Jules Guesde: The Birth of Socialism and Marxism in France (Marx, Engels, and Marxisms)

What explains France’s unique Left? Many works have reflected upon the importance of Marxism in France, yet few studies have been devoted to the man who did most to introduce Marxism into its political culture: the today near-forgotten figure of Jules Guesde. It was with Guesde that Karl Marx drafted the world’s first Marxist program, and Guesde who aroused the enthusiasm of countless worker-militants who saw him as their most important leader. Jules Guesde represents the first book-length study of the French socialist leader translated into the English language. For the radical Left today, Guesde is often considered a dogmatist who supported the Union sacrée during World War I and rejected the Bolshevik revolution; for the governmental Left, he embodies an intransigent ideologue who held back the modernization of the French Left. Throughout Jules Guesde, Jean-Numa Ducange argues that it is impossible to study the history of the French socialist movement without a close look at this singular figure and offers a fuller picture of the deep transformations of the Left and Marxism in France from the late 19th century up to the present. This scholarly biography of Jules Guesde seeks to put Guesde’s record on a properly historical footing, closely analysing both archival sources and accounts by his contemporaries. Chapter One begins with his early life and the mark left on him by the Paris Commune and exile. Chapter Two emphasises Guesde’s importance as leader of a distinct current of French socialism, recognised by figures like Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Chapter Three sees Guesde become an MP for working-class Roubaix, exploring the contradictions between his revolutionary rhetoric and concrete political practice. Chapter Four turns to the years following his electoral defeat in 1898 and his renewed intransigence in the period of the Dreyfus affair and rivalry with Jaurès. Chapter Five explores his key role in the formation of a united Socialist Party. Chapter Six examines the test of World War I and Guesde’s anguish at the divisions of French socialism. The book then concludes with an examination of Guesde’s contested legacy, as both a “founding father” and figure subject to often pejorative framings. Titles Published......Page 6 Titles Forthcoming......Page 7 A Life Dedicated to Socialism......Page 9 Understanding Guesde in His Time......Page 11 There Were Many Guesdes......Page 13 Acknowledgements......Page 16 Contents......Page 17 Chapter 1: The Apostle of the Fourth Estate (1845–1880)......Page 18 The Montpellier Radical......Page 21 The Exiled Anarchist......Page 25 The Author of a New Catechism......Page 29 The Newspaper: L’Égalité......Page 30 Foreign Associations and Assistance......Page 32 Birth of the Parti Ouvrier......Page 36 ‘The Immortal Congress’ of 1879......Page 38 The First Programme......Page 39 Chapter 2: ‘The Genius for Simplification’: Guesde, Founder of France’s First Socialist Party (1880–1893)......Page 43 Towards a New Party......Page 44 The Orator......Page 47 Faced with the ‘Bourgeois State’......Page 49 The Journalist......Page 52 Guesde, a Marxist?......Page 56 The Guesdists’ Rootedness......Page 59 Guesde and the New International......Page 63 Friendships and Enmities......Page 68 The Institutional Road......Page 72 Chapter 3: ‘The Icy Frisson of the Irreconcilable’: Guesde in Parliament (1893–1898)......Page 73 Roubaix: The ‘French Manchester’, a Fortress of Socialism......Page 74 Conquest......Page 77 Socialism in the National Assembly......Page 81 Guesde the Pragmatist?......Page 89 Structuring the Guesdist Current: An Enduring Task......Page 93 Unexpected Defeat......Page 95 A Current and Its Fragility......Page 98 Crossing the Desert?......Page 99 Chapter 4: ‘Finally, We Have Cut Ties’: The Intransigent (1898–1905)......Page 101 Choosing Intransigence......Page 102 ‘Ministerialism’ and the Failed Attempts at Unity......Page 108 An International Affair......Page 113 Jaurès, Guesde: Two Methods......Page 115 A New Organisation: The Parti Socialiste de France......Page 117 Amsterdam: A Pyrrhic Victory?......Page 123 Guesde the Opportunist?......Page 127 Chapter 5: ‘I Have Remained an Insurgent’: Guesde in the United Party (1905–1914)......Page 129 Back to the Assembly......Page 131 Convergences and Differences......Page 134 Decline and Sclerosis......Page 139 Lost Battles......Page 143 A Persistent Force......Page 149 Chapter 6: ‘Without Him, It’s No Longer the Same Thing’: Guesde the Minister and Guardian of Unity (1914–1922)......Page 156 A Force Tranquille......Page 157 Rallying to France......Page 160 Fighting Prussian Imperialism......Page 163 Guesdists ... Against Guesde?......Page 168 Towards the Split: Lenin, Between Jaurès and Guesde......Page 173 The End......Page 180 Chapter 7: ‘Eternal Guesdism’: The Prophet’s Legacies......Page 184 Respecting a Pioneer: Guesde and the Early Communists......Page 185 Respect for the ‘Old Man’ Among the Socialists......Page 188 1936: Guesde, Jaurès and the Popular Front......Page 191 Seen from Elsewhere: Early Research......Page 193 After the War: A Return to the POF?......Page 195 Between History and Politics......Page 199 The Stigmatisation of Guesde......Page 204 Socialists and Communists: All Guesdists?......Page 207 Guesde in History......Page 209 A Discreet Memory......Page 211 ‘What a fine restitution of dogmatic energies!’