Monsieur GuizotFrançois Pierre Guillaume Guizot was a French historian, orator, and politician. Prior to the 1848 Revolution, Guizot was a dominating force in French politics. He was a conservative liberal who rejected King Charles X's effort to steal legislative pwer and tried to preserve a constitutional monarchy after the July Revolution of 1830. He then served the "citizen king" Louis Philippe as Minister of Education from 1832 to 1837, ambassador to London, Foreign Minister from 1840 to 1847, and lastly Prime Minister of France from September 19, 1847, to February 23, 1848. Guizot's influence was important in spreading public education, and under his government, primary schools were established in every French commune. As a leader of the "Doctrinaires," who were committed to supporting Louis Phillipe's policies and limiting further expansion of the political franchise, he earned the ire of more left-leaning liberals and republicans for his unwavering support for restricting suffrage to propertied men and allegedly advising those who wanted the vote to "enrich themselves" through hard work and thrift. Read More Read Less