The 1848 Revolutions and France's Second Republic

In early 1848, France erupted. A wave of revolutions swept across Europe, but it began in Paris, where barricades went up and King Louis-Philippe abdicated, fleeing to England in disguise. Lucas and Luna explore the February Revolution, the establishment of the Second Republic, and the radical experiment with universal male suffrage. They discuss the National Workshops, the June Days uprising, and the election of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte—first as president, then as emperor. The episode examines how the hopes of 1848 curdled into authoritarianism, and why the Second Republic lasted barely four years. Along the way, they touch on key figures like Alexandre Ledru-Rollin, Alphonse de Lamartine, and General Cavaignac, and ask whether France was ready for democracy—or simply repeating old patterns. A story of noble ideals, violent reaction, and the enduring tension between liberty and order. #1848Revolutions #FrenchSecondRepublic #LouisPhilippe #LouisNapoleon #Bonaparte #FebruaryRevolution #JuneDaysUprising #NationalWorkshops #AlphonseDeLamartine #AlexandreLedruRollin #GeneralCavaignac #UniversalSuffrage #Barricades #Paris #19thCenturyFrance #EuropeanHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo