Philippe Buchez
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Philippe-Joseph-Benjamin Buchez (1796–1865), more commonly called Philippe Buchez, was a French historian, sociologist, and politician. He was the founder of the newspaper ''L'Atelier'', and he served briefly, in 1848, as the
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
of the Constituent National Assembly, which was then meeting at the
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in Paris. Buchez was born at Matagne-la-Petite, which is part of the town of Doische in the province of
Namur Namur (; ; nl, Namen ; wa, Nameur) is a city and municipality in Wallonia, Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia, hosting the Parliament of Wallonia, the Government of Wallonia and its administration. Na ...
, in
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. At the time of his birth (31 March 1796), however, the village was part of the French ''
département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. Ninety ...
'' of the
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. He died on 11 August 1865 in the south of France, at
Rodez Rodez ( or ; oc, Rodés, ) is a small city and commune in the South of France, about 150 km northeast of Toulouse. It is the prefecture of the department of Aveyron, region of Occitania (formerly Midi-Pyrénées). Rodez is the seat of th ...
, in the department of
Aveyron Aveyron (; oc, Avairon; ) is a department in the region of Occitania, Southern France. It was named after the river Aveyron. Its inhabitants are known as ''Aveyronnais'' (masculine) or ''Aveyronnaises'' (feminine) in French. The inhabitan ...
.


''La Charbonnerie''

He finished his general education in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
, and then applied himself to the study of natural science and medicine. In 1821, he co-operated with
Amand Bazard Saint-Amand Bazard (18 September 179129 July 1832) was a French socialist, the founder of a secret society in France corresponding to the Carbonari of Italy. Biography He was born in Paris. He took part in the defence of Paris in 1815, and aft ...
, Jacques-Thomas Flotard, and others to found a secret association, ''La Charbonnerie'', modeled on the Italian
Carbonari The Carbonari () was an informal network of secret revolutionary societies active in Italy from about 1800 to 1831. The Italian Carbonari may have further influenced other revolutionary groups in France, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Uruguay and Ru ...
, with the object of launching an armed insurrection against the French government. The organization spread rapidly and widely, and made several abortive attempts to foment revolution. In one of these attempts, the affair at
Belfort Belfort (; archaic german: Beffert/Beffort) is a city in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Northeastern France, situated between Lyon and Strasbourg, approximately from the France–Switzerland border. It is the prefecture of the Terri ...
, Buchez was gravely compromised. However, the jury that heard his case did not find sufficient evidence to warrant condemnation. This cites A. Ott, "P.B.J Buchez," in ''
Journal des Économistes A journal, from the Old French ''journal'' (meaning "daily"), may refer to: *Bullet journal, a method of personal organization *Diary, a record of what happened over the course of a day or other period *Daybook, also known as a general journal, a ...
'' for 1865.
Failed insurrectionary attempts of Charbonnerie in Belfort (January and July), Thouars and Saumur (February), culminated in the September execution in Paris of the Four Sergeants of La Rochelle affair (''Quatre Sergents de La Rochelle''). In 1825, he graduated in medicine, and soon published ''Études de théologie, de philosophie et d'histoire'' ("Studies in Theology, Philosophy, and History"). About the same time, he became a member of the Saint-Simonian Society, presided over by Bazard,
Barthélemy Prosper Enfantin Barthélemy, or Barthélémy is a French name, a cognate of Bartholomew. Notable people with this name include: Given name * Barthélemy (explorer), French youth who accompanied the explorer de La Salle in 1687 * Barthélémy Bisengimana, Cong ...
, and
Olinde Rodrigues Benjamin Olinde Rodrigues (6 October 1795 – 17 December 1851), more commonly known as Olinde Rodrigues, was a French banker, mathematician, and social reformer. In mathematics Rodrigues is remembered for Rodrigues' rotation formula for vectors, ...
. (The society was based on the ideas of Saint-Simon, an early socialist theoretician.) Buchez also contributed to its organ, the ''Producteur'', but he left this group because of the strange religious ideas of its "Supreme Father," Enfantin. Buchez began to elaborate on his own original ideas, which he characterized as ''
Christian socialism Christian socialism is a religious and political philosophy that blends Christianity and socialism, endorsing left-wing politics and socialist economics on the basis of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus. Many Christian socialists believe capi ...
''. For the exposition and advocacy of his principles he founded a periodical called ''L'Européen''. In 1833, he published an ''Introduction à la science de l'histoire ou science du développement de l'humanité'', which was received with considerable favor (2nd ed., improved and enlarged, 2 vols., 1842). Notwithstanding its prolixity, this is an interesting work. The part that describes the aim, foundation, and methods of the science of history is valuable; but what is most distinctive in Buchez's theory is the division of historical development into four great epochs originated by four universal revelations, of each epoch into three periods corresponding to desire, reasoning, and performance — and of each of these periods into a theoretical and practical age — is merely ingenious (see Flint's ''Philosophy of History in Europe'', i. 242–252).


