French Freemasonry under the Second Republic

French Freemasonry under the Second Republic experienced a period that ranged from euphoria over the advent of the Republic to rapid disillusionment. The implementation of many of its ideals, such as the abolition of slavery, and the large number of Freemasons in national bodies, fueled hopes of a “Masonic republic”, which were quickly extinguished by the workers' riots of June 1848.