Blanc, JEAN JOSEPH LOUIS

Blanc, JEAN JOSEPH LOUIS, a celebrated French Socialist and historian, was born 29th October 1811, at Madrid, where his father was inspector-general of finance under King Joseph. After finishing his school education he went to study in Paris. For two years he was a private tutor at Arras, and in 1834 returned to Paris, where he contributed to various political papers, and where in 1839 he founded the Revue du Progrès, in which he first brought out his chief work on Socialism, the Organisation du Travail, which in 1840 appeared in a separate form. The book obtained for its author a wide, enthusiastic popularity among the French workmen, who were captivated by the brilliancy of the writing, the simplicity of the scheme, and the freshness of the views advocated. The book denounces the principle of competitive industry, and proposes the establishment of social workshops (ateliers sociaux), composed of workmen of good character, and subsidised by the state. These workshops, conducted on the co-operative principle, and on the basis of an equitable remuneration for all engaged in them, would, he thought, in the process of time absorb all the industry of France. Next, in 1841-44, Blanc published an historical work, entitled Histoire de Dix Ans (1830-40), which produced a deadly effect on the Orleans dynasty. Louis-Philippe afterwards declared that 'it acted like a battering-ram against the bulwarks of loyalty in France.' It owed its success partly to the exposure it made of the scandalous jobbery and immorality of the crown and its advisers, partly to that passionate ardour which changed the tranquillity of history into the vehemence of a pamphlet. This was followed by the first volume of a Histoire de la Révolution Française, in which the author's aim was to describe from his own point of view not only the incidents of the first revolution, but the social history of the 18th century. On the breaking out of the revolution of February 1848, Blanc had an opportunity of playing a most important part. His great popularity with the working-classes led to his being appointed a member of the Provisional Government, and he was placed at the head of the great commission for discussing the problem of labour, which had its sittings in the palace of the Luxembourg. At the same time, Marie, Minister of Public Works, began to establish the so-called national workshops (see ATELIERS NATIONAUX), which, however, were in no sense an attempt to carry out the views of Blanc. Blanc was accused without reason of a share in the disturbances of the summer of 1848, and escaped to London, where he spent many years. During his exile, he devoted himself to political and historical literature. He finished his Histoire de la Révolution Française, and carried on a large correspondence for the French journals, a selection from which was published in the bright and charming Lettres sur l'Angleterre. On the fall of the Empire, Blanc returned to France, and was elected to the National Assembly in 1871. After 1876 he was member of the Chamber of Deputies. In both these bodies he voted and acted with the extreme Left, but without exercising any great influence on the course of events. He died at Cannes, 6th December 1882. Louis Blanc was a man of genial and amiable personality, and a sincere believer in the most advanced political and social opinions, which he advocated with polished and fervid eloquence, but he was not robust enough to be a revolutionary leader.