Socialist Revolutionary Party (France)
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Revolutionary Party was a French Blanquist
political party
founded in 1898 and dissolved in 1901. It is indirectly one of the founding factions of the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO), founded in 1905.
The PSR was the new name given, in 1898, to the Central Revolutionary Committee
(CRC), a blanquist party founded in 1881. The CRC had been strengthened by the formation of the Revolutionary Communist Alliance
(ACR) by dissident members of the reformist Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party
(POSR). Due to the support of the ACR, the PSR became the second largest Marxist political party in France behind the French Workers' Party
.
The PSR was led by Édouard Vaillant
, who sought to be the middle ground between moderate socialists (Jean Jaurès
, Paul Brousse
) and Marxists (Jules Guesde
, Paul Lafargue
). The PSR, however, later merged with the French Workers' Party
(POF) to form the Socialist Party of France
(PSdF). The PSdF was one of the two founding members of the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO) in 1905.
Blanquism
In left-wing discourse, Blanquism refers to a conception of revolution generally attributed to Louis Auguste Blanqui which holds that socialist revolution should be carried out by a relatively small group of highly organised and secretive conspirators. Having taken power, the revolutionaries would...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
founded in 1898 and dissolved in 1901. It is indirectly one of the founding factions of the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO), founded in 1905.
The PSR was the new name given, in 1898, to the Central Revolutionary Committee
Central Revolutionary Committee
The Central Revolutionary Committee was a French Blanquist political party founded in 1881 and dissolved in 1898.The CRC was founded by Édouard Vaillant to continue the political struggle of Auguste Blanqui...
(CRC), a blanquist party founded in 1881. The CRC had been strengthened by the formation of the Revolutionary Communist Alliance
Revolutionary Communist Alliance
The Revolutionary Communist Alliance or Communist Alliance was a French political party founded in 1896 and dissolved in 1901.The ACR was the name adopted by activists who left the Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party in 1896. In 1897, the ACR joined the Central Revolutionary Committee led by...
(ACR) by dissident members of the reformist Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party
Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party (France)
The Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party was a French political party founded by Jean Allemane in 1890 and dissolved in 1901. It is indirectly one of the founding factions of the French Section of the Workers' International , founded in 1905....
(POSR). Due to the support of the ACR, the PSR became the second largest Marxist political party in France behind 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...
.
The PSR was led by Édouard Vaillant
Édouard Vaillant
Marie Édouard Vaillant was a French politician.Born in Vierzon, Cher, son of a lawyer, Édouard Vaillant studied engineering at the École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, graduating in 1862, and then law at the Sorbonne. In Paris he knew Charles Longuet, Louis-Auguste Rogeard, and Jules Vallès...
, who sought to be the middle ground between moderate socialists (Jean Jaurès
Jean Jaurès
Jean Léon Jaurès was a French Socialist leader. Initially an Opportunist Republican, he evolved into one of the first social democrats, becoming the leader, in 1902, of the French Socialist Party, which opposed Jules Guesde's revolutionary Socialist Party of France. Both parties merged in 1905 in...
, Paul Brousse
Paul Brousse
Paul Brousse was a French socialist, leader of the possibilistes group. He was active in the Jura Federation, a section of the International Working Men's Association , from the northwestern part of Switzerland and the Alsace. He helped edit the Bulletin de la Fédération Jurassienne, along with...
) and Marxists (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...
, Paul Lafargue
Paul Lafargue
Paul Lafargue was a French revolutionary Marxist socialist journalist, literary critic, political writer and activist; he was Karl Marx's son-in-law, having married his second daughter Laura. His best known work is The Right to Be Lazy...
). The PSR, however, later merged with 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) to form the Socialist Party of France
Socialist Party of France (1902)
The Socialist Party of France was founded in 1902, during a congress in Commentry, by the merger of the Marxist French Workers' Party led by Jules Guesde and the Blanquist Central Revolutionary Committee of Édouard Vaillant....
(PSdF). The PSdF was one of the two founding members of the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO) in 1905.
See also
- History of the Left in FranceHistory of the Left in FranceThe Left in France at the beginning of the 20th century was represented by two main political parties, the Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party and the French Section of the Workers' International , created in 1905 as a merger of various Marxist parties...
- French Section of the Workers' International
- Socialist Party of FranceSocialist Party of France (1902)The Socialist Party of France was founded in 1902, during a congress in Commentry, by the merger of the Marxist French Workers' Party led by Jules Guesde and the Blanquist Central Revolutionary Committee of Édouard Vaillant....
- French Workers' PartyFrench Workers' PartyThe Parti Ouvrier Français was the first Marxist party in France, created in 1880 by Jules Guesde and Paul Lafargue, Marx's son-in-law...