centralisation

Forms

centralisation f (plural centralisations)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French centraliser + -ation, from the stem of the verb centraliser with the suffix -ation.^[2][3][4] The verb itself goes back to central, from Latin centrālis, from centrum (“centre”).^[5]

The verb (1790) and the noun (1794) were coined during the Revolution, followed by centralisateur (1815), centralisme (1842) and, with a prefix, décentraliser (1827) and décentralisation (before 1829).^[5] The short-lived centralité (1793, Danton) belonged to the same set of words.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded before 1794 in Saint-Just, in a political sense: Tel est l'effet de la centralisation du gouvernement “such is the effect of the centralisation of the government”.^[2] The GLLF dates it to 1795, in Snetlage's dictionary of new revolutionary words.^[6]

Semantic evolution

The word was born in the political vocabulary of the Revolution, and Rey links the whole family to the balance between the single executive power of the State, the pouvoir central, and the local institutions.^[5] In 1863 Littré gives it the specific sense of a regime in which administrative and political action is concentrated in the hands of the central government, and distinguishes administrative from political centralisation.^[2][7]

In the 19th century it became a key word of political debate: Chateaubriand blamed the Empire for leaving France its centralisation, and Mérimée contrasted it with countries not ruled by their capital.^[6] It is also used more generally of gathering information, accounts or other material in one place.^[2][4] Its opposite is décentralisation.^[2][6]

Timeline

• Before 1794 – Saint-Just writes of the centralisation du gouvernement.^[2][5]
• 1795 – Snetlage records the word.^[6]
• Before 1829 – The opposite décentralisation appears.^[5]
• 1863 – Littré defines the political and administrative regime.^[2][7]

Meanings

Noun

1. The act of centralizing, bringing things together in one centre: la centralisation des données.^[4][2]
2. The concentration of all means of action and control in a single central authority: centralisation politique, administrative, économique.^[4][7]

Related words

• centraliser
• central
• centre
• décentralisation
• centralisme

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette