Corruption on Trial : Money, Power, and Punishment in France’s Chambre de Justice of 1716
This article reappraises the Chamber of Justice of 1716–1717, the last in a series of periodic, temporary, but powerful tribunals instituted in early modern France to punish wrongdoing in the king’s finances. Until now, scholars have undervalued the judicial integrity of Chambers of Justice, interpr...
Enregistré dans:
| Udgivet i: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/chs, |
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| Hovedforfatter: | |
| Format: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Sprog: | Anglais |
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Crime, Histoire & Sociétés
2013
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| Online adgang: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Summary: | This article reappraises the Chamber of Justice of 1716–1717, the last in a series of periodic, temporary, but powerful tribunals instituted in early modern France to punish wrongdoing in the king’s finances. Until now, scholars have undervalued the judicial integrity of Chambers of Justice, interpreting them as fronts for expropriating royal financiers and replacing old client networks with new ones. This article suggests that, while this interpretation may to some extent be valid for previous Chambers of Justice, it does not hold for the tribunal of 1716–1717. Analyzing data compiled from the court’s docket, this article argues that the last Chamber adhered to contemporary judicial norms, punishing a wide range of malefactors. It concludes by sketching out broader, structural limits to the early modern French monarchy’s efforts to address fiscal crisis and corruption. |
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