“Humanity is permanently threatened by two dangers: order and disorder.” – Paul Valéry.

 

A new social order is upon us. Some suggest it is merely a “spectacle” – a world of capitalist dreams where everything is related to the exterior. An economic discourse that proclaims the idea that everything is a simple commodity that can be consumed.

 

The French Revolution in 1789 sparked the transformation of Europe from a feudal to a capitalistic society. In the following decades and up until the renovation of Paris in the 1860s, ideals changed rapidly. Paris went from being a politically motivated city, with frequent demonstrations and rebellion, to an economically booming and socially centred capital.

 

The transformation of Paris is better known as “Haussmannization” after Georges-Eugène Haussmann, who was hired by Napoleon III to “modernize” Paris. The massive building and rebuilding work introduced safer streets, better housing, more sanitary, shopper-friendly communities, better traffic flow, and streets too broad for rebels to build barricades across them. The city experienced a change not only through its physical appearance but also through rules and regulations that aimed at returning order, morality and public health to the city.

 

Generally, there are two views of Baron Haussmann: One view depicts him as the man who destroyed “Old Paris”, and another as the man who created “New Paris”. One thing is certain, the “modernization” changed the look of Paris and reconstituted social life. It catered in particular to the leisurely lifestyle of the rising bourgeoisie to flaunt their new-earned wealth. In this regard, Haussmannization illustrates an example of gentrification in the mid-1800’s that is still ongoing today.

 

One area that symbolizes “New Paris” more than any other is Quartier de l’Opera, although ironically, it is often associated with “Old Paris”. 

 

The “Quartier de l’Opéra - Paris” table is an embodiment of the dichotomy between “New Paris” and “Old Paris”. 

 

On the one hand, it illustrates the zenith of urban revitalization, and on the other hand it’s a delineation of the most pervasive gentrification project in modern European history.