Etienne Cabet

Etienne Cabet , born on January 1st 1788 with Dijon, deceased the November 9th 1856 with Saint Louis (Missouri): French political theorist, classified among the “utopian socialist ” by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, which opposes a “ scientific socialism to him ”.

Biography

Ways of the policy

Sons of a Dijonese Master-wet cooper, after having touched teaching Etienne Cabet undertakes studies of right. Once lawyer, it pleads, without much enthusiasm seems he: more than in the news items it is interested in the policy. Its standpoint in favor of Napoleon at the time of the return of this one during the Hundred Days (March 20th - June 20th 1815) forces it to flee its birthplace to take refuge in Paris. Thanks to its relations and with its readings, it forges little by little doctrines, which it will expose thereafter in many publications.

By the word and the writing, it will not consequently cease being opposed to restored monarchy: that of Louis XVIII then that of Charles X. He adheres soon to the Charbonnerie, a secret society of mutual aid rather similar to the Franc-maçonnerie by his organization and his goals. Its qualities and its zeal are worth to him to be seen entrusting a role of leader. For this reason, it takes an active part in the insurrectionary movements of July 1830. After the “Glorious Three” (July 27th, 28th and 29th 1830), it becomes for little time secretary of the Minister for Justice, then is named public prosecutor with Bastia. In this last function it is distinguished while defending from many political defendants and by professing ideas considered too democratic by the capacity, which is worth to him to be soon revoked.

The apostle of the city of happiness

Elected official appointed of the Coast-with Or in 1831, it attacks with violence the government of Louis-Philippe (which was not long in tearing off his mask of middle-class man débonnaire) in a ultra-democratic newspaper founded in September 1833: Popular the . Prohibited two years later, the publication will reappear in March 1841, even more virulent than the first version.

Condemned in 1834 to two years of prison for violation of the press laws, he prefers to take refuge in England where he attends in particular Martin Nadaud the mason of the Creuse on the way to become appointed (1815 - 1898). Thanks to the contribution of this last and English reformists, whose Robert Owen the communisant philanthropist (1771 - 1858), it continues his political training. At the time of this enforced stay, he also discovers these true bagnes that are the factories, whose Engels will denounce excesses later a few years. (“ the situation of the working class in England ”, 1845)

Of return in France five years later, it takes again its combat by the word and the writing. Under the title of Voyage in Icarie , it publishes in 1842 the plan of a Utopie Communiste, work worked out in England and initially published under a pseudonym. This book initially will be censured and prohibited. During following years, other works are favorably accommodated by the socialist mediums: thanks to his Community system, Etienne Cabet does not claim it to ensure the happiness of most underprivileged: men and women of the proletariat in particular? Doesn't it guarantee that this project can take place without violence?

Icarie or the ideal company

A Community republic

According to Cabet, the Communists are the disciples, the imitateurs and the continuators of Jesus-Christ and the first Chrétiens. Hadn't those given up the personal property? How to return to this primitive Communism? By initially eliminating the leading cause from the current decline. (The following quotations are extracted from the “ Voyage in Icarie ”, 1842)

“ (…) The inequality of fortune, the property and the currency, give birth to the privileges and the aristocracy, then opulence and misery, then bad education, then cupidity and the ambition, then all the defects and all the crimes, then all the disorders and chaos, then all the calamities and all the catastrophes. Yes, examine, reflect, go up, in all the companies, with the establishment of the property and the currency, and especially of the unlimited illegality of fortune, go up facts in facts, events in events, institutions in institutions, legislators as legislators, secondary causes in main causes, consequences in principles, needs in needs, of day in day and century in century: you will find always and everywhere, due single evil, opulence and misery!

And consequently the remedy, the single remedy of the evil, it is the suppression of opulence and misery, i.e. the establishment of the equality, the community of goods and a good education. (…)
With the community, more the poor nor idlers; more crimes neither of torments, more taxes neither of police force, more disputes neither of lawsuit, more concerns nor of concern; all friendly citizens and brothers; all not only happy, but also happy! ”

How to reach that point?

