中世纪法国自治城市的兴衰

中世纪法国城市兴起于公元 11世纪。以后 ,市民们利用分裂割据、王权与各地封建主矛盾尖锐的机会取得了自治权。 14世纪前后 ,由于王权的逐步强大 ,国王开始派官吏插手自治市的事务 ,并利用各自治市的内部矛盾 ,逐渐剥夺了许多城市的自治权。城市的兴起对中世纪的法国有深刻的影响 ,它不仅促进了经济的繁荣 ,使市民作为一支独立的政治力量登上历史舞台 ,还直接促成了三级会议的召开和等级君主制的形成。从这个意义上说 ,市民自治权是近代欧洲民主政治的渊源之一。

The Rise and Fall of the French Communes in the Middle Ages

The french cities of the middle ages rose in the 11th century, AD. After that the citizens took advantage of the situation of the separatist regimes and the contradictions between the king and the feudalist lords so as to gain the autonomy. In about the 14th century, with the king's increasing power, the king began to send the officials to interfere the affairs of the autonomous cities, and then gradually deprived many cities of their right of self|government by making use of the internal contradictions in each city. The rise of the cities had a great influence on France. It not only promoted the prosperity of economy but also made the citizens come upon the historical stage as an independent political force. What is more, it directly stimulated the holding of the States|general and helped the formation of the hierarchy of monarchy. In this sense, citizens' right of self|government was one of the origins of modern European democracy.