Esprit (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Esprit is a French literary magazine
. Founded in October 1932 by Emmanuel Mounier
, it was the principal review of personalist intellectuals of the time. From 1957 to 1976, it was directed by Jean-Marie Domenach
. Paul Thibaud directed it from 1977 to 1989. The philosopher Paul Ricoeur
often collaborated with it. Esprit is a member of the Eurozine
network.
. A presentation of the magazine by its authors in 1933 stated that it opposed the "compromission" of spiritual values with the established order (which Mounier called "established disorder") and aimed at denouncing their "exploitation by the powers of Money
, in the social regime, in the government, in the press, etc. " Esprit opposed partial reforms and aimed at a global rebuilding of the basis of the social edifice. It targeted as opponents "individualist
materialism
", claiming that the "capitalist jungle was its ultimate product"; "collectivist materialism", which linked both Communism
and Capitalism
, despite their oppositions, in the "same metaphysics"; and the "false Fascist spiritualism
," which seemed to share the same opponents, but in reality turned towards the "tyrannic idolatry of inferior spiritualities: racist
exaltation, national passion
, anonymous discipline, devotion to the state or the leader" or plain "safeguard of economic interests. " The magazine posited itself for the "rebirth" of a "community of personalities," in opposing of both liberal individualism and collectivism, in one word, mass society
:
movements. The review criticized the systemic use of torture during the Algerian War
, publishing for examples articles by Pierre Vidal-Naquet
. It would also influence in the 1970s the "Second Left," gathered around the Unified Socialist Party
(PSU).
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
. Founded in October 1932 by Emmanuel Mounier
Emmanuel Mounier
Emmanuel Mounier was a French philosopher.Mounier was the guiding spirit in the French Personalist movement, and founder and director of Esprit, the magazine which was the organ of the movement. Mounier, who was the child of peasants, was a brilliant scholar at the Sorbonne...
, it was the principal review of personalist intellectuals of the time. From 1957 to 1976, it was directed by Jean-Marie Domenach
Jean-Marie Domenach
Jean-Marie Domenach was a French writer and intellectual. He was noted as a left-wing and Catholic thinker.He took over in 1957 the editorship of Esprit, the literary and political journal of personalism founded in 1945 by Emmanuel Mounier and continued from 1950 to 1957 by Albert Béguin...
. Paul Thibaud directed it from 1977 to 1989. The philosopher Paul Ricoeur
Paul Ricoeur
Paul Ricœur was a French philosopher best known for combining phenomenological description with hermeneutic interpretation...
often collaborated with it. Esprit is a member of the Eurozine
Eurozine
Eurozine is a network of European cultural magazines based in Vienna, linking up more than 70 partner magazines and institutions from 34 European countries...
network.
Personalism and the non-conformists
In the 1930s, Esprit was the main mouthpiece of the Personalists and of the Non-conformists of the 1930sNon-conformists of the 1930s
The Non-Conformists of the 1930s refers to a nebula of groups and individuals during the inter-war period in France which was looking for new solutions to face the political, economical and social crisis. The name was coined in 1969 by the historian Jean-Louis Loubet del Bayle to describe a...
. A presentation of the magazine by its authors in 1933 stated that it opposed the "compromission" of spiritual values with the established order (which Mounier called "established disorder") and aimed at denouncing their "exploitation by the powers of Money
Money
Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
, in the social regime, in the government, in the press, etc. " Esprit opposed partial reforms and aimed at a global rebuilding of the basis of the social edifice. It targeted as opponents "individualist
Individualism
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own...
materialism
Materialism
In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
", claiming that the "capitalist jungle was its ultimate product"; "collectivist materialism", which linked both Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
and Capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, despite their oppositions, in the "same metaphysics"; and the "false Fascist spiritualism
Spiritualism
Spiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living...
," which seemed to share the same opponents, but in reality turned towards the "tyrannic idolatry of inferior spiritualities: racist
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
exaltation, national passion
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
, anonymous discipline, devotion to the state or the leader" or plain "safeguard of economic interests. " The magazine posited itself for the "rebirth" of a "community of personalities," in opposing of both liberal individualism and collectivism, in one word, mass society
Mass society
Mass society is a description associated with society in the modern, industrial era. "Guided by the structural-functional approach and drawing on the ideas of Tönnies, Durkheim, and Weber, understands modernity as the emergence of a mass society...
:
"Tout homme, sans exception, a le droit et le devoir de développer sa personalité." (Any man, without exception, has the right and the duty to develop his personality.)
Post-War
Esprit broke with part of its legacy following the Liberation of France, and involved itself in New LeftNew Left
The New Left was a term used mainly in the United Kingdom and United States in reference to activists, educators, agitators and others in the 1960s and 1970s who sought to implement a broad range of reforms, in contrast to earlier leftist or Marxist movements that had taken a more vanguardist...
movements. The review criticized the systemic use of torture during the Algerian War
Torture during the Algerian War
Elements of the French Armed Forces as well as of the opposing Algerian National Liberation Front made use of torture during the Algerian War of Independence , creating an ongoing public controversy. Pierre Vidal-Naquet estimates that there were "possibly hundreds of thousands of instances of...
, publishing for examples articles by Pierre Vidal-Naquet
Pierre Vidal-Naquet
Pierre Emmanuel Vidal-Naquet was a French historian who began teaching at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales in 1969....
. It would also influence in the 1970s the "Second Left," gathered around the Unified Socialist Party
Unified Socialist Party (France)
The Unified Socialist Party was a socialist political party in France, founded on April 3, 1960. It was originally led by Édouard Depreux , and by Michel Rocard .- History :...
(PSU).
External links
- Esprit home page
- Issues from 1932 to 1939 in Gallica, the digital library of the Bibliothèque nationale de FranceBibliothèque nationale de FranceThe is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...