From the private bank to the joint-stock bank: the case of France (second half of the 19th century)

International audienceThis paper based on the results of a prosopographic study of Second-Empire Parisian Bankers, deals with the question of the banking revolution and the confrontation between the old banks and the new - between the private bank and the joint-stock banks. Three conclusions emerge: - There were two types of banker: the new managers were clearly distinguishable from their private banking colleagues by their cultural and social origins - most were French, Catholic and from modest backgrounds. - However, in exercising their functions they behaved exactly like the heads of the private banks - personalised management, a confusion between their private fortunes and the company's assets, membership of the same boards of directors. - Despite specialising, the banks followed mixed banking practices along the same lines as the private banks. French capitalism thus experienced a brief period of euphoria (1850-1880) which came to an abrupt halt with the Great Depression Published (CD-rom) : " From the Private Bank to the Joint-Stock-Bank : The Case of France (Second Half of the 19th Century ", Companies-Owners-Employees, Proceedings from the 6th Annual Congress ot the European Business History Association (EBHA), 22-24.8.2002, University of Helsinki, Department of Social Science History, 2003 (CD-rom)