Antoine Édouard Ducpétiaux (29 June 1804,

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– 21 July 1868, Brussels) was a Belgian journalist and social reformer. In 1827 he obtained his doctorate from the

University of Ghent Ghent University (, abbreviated as UGent) is a Public university, public research university located in Ghent, in the East Flanders province of Belgium. Located in Flanders, Ghent University is the second largest Belgian university, consisting o ...

, being admitted to the bar in Brussels during the following year. He quickly became known as an opponent of the death penalty and fervent defender of

freedom of the press Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic Media (communication), media, especially publication, published materials, shoul ...

. He played a significant role in the events of autumn 1830 during the

Belgian Revolution The Belgian Revolution (, ) was a conflict which led to the secession of the southern provinces (mainly the former Southern Netherlands) from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the establishment of an independent Kingdom of Belgium. The ...

. Ducpétiaux was a leading figure in regards to demands made for an immediate break from the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

along with the creation of a provisional government. He served as president of the "Réunion centrale" (Central Assembly), and for a period of time was imprisoned in

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by Dutch authorities (being released on 11 October 1830). Following his release, he resigned from "Réunion centrale" due to differences with other assembly members. In the same year he was appointed inspector-general of prisons by the provisional government. Among his numerous publications was a three-volume work on penitentiary reform. In the 1840s he introduced projects for eradication of slums (1844, 1846). Later in his career he was involved with Catholic charity projects. He took the lead in organising the first International Statistical Congress (1853) and International Philanthropic Congress (1856) in Brussels, and the

Malines Congresses The Malines Congresses were a series of Catholic Congresses held in Mechelen (), Belgium, with the purpose of bringing together Catholics with leading roles in all walks of life, on the model of the German ''Katholikentage''.M. Defourny, ''Les Con ...

of 1863, 1864 and 1867. Ducpétiaux was a member of the masonic lodge "Les Vrais Amis de l'union et du progrès réunis" in Brussels. It has also been claimed that he was a member of the elite twelve-member

dining club A dining club (UK) or eating club (US) is a Social club, social group, usually requiring membership (which may, or may not be available only to certain people), which meets for dinners and discussion on a regular basis. They may also often have g ...

known as the "

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Selected publications

* ''Des progrès et de l'état actuel de réforme pénitentiaire'' (1837–38, three volumes). * ''De la condition physique et morale des jeunes ouvriers'' (1843, two volumes). * ''Budgets économiques des classes ouvrières en Belgique'' (1855). * ''Des conditions d'application du système de l'emprisonnement séparé ou cellulaire'' (1857). * ''La question de la charité et des associations religieuses en Belgique'' (second edition- 1859).Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon, 1908
"Ducpétiaux (spr. dückpetjō), Edouard, belg. Publizist und Volkswirt,"

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ducpetiaux, Edouard Journalists from Brussels Ghent University alumni 1804 births 1868 deaths Belgian journalists 19th-century journalists Belgian male journalists 19th-century Belgian male writers Belgian anti–death penalty activists

Selected publications

Further reading

References

External links