Louis-Eugène Cavaignac

Louis-Eugène Cavaignac
Chief of the Executive Power
In office 28 June 1848 – 20 December 1848
Preceded by	François Arago as President of the Executive Commission
Succeeded by	Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte as President of the Republic
Prime Minister of France
In office 28 June 1848 – 20 December 1848
Preceded by	François Arago
Succeeded by	Odilon Barrot
Minister of War
In office 17 May 1848 – 29 June 1848
President	Executive Commission
Prime Minister	François Arago
Preceded by	Jean-Baptiste-Adolphe Charras
Succeeded by	Juchault de Lamoricière
In office 20 March 1848 – 5 April 1848
President	Jacques Dupont de l’Eure
Prime Minister	Jacques Dupont de l’Eure
Preceded by	Jacques Gervais Subervie
Succeeded by	François Arago
Governor of Algeria
In office 24 February 1848 – 29 April 1848
President	Jacques Dupont de l’Eure
Prime Minister	Jacques Dupont de l’Eure
Preceded by	Henri d'Orléans
Succeeded by	Nicolas Changarnier
Personal details
Born	15 October 1802 Paris, French Republic
Died	28 October 1857(1857-10-28) (aged 55) Ourne, Sarthe, French Empire
Political party	Moderate Republican
Signature

Louis-Eugène Cavaignac (French pronunciation: ​[lwi øʒɛn kavɛɲak]; 15 October 1802 in Paris – 28 October 1857) was a French general. He was Chief of the Executive Power between June 1848 to December 1848. He also was Prime Minister of France at the same time.^[1]

Cavaignac was notorious for his brutal suppression of a workers’ uprising in 1848, which led to the deaths and executions of thousands of people.^[2] Ironically, despite his crushing of the worker insurgents, and his hostility to the socialists, Cavaignac nevertheless understood the plight of the workers. Under his government numerous interventionist economic measures and social reforms were carried out.^[3] Unemployment relief was provided while various steps were taken to boost economic recovery and create jobs. According to one study, “Cavaignac’s interest in the workers was attested by the numerous proposals offered by his government in their favor, and by the large number of documents concerning social and economic problems that he preserved in his papers.” Cavaignac supported, for instance, legal maximums on the length of the workday, along with a proposal for government-administered and compulsory sickness and old-age insurance for workers. He believed this was necessary due to industry not providing salaries sufficient enough to allow for adequate savings. His social insurance plan was, however, defeated.^[4]

Measures were taken to improve conditions for workers within the Interior Ministry,^[5] while government aid to producers’ cooperatives was implemented. Maximum hours legislation for male factory workers was successfully sponsored by the government. Other labor reforms introduced earlier in 1848, such as the abolition of the “marchandage,” were preserved. The Caviagnac Government also introduced other labor reforms, such as sickness and accident insurance for workers on public works projects.^[6] Under this reform, the state paid medical treatment and provided disability payments to injured workers or their survivors. An order was also issued (applying to regulations for state contracts) providing for the wages of workers to be guaranteed in case of an employer’s bankruptcy.^[7] Important reforms in public assistance were carried out,^[8] while the government also extended a previous labor reform under which workers were given equal representation with employers in the labor courts.^[9] Relief was also provided to unemployed people in Paris , at the daily rate of thirty-five centimes per person.^[10]

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