Etienne Arago
The postal reform of 1848
In France, as early as 1839, certain parliamentarians proposed a postal reform based on the model of that which began in England. At that time, postal France was divided into zones and there were a multitude of taxes. The system is complex. The cost of postage for a letter is rather high and is paid by the recipient. Trade is penalized. Despite this, for almost seven years the Ministry of Finance blocked any postal reform.
It was only on August 24, 1848, thanks to Etienne Arago, then barely in power as director of the Post Office, that postal reform was promulgated by a decree law which authorized the administration to issue postage stamps.
In France, as early as 1839, certain parliamentarians proposed a postal reform based on the model of that which began in England. At that time, postal France was divided into zones and there were a multitude of taxes. The system is complex. The cost of postage for a letter is rather high and is paid by the recipient. Trade is penalized. Despite this, for almost seven years the Ministry of Finance blocked any postal reform.
It was only on August 24, 1848, thanks to Etienne Arago, then barely in power as director of the Post Office, that postal reform was promulgated by a decree law which authorized the administration to issue postage stamps.