Pierre Biétry
Encyclopedia
Pierre Biétry was a French
syndicalist
and politician who initially followed orthodox socialism
before moving to the right
. He was the pioneer of 'Yellow socialism
', a movement that has been portrayed as a forerunner of fascism
. He was also the maternal grandfather of journalist
and White House Press Secretary
Pierre Salinger
.
, he emigrated to Algeria
as a 13 year old and stayed four years in the colony before returning home. Upon his return he became a member of the French Workers' Party
(POF) and was praised in their paper, Le Socialiste, for his activity on their behalf in Franche-Comté
. He was also for a time associated with the followers of Jules Guesde
.
between 1898 and 1901, even leading a march of workers in Paris
in 1899. His break with socialism occurred around this time, largely as a result of his opposition to the idea of a general strike
as well as his overall disillusionment with the failure of socialist activity in France. This, coupled with his advocation of class co-operation to alleviate working class
suffering, saw him quit the POF in 1900. He came to advocate non-political trade union
activity and a corporatist
relationship between the unions and the employers. He formed his own trade union, the Fédération nationale des jaunes de France in 1902. As a political arm to his union he also formed the National Socialist Party in 1903. Initially the new movement was fairly low key but it gained a surge in support in 1910-11 after a series of violent acts by the Confédération générale du travail
led to many more conservative workers deserting their ranks.
He became attracted to the anti-Semitism
of Edouard Drumont
and soon grafted this on to his corporatist anti-capitalism
. His Jaunes movement surprisingly won the support of traditionally conservative
figures such as Victor Henri Rochefort and Paul Déroulède
who were attracted to Biétry's patriotism
, as well as Drumont. He briefly enjoyed the support of Action Française
, although Biétry's headstrong personality meant that this was short-lived as they had hoped to dominate his movement. He was elected to Parliament in the 1906 election
.
and his followers became the main focus of agitation on the right. Les Jaunes held their final congress in 1909 and he declined to run again in the 1910 election
. He died in Saigon
in 1918.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
syndicalist
Syndicalism
Syndicalism is a type of economic system proposed as a replacement for capitalism and an alternative to state socialism, which uses federations of collectivised trade unions or industrial unions...
and politician who initially followed orthodox socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
before moving to the right
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
. He was the pioneer of 'Yellow socialism
Yellow socialism
Yellow socialism has two meanings. It is primarily a system of government devised by Pierre Biétry in 1904, that offers the working classes a contrasting alternative to "red socialism" . It was prominent in the early twentieth century prior to World War I, competing with Marxism for the minds of...
', a movement that has been portrayed as a forerunner of fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
. He was also the maternal grandfather of journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and White House Press Secretary
White House Press Secretary
The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
Pierre Salinger
Pierre Salinger
Pierre Emil George Salinger was a White House Press Secretary to U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson...
.
Early life and socialist activity
Born in Fêche-l'ÉgliseFêche-l'Église
Fêche-l'Église is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France.-References:*...
, he emigrated to Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
as a 13 year old and stayed four years in the colony before returning home. Upon his return he became a member of the French Workers' Party
French Workers' Party
The Parti Ouvrier Français was the first Marxist party in France, created in 1880 by Jules Guesde and Paul Lafargue, Marx's son-in-law...
(POF) and was praised in their paper, Le Socialiste, for his activity on their behalf in Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighbouring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France...
. He was also for a time associated with the followers of Jules Guesde
Jules Guesde
Jules Basile Guesde was a French socialist journalist and politician.Guesde was the inspiration for a famous quotation by Karl Marx. Shortly before Marx died in 1883, he wrote a letter to Guesde and Paul Lafargue, both of whom already claimed to represent "Marxist" principles...
.
Move right
He was active in a series of strikesStrike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
between 1898 and 1901, even leading a march of workers in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1899. His break with socialism occurred around this time, largely as a result of his opposition to the idea of a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
as well as his overall disillusionment with the failure of socialist activity in France. This, coupled with his advocation of class co-operation to alleviate working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
suffering, saw him quit the POF in 1900. He came to advocate non-political trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
activity and a corporatist
Corporatism
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
relationship between the unions and the employers. He formed his own trade union, the Fédération nationale des jaunes de France in 1902. As a political arm to his union he also formed the National Socialist Party in 1903. Initially the new movement was fairly low key but it gained a surge in support in 1910-11 after a series of violent acts by the Confédération générale du travail
Confédération générale du travail
The General Confederation of Labour is a national trade union center, the first of the five major French confederations of trade unions.It is the largest in terms of votes , and second largest in terms of membership numbers.Its membership decreased to 650,000 members in 1995-96 The General...
led to many more conservative workers deserting their ranks.
He became attracted to the anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
of Edouard Drumont
Edouard Drumont
Édouard Adolphe Drumont was a French journalist and writer. He founded the Antisemitic League of France in 1889, and was the founder and editor of the newspaper La Libre Parole.- Early life :...
and soon grafted this on to his corporatist anti-capitalism
Anti-capitalism
Anti-capitalism describes a wide variety of movements, ideas, and attitudes which oppose capitalism. Anti-capitalists, in the strict sense of the word, are those who wish to completely replace capitalism with another system....
. His Jaunes movement surprisingly won the support of traditionally conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
figures such as Victor Henri Rochefort and Paul Déroulède
Paul Déroulède
- Early life :Déroulède was born in Paris. He was published first as a poet in the magazine Revue nationale, with the pseudonym "Jean Rebel". In 1869 he produced, at the Théâtre Français, a one-act drama in verse named Juan Strenner.- Military career :...
who were attracted to Biétry's patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
, as well as Drumont. He briefly enjoyed the support of Action Française
Action Française
The Action Française , founded in 1898, is a French Monarchist counter-revolutionary movement and periodical founded by Maurice Pujo and Henri Vaugeois and whose principal ideologist was Charles Maurras...
, although Biétry's headstrong personality meant that this was short-lived as they had hoped to dominate his movement. He was elected to Parliament in the 1906 election
French legislative election, 1906
The 1906 general election was held on 6 and 20 May 1906.-Popular Vote:-Parliamentary Groups:- Sources :*...
.
Later life
Ultimately Biétry's period of influence proved short-lived as Charles MaurrasCharles Maurras
Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras was a French author, poet, and critic. He was a leader and principal thinker of Action Française, a political movement that was monarchist, anti-parliamentarist, and counter-revolutionary. Maurras' ideas greatly influenced National Catholicism and "nationalisme...
and his followers became the main focus of agitation on the right. Les Jaunes held their final congress in 1909 and he declined to run again in the 1910 election
French legislative election, 1910
-Popular Vote:-Parliamentary Groups:- Sources :*...
. He died in Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
in 1918.