French Literature Reviews - 2026
A.-D. Houte, Propriété défendue. La société française à l’épreuve du vol. XIXe-XXe siècles
History, Politics and Society
Propriété défendue. La société française à l’épreuve du vol. XIXᵉ-XXᵉ siècles
By ARNAUD-DOMINIQUE HOUTE
Bibliothèque des Histoires collection, Gallimard, 2021
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DESCRIPTION
"Beware of thieves", "Don't tempt pickpockets", "Protect your home", "Don't make your house an easy target"... These alarmist slogans that have saturated our soundscape and visual environment for decades reflect a heightened sensitivity to theft, the foundations and evolution of which this book seeks to understand from the 19th century to the present day.
It opens in the aftermath of the 1830 revolution in a France that celebrated property, just as a harsh morality directed against thieves took hold, backed by an unforgiving justice system. The protection of assets inspired public security policies and private surveillance practices (locks were reinforced, guard dogs barked, neighbors spied). Deeply rooted, this consensus around property withstood the challenges of political turmoil, crises, and the wars of the 20th century, but it finally gave way under the pressure of social and cultural shifts that accelerated through the 1960s and 1970s. In the era of insurance and mass consumption, theft ceased to be the primary threat; while more commonplace, it nonetheless remains the main factor behind modern insecurity.
Drawing on a wealth of original sources, this book explores two centuries of French history through its most overlooked aspects. Under the auspices of Arsène Lupin and Jean Valjean, it pays equal attention to the criminal exploits of organized gangs and the petty larcenies of chicken (or even book) thieves; it examines both the disputed status of lost and found property and the tragedy of wartime looting. Both a scholarly and engaging essay, it illuminates our complex relationship with property and theft to explain the contemporary challenges of security.
Price: 24 EUR
400 pages, 140 x 225 mm
ISBN: 9782072880667
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Published in the prestigious Bibliothèque des Histoires collection by Gallimard, this work belongs to the rich tradition of French cultural and social history. It examines how modern societies construct notions of legality, transgression and civic order. By focusing on everyday anxieties rather than merely extraordinary crimes, the author connects intimate domestic habits with broader political shifts. The study illuminates how changing economic systems, from early industrial capitalism to mass consumerism, continuously reshape our collective fears and our expectations of the state regarding personal safety.
This engaging essay will appeal to historians, sociologists, and general readers interested in the evolution of French society over the past two centuries. It provides essential historical context for understanding contemporary debates surrounding security, policing and urban anxiety. Scholars of nineteenth and twentieth-century France will find a wealth of original perspectives on the daily tensions between private possession and social vulnerability. Ultimately, the book helps readers reexamine the deep-rooted cultural consensus that continues to define our relationship with property and the law.