Identifying the vexillary representations of a ruler (Thiers, 29st November 1832). An approach to overcome the manipulative biases of political speech.

Research into mental representations that rulers have of sensitive political objects is complicated by the very mental constructions put forward to serve their political interests. This article proposes to address this kind of problem. By combining an analysis of speeches and writings of Adolphe Thiers with an analysis of the vexillary culture of his contemporaries, we show that it is possible to grasp what the red and tricolore flags could have represented for him in late 1832.