SIMON, Claude Henri de Rouvroy Saint-, 1760-1825, socialist, businessman and writer

Two letters by Claude Henri de Saint-Simon, the first written to Monsieur Ribouet and dated 26 Mar 1814.

Born 1760; served as a volunteer in the American War of Independence, on the side of the colonialists, 1776; remained an army officer, 1777-1781; returned to Paris and became a businessman and speculator, 1781-1804; took little part in the French Revolution, though imprisoned for 11 months for commune activities; made a fortune through land speculation, and squandered his wealth financing a salon for scientists and economists; due to bankruptcy, became a copyist at the Monte de Pit in 1805, and tried to make a living as a writer and journalist, 1805-1825; founded the periodical Industrie , [1817], and took on Auguste Comte as his secretary; following a suicide attempt in 1823, he was supported by Olinde Rodrigues, an admirer of his work, until his death in 1825. Saint-Simon is seen by many as the founder of French socialism.
Publications: Introduction aux travaux scientifiques du dixneuvime sicle (1807); Memoire sur la science de l'homme (1813); New Christianity (1825).

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Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 project.

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