''A parliamentary history of the French revolution''

Buchez next edited, along with M. Roux-Lavergne (1802–1874), the ''Histoire parlementaire de la Révolution française'' (1833-1838; 40 vols.). This vast and conscientious publication is a valuable store of material for the early periods of the first
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
. There is a review of it by
Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. A leading writer of the Victorian era, he exerted a profound influence on 19th-century art, literature and philosophy. Born in Ecclefechan, Dum ...
(''Miscellanies''), the first two parts of whose own history of the French Revolution are mainly drawn from it. The editors strongly admired the principles of
Robespierre Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman who became one of the best-known, influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. As a member of the Esta ...
and the
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. They also espoused the belief that the French Revolution was an attempt to fulfill
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
's promise. In the ' (1839–1840), Buchez endeavored to co-ordinate, in a single system, the political, moral, religious, and natural phenomena of existence. Denying the possibility of innate ideas, he asserted that morality comes by revelation. Therefore, it is not only certain, but the only real certainty possible.


''Revue Nationale'' and ''L'Atelier''

At the outset of the revolution of 1848, Buchez established the ''Revue Nationale'' to reach out to workers and all the democratic convictions. In the same fashion, Buchez had assisted, in September 1840, in the appropriation of the worker-owned and worker-operated newspaper, ''L'Atelier'' ("The Workshop"), a publication that was, at once, utopian, socialist, and Christian.


Political apex

Partly owing to the reputation he acquired by these publications but more to his connection with the National newspaper and secret societies hostile to the government of
Louis-Philippe Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate List of French monarchs#House of Orléans, July Monarchy (1830–1848), monarch of France. As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, h ...
, the
French Revolution of 1848 The French Revolution of 1848 (french: Révolution française de 1848), also known as the February Revolution (), was a brief period of civil unrest in France, in February 1848, that led to the collapse of the July Monarchy and the foundation ...
raised him to the presidency of the Constituent Assembly. When the revolution of 1848 began on 24 February, Buchez, as a captain in the National Guard, took his unit to the
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, where they witnessed the flight of
Louis-Philippe Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate List of French monarchs#House of Orléans, July Monarchy (1830–1848), monarch of France. As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, h ...
. In the days that followed, Buchez became ''maire-adjoint'' (assistant mayor) of
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
, and was elected to the national constituent assembly of 1848.


The demonstration of 15 May 1848

On 15 May 1848, a popular nonviolent invasion of the assembly took place. This invasion was an attempt to express the essential needs of the working population of Paris and of the nation. Buchez was, at that time, president of the assembly. Faithful to his convictions and trust in the people, he did not call for the use of force to clear the chamber. This calm response earned Buchez scorn and loud criticism from prominent assembly members.
Tocqueville Alexis Charles Henri Clérel, comte de Tocqueville (; 29 July 180516 April 1859), colloquially known as Tocqueville (), was a French aristocrat, diplomat, political scientist, political philosopher and historian. He is best known for his work ...
in his ''Recollections'' described this day, disdainfully recalling Buchez's conduct: "Buchez" he wrote, "the president, whom some would make out to be a rascal and others a saint, but who, on that day, was a great blockhead, rang his bell with all his might to obtain silence, as though the silence of that multitude was not, under the circumstances, more to be dreaded than its cries." He speedily showed he did not possess the qualities needed in such a situation. He retained the position only for a short time. After the dissolution of the assembly he was not re-elected.


Retirement

Thrown back into private life, he resumed his studies, and added several works to those already mentioned. A ''Traité de politique'' (published 1866), which may be considered as the completion of his ''Traité de philosophie'', was the most important of the productions of the last period of his life. His brochures are very numerous and on a great variety of subjects, medical, historical, political, philosophical, etc. He died on 12 August 1865. He found a disciple of considerable ability in A. Ott, who advocated and applied his principles in various writings.


References


Sources

* Armand Cuvillier, ''Un journal d'ouvriers : "L'atelier" (1840–1850)'', Éditions Ouvrières, Paris, 1954. * Notice de l'Université de l'Ohio sur "L'Atelier

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buchez, Philippe 1796 births 1866 deaths People from Namur (province) Saint-Simonists French republicans Members of the 1848 Constituent Assembly French scholars Walloon people Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery French Christian socialists Catholic socialists Utopian socialists