James Guillaume | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 20 November 1916 | (aged 72)
Resting place | Montparnasse Cemetery |
Nationality | Swiss |
Occupation(s) | Writer, historian |
Organization | International Workingmen's Association |
Movement | Anarchism |
Part of a series on |
Anarchism |
---|
James Guillaume (1844–1916) was a leading member of the Jura federation, the anarchist wing of the First International. Later, Guillaume would take an active role in the founding of the Anarchist St. Imier International. [1]
Guillaume was born in London on 16 February 1844, the son of George Guillaume and his wife Marie Suzanne Glady. [2] George Guillaume ran the London branch of a Neuchâtel watchmaking factory. [3] His brother, also named George, would later become a communard. [3] The family returned to Switzerland in 1848. [3]
From 1862-1864, he studied at the University of Zurich, but did not complete his degree; he acquired a teaching diploma from Neuchâtel in 1865. [2] He taught in Le Locle from 1864, as a professor of French and history. [3] There, he and Constant Meuron founded the local section of the International in 1866. [2] He was active in the foundation of the Jura Federation, which led to his expulsion from the First International. [2]
His political activities resulted in his dismissal from teaching in 1869, and he turned to operating his father's printing business until 1872. [3] He became editor of La Solidarité in April 1870, and edited Bulletin de la Fédération jurassienne from February 1872 until March 1878. [3]
After his prosecution following demonstrations in Bern in 1877, he moved to Paris and served as editor for various academic projects: Ferdinand Buisson's Dictionnaire de pédagogie, Revue pédagogique, and Dictionnaire géographique et administratif de la France. [2]
His daughter Marguerite died in 1897. [2] Subsequently, Guillaume stayed at the psychiatric hospital of Waldau in Bern until 1898, then Neuchâtel until 1901. [2] His wife, Elise Golay (married 1870) [2] died in 1901. [3]
A meeting with Jean Jaurès prompted his return to politics. He was unimpressed by the direction socialism had taken, and favoured the direct action of syndicalists like the CNT. [2] With Max Nettlau, he published six volumes of Bakunin's writings; he also edited L’Internationale, documents et souvenirs, 1864-1878 (Paris, 1905-1910). [3]
Guillaume left Paris in December 1914 to seek treatment in the Préfargier mental hospital in Neuchâtel, where he died on 20 November 1916. [2]
In his 1876 essay, "Ideas on Social Organization," Guillaume set forth his opinions regarding the form that society would take in a post-revolutionary world, expressing the collectivist anarchist position he shared with Bakunin and other anti-authoritarians involved in the First International:
Only later, he believed, would it be possible to progress to a communist system where distribution will be according to need:
In 1909, James Guillaume assisted Peter Kropotkin with the research in preparing his book, "The Great French Revolution, 1789-1793," particularly helping with regards to the resolutions (arrêtés) of 4 August 1789, where the Assembly declared that it is acting with both constituent and legislative power. [5] Guillaume is said to have played a key role in Peter Kropotkin's conversion to anarchism.
He also edited five of the six volumes of Bakunin's collected works (in French), which included the first biography of Bakunin. [6]
Part of James Guillaume's archives are conserved in the " Archives de l'État de Neuchâtel". The collection contains correspondence, notes, articles and memorabilia.
James Guillaume | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 20 November 1916 | (aged 72)
Resting place | Montparnasse Cemetery |
Nationality | Swiss |
Occupation(s) | Writer, historian |
Organization | International Workingmen's Association |
Movement | Anarchism |
Part of a series on |
Anarchism |
---|
James Guillaume (1844–1916) was a leading member of the Jura federation, the anarchist wing of the First International. Later, Guillaume would take an active role in the founding of the Anarchist St. Imier International. [1]
Guillaume was born in London on 16 February 1844, the son of George Guillaume and his wife Marie Suzanne Glady. [2] George Guillaume ran the London branch of a Neuchâtel watchmaking factory. [3] His brother, also named George, would later become a communard. [3] The family returned to Switzerland in 1848. [3]
From 1862-1864, he studied at the University of Zurich, but did not complete his degree; he acquired a teaching diploma from Neuchâtel in 1865. [2] He taught in Le Locle from 1864, as a professor of French and history. [3] There, he and Constant Meuron founded the local section of the International in 1866. [2] He was active in the foundation of the Jura Federation, which led to his expulsion from the First International. [2]
His political activities resulted in his dismissal from teaching in 1869, and he turned to operating his father's printing business until 1872. [3] He became editor of La Solidarité in April 1870, and edited Bulletin de la Fédération jurassienne from February 1872 until March 1878. [3]
After his prosecution following demonstrations in Bern in 1877, he moved to Paris and served as editor for various academic projects: Ferdinand Buisson's Dictionnaire de pédagogie, Revue pédagogique, and Dictionnaire géographique et administratif de la France. [2]
His daughter Marguerite died in 1897. [2] Subsequently, Guillaume stayed at the psychiatric hospital of Waldau in Bern until 1898, then Neuchâtel until 1901. [2] His wife, Elise Golay (married 1870) [2] died in 1901. [3]
A meeting with Jean Jaurès prompted his return to politics. He was unimpressed by the direction socialism had taken, and favoured the direct action of syndicalists like the CNT. [2] With Max Nettlau, he published six volumes of Bakunin's writings; he also edited L’Internationale, documents et souvenirs, 1864-1878 (Paris, 1905-1910). [3]
Guillaume left Paris in December 1914 to seek treatment in the Préfargier mental hospital in Neuchâtel, where he died on 20 November 1916. [2]
In his 1876 essay, "Ideas on Social Organization," Guillaume set forth his opinions regarding the form that society would take in a post-revolutionary world, expressing the collectivist anarchist position he shared with Bakunin and other anti-authoritarians involved in the First International:
Only later, he believed, would it be possible to progress to a communist system where distribution will be according to need:
In 1909, James Guillaume assisted Peter Kropotkin with the research in preparing his book, "The Great French Revolution, 1789-1793," particularly helping with regards to the resolutions (arrêtés) of 4 August 1789, where the Assembly declared that it is acting with both constituent and legislative power. [5] Guillaume is said to have played a key role in Peter Kropotkin's conversion to anarchism.
He also edited five of the six volumes of Bakunin's collected works (in French), which included the first biography of Bakunin. [6]
Part of James Guillaume's archives are conserved in the " Archives de l'État de Neuchâtel". The collection contains correspondence, notes, articles and memorabilia.