France - A 12-episode large-scale television documentary series, The Rise of a Great Nation

Author: Ren Xue'an
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: In the 17th century, King Louis XIV established the most powerful absolute monarchy on the European continent in France, thereby bringing the country's economic, cultural, and military power to an historical peak, and the city of Paris was born during that period. Louis XIV's fondness for cultural arts nurtured the public's admiration for intellectual culture, and the Enlightenment, which swept across Europe, was widely spread in France. The Enlightenment broke the theological shackles of medieval Europe and opened the door to reason, while the contradictions among the three estates in French society, which had long been unresolved, grew increasingly intense. In 1789, the French Revolution broke out, and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was proclaimed. However, the suppression by the monarchies of Europe led to extreme events and long-term instability in France. At this time, Napoleon emerged as the son of the Revolution, once again bringing France to its pinnacle through the conquest of Europe. Yet, military expansion could not sustain a great power's status. It was not until after World War II, under the leadership of de Gaulle's independent and autonomous development path, that France restored its former glory.