Le commerce du libelle interdit à Paris (1790-1791)

Antoine de Baecque : The sale of forbidden pamphlets in Paris (1790-1791). At the beginning of the Revolution, the book trade depended mainly on printing and selling numerous brochures devoted to political comment. Thanks to pamphlets, politics invaded the Paris streets. Many writings, taking advantage of the complete freedom of the press, outdid each other in profit-seeking violent attacks, denunciations and even pornography. These were what were called at the time «libels ». The Paris authorities tried to take action against this proliferating sub-literature and appointed police officers, mainly in Palais-Royal, to arrest peddlars and seize the anonymous works they were selling. From a study of police archives, the author here tries to bring out the political issues involved in this sale of revolutionary pamphlets.de Baecque Antoine. Le commerce du libelle interdit à Paris (1790-1791). In: Dix-huitième Siècle, n°21, 1989. Montesquieu et la Révolution. pp. 233-246