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The physical economy of France (1830-2015). The story of a parasite?
[L'économie matérielle de la France (1830-2015). L'histoire d'un parasite ?]

Author

Listed:
  • Nelo Magalhães

    (LADYSS - Laboratoire Dynamiques Sociales et Recomposition des Espaces - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - UP8 - Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis - UPN - Université Paris Nanterre - UPD7 - Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Jean-Baptiste Fressoz

    (CAK-CRHST - Centre Alexandre Koyré - Centre de Recherche en Histoire des Sciences et des Techniques - MNHN - Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • François Jarrige

    (CGC - Centre Georges Chevrier. Sociétés & Sensibilités [Dijon - UMR7366] - UB - Université de Bourgogne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Gaëtan Levillain

    (ENS Paris Saclay - Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales)

  • Margot Lyautey

    (EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen = Eberhard Karls University of Tuebingen)

  • Thomas Le Roux

    (IDHE - Institutions et Dynamiques Historiques de l'Economie - ENS Cachan - École normale supérieure - Cachan - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - UP8 - Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis - UPN - Université Paris Nanterre - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Guillaume Noblet

    (UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne)

  • Christophe Bonneuil

    (CAK-CRHST - Centre Alexandre Koyré - Centre de Recherche en Histoire des Sciences et des Techniques - MNHN - Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

This article explores the long-term dynamics of material use in France over a period of 185 years. It is based on material flow accounts that are perfectly consistent with the standards of Material Flows Analysis at the national economic scale. This work - which covers domestic extraction, imports and exports - is the first long-term study of material flows for France, with annual and national data for most of the period. Our database allows us to study the evolution of French metabolism during the industrialization of the country, together with the increasing dependence on abiotic materials. We highlight a singular metabolic trajectory: that of a state that benefits from successive world-systems to develop economically via massive imports of materials. First, we present the sources and the quality of the data collected. We then show the main long-term characteristics of the French material economy. Finally, we propose a socio-historical reading inspired by the notion of world-ecology introduced by Moore (2015).

Suggested Citation

  • Nelo Magalhães & Jean-Baptiste Fressoz & François Jarrige & Gaëtan Levillain & Margot Lyautey & Thomas Le Roux & Guillaume Noblet & Christophe Bonneuil, 2018. "The physical economy of France (1830-2015). The story of a parasite? [L'économie matérielle de la France (1830-2015). L'histoire d'un parasite ?]," Working Papers hal-01845999, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-01845999
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-01845999
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cahen-Fourot, Louison & Magalhães, Nelo, 2020. "Matter and regulation: socio-metabolic and accumulation regimes of French capitalism since 1948," Ecological Economic Papers 34, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    2. Svartzman, Romain & Dron, Dominique & Espagne, Etienne, 2019. "From ecological macroeconomics to a theory of endogenous money for a finite planet," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 108-120.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Analyse des flux de matières; Métabolisme social; Histoire environnementale; Histoire économique; Écologie monde;
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