finance, organised a meeting between them all to prepare the political terrain. A first law was voted in on 18 May 1878, creating the Compagnie des Chemins de Fer de l'État ("State Railway Company"), by acquisition of several other companies.
On 8 June, a report was published. The main objective of the Freycinet plan was to give every French person access the railway, so as to favour the economic development of the country and to open up remote areas. It was made law on 17 July 1879.
The plan foresaw the construction of 8700 kilometres (5,405.9 mi) of railway. They were built both by large private companies, mostly underwritten by the State, and by the State itself: Freycinet had formed the State Railway Company with the law of 18 May 1878.
In 1879, Freycinet became President of the Council of Ministers
President of the Council of Ministers
The official title President of the Council of Ministers, or Chairman of the Council of Ministers is used to describe the head of government of the states of Italy and Poland, and formerly in the Soviet Union, Portugal, France , Spain , Brazil , and Luxembourg...
. He chose Henri Varroy to succeed him as Minister for Public Works and implement his plan. He brought in the engineer Alfred Picard, who was named Director of Railways in 1882.
The implementation of the Freycinet Plan took until 1914, and it was completed fully. However, many chefs-lieux
Chef-lieu
A chef-lieu is a town or city that is pre-eminent, from an administrative perspective, in any given sub-division of territory in France and some French-speaking countries.-In Algeria:...
were only served by small meandering metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
railways, of somewhat mediocre quality.
Classification of lines
The 181 lines listed below are numbered and designated in conformance with the law of 17 July 1879, and represent a total of 8848 kilometres (5,497.9 mi) of route.- The first list proposed by Freycinet starting in 1878 comprised 154 new lines and 53 lines already with concessions as voies ferrées d'intérêt localVoie ferrée d'intérêt localIn France, a is a secondary railway constructed by a local administrative division, serving sparsely-populated rural areas...
, and this list was discussed at length both in committee and by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. - 94 lines, totalling 4152 kilometres (2,579.9 mi), were the object of amendments referred to the Minister of Public Works, and were not put into law.
| List of 181 lines written into the law of 17 July 1879 |
|---|
Motivation
Beside the economic considerations, the plan had a political objective: to promote the Third RepublicFrench Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
in the rural areas, who were often hostile to the new régime.
Criticism
According to some analysts, the Freycinet Plan caused considerable upheaval and can be shown to have been a cause of difficulties in French industry at the end of the 19th century, in the competitive international economy.Albert Broder, Professor of History at the University of Paris-XII, explains this forcefully: