I Visited Versailles And Came Back With a Theory
I highly recommend a visit to Versailles, a microcosm of what wealth concentration looks like before all hell breaks loose.
I recently visited the Palace of Versailles, a glistening shrine to wealth concentration and economic disparity. In advance of that I did a little research into the who, what, where, and why of the building and holy moly are there some parallels here that just need to be examined.
History repeats itself (and if you don’t know that, you’re probably going to repeat it). Hitler is the go-to for the history-on-a-carousel theories, but that really only works for racist, other-people hating policies1. For historical references to lavish spending and avoiding taxing the rich you have to look to Versailles. Specifically to the guy who built it: Louis XIV, and to the guy who lost his head over it: Louis XVI.
LOUIS XIV
King Louis, the self professed “Sun King”, gilded everything - like everything2. Just look at this!
Gilded Silly
If it weren’t nailed down, he gilded it. Hell, even if it were nailed down, he gilded it. If something could be gilded, and it wasn’t yet gilded, he would promptly have it gilded3. The dude liked all of his stuff dripping in gold. It is an aesthetic that is whatever is the opposite of having all of your stuff dipped in precious metals.
Sycophant-ile
The other, more salient fact, is that Louis XIV built the palace away from Paris - pulling the nobles away from all that distraction. He then created a social hierarchy of nobles who would fight for the right to be close to him. He created a bunch of “jobs” for his nobles to squander their time with that included “guy who puts on royal waistcoat”, “guy who puts on royal wig”, and “guy who holds royal candlestick” (amongst others). Proximity to the king was highly valued, so the “guy who holds the royal piss bucket” was in a strangely enviable position. The Sun King also was known to throw some pretty epic parties. Attendance was not mandatory, but would be noted.
The reason King Louis did all of this was to keep them close, distracted, and away from anywhere they might be able to conspire against him. Keep your friends close and all that jazz. By showering potential rivals with distraction and luxury he kept dissidents at heel4.
Idle Worship
Louis XIV likened himself to Apollo, Greek god of the sun and center of the universe (subtle). Using Apollo as a jumping off point, paintings and statues were created depicting Louis XIV, the man, as something more than he was. This glorification was used as propaganda to heighten his appeal and sovereignty5.
LOUIS XVI
The Sun King’s great-great-grandson eventually took the throne and continued creating relevant similarities to what is going on today.
By the time XVI got to do his own gilding the country was flat-ass broke. Part of that was due to funding a far-flung war which became known as The American Revolution. A war where the American people threw off their king and the French people went: “Hold up! You did what now?” Louis XVI brought in four successive advisors (revolving door, much?6) to help him work through this “lack of cash” problem.
Anne Robert Turgot
Monsieur Turgot took a look at the books and came up with a novel idea: raise taxes on the rich.
He was fired.
Jacques Necker
Monsieur Necker took a look at the books and came up with a (now) not novel idea: raise taxes on the rich.
He quit.
Charles Alexandre De Calonne
Monsieur Calonne took a look at the books and came up with a truly novel idea: let’s increase spending7, which will make it look like everything is totally cool. After awhile he looked around and thought: “Oh shit” and so then also suggested that maybe, just maybe, they should raise taxes on the rich.
He was fired.
Étienne Charles De Loménie De Brienne
Monsieur Brienne came up with a (now) rather hackneyed idea: Tax the rich.
This time King Louis said, “Ugh, fine! Let’s get everyone (the Estates General) together and talk it through.”
There were three groups in the Estates General that needed to be sold on this idea. Each group, as a whole, got one (1) vote on the matter:
The Clergy (the church) - not taxed.
The Nobility (the rich) - not taxed.
The Commoners (the people) - taxed out of their eyeballs.
The whole “Tax The Rich” concept was put to a vote. Motion failed 2-1. (You can guess who voted Nay8). And with that the commoners said, “Fuck this shit! Fuck you guys! And fuck you, Louis!”
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
The Commoners were sick and tired of the Nobility not paying their fare share9 and put up a fight. Once the army realized they were neither Clergy nor Nobility (soldier doing the math: “three minus two equals… heyyyyyy…) they turned their bayonet clad muskets in the other direction. Then, yada yada yada, King Louis XVI of France’s head was lopped off by the guillotine. So too were most of the nobility10.
GILDED WILTING
This has led me to a theory: The Theory Of Gilded Wilting: When “gilded fashion” - opulent displays of wealth - becomes prevalent it is a sign that wealth concentration and inequality in a society has reached a tipping point and is about to blow (economically and/or politically). To wit, some eras of extreme gilding:
1. The Late Roman Empire (3rd–5th centuries AD)
GILDED: Expansive homes of marble and mosaics. Crystal goblets, silver mirrors, and ivory combs. Robes dripping in jewels dropped before entering a private bath (“You have a private bath?!”). Wealth disparity: High.
WILTING: The fall of the Roman Empire.
2. Versailles & the Ancien Régime (late 17th–18th century France)
GILDED: See above.
WILTING: The French Revolution.
3. Qing Dynasty (late 18th–early 19th century)
GILDED: Fine porcelain, jade, antique bronzes, and lacquerware. Wearing python robes while gliding through town on sedan chairs (walking, how gauche). Wealth disparity: High.
WILTING: The Opium Wars, the Taiping Rebellion, and collapse of the imperial system.
4. The American Gilded Age (1870s–1900)
GILDED: Homes built like palaces meant to one-up the neighbor. Wild excess enough to inspire The Great Gatsby. Wealth disparity: High
WILTING: Economic panic, progressive reforms and a set up to the Great Depression.
5. Pre-Revolution Russia (Romanov Era, late 19th–early 20th century)
GILDED: Fabergé eggs - need I say more. Wealth disparity: High.
WILTING: The 1917 Russian Revolution
10/10 WOULD RECOMMEND
If you are in Paris, I highly recommend a visit to Versailles. The palace and grounds are absolutely gorgeous. It is a testament to what one human can create with wealth while ignoring the starving populations around them and a microcosm of what wealth concentration looks like before all hell breaks loose.
They may sound like a negative review, but museums are meant to educate. It’s one thing to be awestruck by opulence, but don’t let Louis XIV once again distract you from what’s important.
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Foreshadowing?
Dan, I had an identical reaction when I visited Versailles - I could feel the blood of my working class roots fizzing and I wanted to trash Petit Trianon in the search for a handy (probably gilded) pitchfork! Thank you for writing it down; I endorse this theory.
Thanks for the history lesson! Fascinating facts.