The Second Empire has traditionally been regarded as a short, repressive regime which was ultimately bound to fail; but now it has come to be seen as one of the key moments in the development of modern France. Dr Smith argues that the impetus given by the Second Empire to all aspects of French life led to an increase in prosperity which affected, albeit unequally, all classes of society. In this welcome Second Edition the author has revised and expanded his text in the light of recent research.