......Page 212 Other Useful Collections Include......Page 214 Printed Sources......Page 215 Guesde’s Works......Page 216 Major Accounts of Guesde......Page 217 General Works on the History of Socialism......Page 218 Works on Guesde and Guesdism......Page 219 Studies and Academic Dissertations and Scholarly Notes......Page 220 Index......Page 224 Series Foreword 6 Titles Published 6 Titles Forthcoming 7 Preface 9 A Life Dedicated to Socialism 9 Understanding Guesde in His Time 11 Guesde, the First Guesdist 13 There Were Many Guesdes 13 Acknowledgements 16 Contents 17 Chapter 1: The Apostle of the Fourth Estate (1845–1880) 18 The Montpellier Radical 21 The Exiled Anarchist 25 The Author of a New Catechism 29 The Newspaper: L’Égalité 30 Foreign Associations and Assistance 32 Birth of the Parti Ouvrier 36 ‘The Immortal Congress’ of 1879 38 The First Programme 39 Chapter 2: ‘The Genius for Simplification’: Guesde, Founder of France’s First Socialist Party (1880–1893) 43 Towards a New Party 44 The Orator 47 Faced with the ‘Bourgeois State’ 49 The Journalist 52 Guesde, a Marxist? 56 The Guesdists’ Rootedness 59 Guesde and the New International 63 Friendships and Enmities 68 The Institutional Road 72 Chapter 3: ‘The Icy Frisson of the Irreconcilable’: Guesde in Parliament (1893–1898) 73 Roubaix: The ‘French Manchester’, a Fortress of Socialism 74 Conquest 77 Socialism in the National Assembly 81 Guesde the Pragmatist? 89 Structuring the Guesdist Current: An Enduring Task 93 Unexpected Defeat 95 A Current and Its Fragility 98 Crossing the Desert? 99 Chapter 4: ‘Finally, We Have Cut Ties’: The Intransigent (1898–1905) 101 Choosing Intransigence 102 ‘Ministerialism’ and the Failed Attempts at Unity 108 An International Affair 113 Jaurès, Guesde: Two Methods 115 A New Organisation: The Parti Socialiste de France 117 Amsterdam: A Pyrrhic Victory? 123 Guesde the Opportunist? 127 Chapter 5: ‘I Have Remained an Insurgent’: Guesde in the United Party (1905–1914) 129 Back to the Assembly 131 Convergences and Differences 134 Decline and Sclerosis 139 Lost Battles 143 A Persistent Force 149 Chapter 6: ‘Without Him, It’s No Longer the Same Thing’: Guesde the Minister and Guardian of Unity (1914–1922) 156 A Force Tranquille 157 Rallying to France 160 Fighting Prussian Imperialism 163 Guesdists ... Against Guesde? 168 Towards the Split: Lenin, Between Jaurès and Guesde 173 The End 180 Chapter 7: ‘Eternal Guesdism’: The Prophet’s Legacies 184 Respecting a Pioneer: Guesde and the Early Communists 185 Respect for the ‘Old Man’ Among the Socialists 188 1936: Guesde, Jaurès and the Popular Front 191 Seen from Elsewhere: Early Research 193 After the War: A Return to the POF? 195 Between History and Politics 199 The Stigmatisation of Guesde 204 Socialists and Communists: All Guesdists? 207 Conclusion 209 Guesde in History 209 A Discreet Memory 211 Epilogue 212 ‘What a fine restitution of dogmatic energies!’ 212 Bibliography 214 Other Useful Collections Include 214 Printed Sources 215 Guesde’s Works 216 Major Accounts of Guesde 217 Select Bibliography 218 General Works on the History of Socialism 218 Works on Guesde and Guesdism 219 Studies and Academic Dissertations and Scholarly Notes 220 Index 224 What explains France's unique Left? Many works have reflected upon the importance of Marxism in France, yet few studies have been devoted to the man who did most to introduce Marxism into its political culture: the today near-forgotten figure of Jules Guesde. It was with Guesde that Karl Marx drafted the world's first Marxist program, and Guesde who aroused the enthusiasm of countless worker-militants who saw him as their most important leader. Jules Guesde represents the first book-length study of the French socialist leader translated into the English language. For the radical Left today, Guesde is often considered a dogmatist who supported the Union sacrée during World War I and rejected the Bolshevik revolution; for the governmental Left, he embodies an intransigent ideologue who held back the modernization of the French Left. Throughout Jules Guesde, Jean-Numa Ducange argues that it is impossible to study the history of the French socialist movement without a close look at this singular figure and offers a fuller picture of the deep transformations of the Left and Marxism in France from the late 19th century up to the present. Jean-Numa Ducange is Assistant Professor at Rouen-Normandie University, France.