Assembly of Notables

Notables (Fr. les notables, the notables ) were the members of the social upper class, whose reputation was based on a high rank, special merits or a large fortune. Decisive for the membership to this " group of persons " was the appointment by the French king. The members were involved in the political process of the state. In a figurative sense notables also referred to the higher-ranking citizens. In the literal sense means " notables " persons " who are to be observed ", or " Notable ". The concept of notables is - at least insofar as it is used for corresponding groups in Germany - not congruent recorded at the wholesale citizen, the people of bourgeois origin with great assets and a corresponding lifestyle while notables this also collect in contrast those individuals who, even without great assets held a socially prominent position due to its prestige and rank.

France

In France, the enlarged councils of the king have been around since the 15th century so called Assemblées of notables, Notabelnversammlungen. In contrast to the Estates General, they came into being to appeal to the king.

The notables representing all three estates, but were the absolutist development of the state less obtrusive because they were contrary to the third state, provided with significantly more rights and therefore did not protest against the king.

In the Assembly of Notables of 1627 but officially waived this limited form of referendum. It was not until 160 years later, in 1787, when by the American Revolutionary War and a continuing lack of harvest was the French state from bankruptcy, had the then Minister for Finance, Charles Alexandre de Calonne, again call the notables to Versailles. (→ Assembly of Notables (1787 )) This overthrew the minister and demanded fundamental reforms, such as tax reform, which had been rejected by the Parlement. Then, a convocation of the Estates-General was requested, which was the impetus for the French Revolution.

Hamburg

In the city-state of Hamburg, the notables were given in the Constitution of 1859 on the dedicated backup their influence on the city government. Here the concept of notables was adopted for those voters who sent their deputies to citizenship outside of the general elections. The coming of the deputations Notabelnabgeordneten should be " a counterweight to the tendency of the supremacy of certain classes of people ". The influence of the merchant class in the basic bodies was significant. In many cases, the Hamburg Notabelnabgeordneten have benn identified with the wholesale interests.