“- is it possible to abruptly substitute the community for the system of the inequality and the property? - Not; a transitory mode is essential.

- Which transitory mode? - a mode which, while maintaining the property, destroys as soon as possible the misery and gradually the inequality of fortune and being able; who forms, by education, one and several generations for the community; who gives initially the freedom of discussion and association, and who gives also the vote for all.

- Why not to remove the property immediately? - Because the owners would not authorize to it, and that violence should at all costs be avoided; because besides it is materially impossible to carry out instantaneously necessary works for the community.

- Which is the duration of this transitory mode? - 30, or 50, or 100 years, according to the countries.

- It is quite long! - It is true; but it is absolutely impossible to make differently; and besides happiness will be felt continuation and will grow each day, as soon as one adopts the transitory system and the principle of the system of the community. (…) ”

Contrary to Charles Fourier which refuses the industrial society, Cabet considers “ (…)a community where the machines would play the part of the workers and where the man would be freed from any slavery. ”

Icarie, according to Cabet, is a Republic based on the vote for all, which establishes an annual planning of the production, regulating all the activities. The structure in is rigorously levelling.

“ As everyone cannot be a doctor, so that the ones want to be shoe-makers, it is necessary that the shoe-makers are as happy and content as the doctors. ”

The ideal city according to Cabet

Icara , the capital of the community of Icarie cash a million inhabitants, is a circular city with geometrical architecture. The cross-piece an absolutely rectilinear river. Also traced with the chalk line, the streets are bordered of 16 houses on each side with a public shelter in the medium and each end. Impeccably clean, the city comprises neither coffee nor private mansion, but only of the buildings of collective use, of which a library with the works carefully selected.
Placed in epigraph of the “Voyage in Icarie”, four basic principles organize the life of the citizens: -1 - To live -2 - To work - 3 - To give according to its forces - 4 - To receive according to its needs.
the State having the means of production and distribution as well as the movable and real property, the retail business and the currency are banished and community bases it is a perfect equality in which all are associated.
schooling makes it possible to train the young members of the community and an health-care system free guarantees health. Courses of childbirth are exempted in the presence of the husbands. In the only condition of having the capacities of them, the women can follow all the occupations, of which the medical ones.
Logical consequences: all the individuals and all the trades are worth; education does without from emulation and punishment; in the absence of prisons and courts, the public contempt sanctions a possible culprit, which is incited to practice self-criticism. Practical and significant details: the furniture of each house is identical, uniform clothing is defined according to the age, the function and the sex… and is elastic to be appropriate for several sizes. Each one receives the same food, prepared in collective kitchens according to dietetic standards established by a committee of specialists…
Enfin, specifies Cabet: “ blind passion for freedom is an error, a defect, a serious evil. ” What precedes, it is the superior interest of the community to which must subject all the wills and all the actions.

Dream with reality

After the failure of the revolution of 1848, thanks to a profitable subscription of the disciples of Cabet is installed on the river banks Rouge to the Texas initially, then with Nauvoo on a bank of the Missouri (Illinois), in an establishment given up by the Mormons and yielded at low prices by those. Etienne Cabet (beaten with the elections of April 1848 which transfers the triumph of the moderate Republicans) will join soon the new community. In this Icarie realized, volunteers will follow one another by waves during second half of the nineteenth century, of new arrivals to the disappointed new hopes replacing the old ones. One counts 526 of them in July 1855 (of which a hundred children), right before a first scission. Still let us note that one counts twice more men than women, which involves consequences easy to imagine…

But the pioneers of the community established according to the principles of Cabet run up soon at the same time against themselves and the environment. Regarded as foreigners, they are badly accepted by the autochtones and must be folded up on themselves. The community is consequently nothing any more but one enclave in hostile territory and lack thus with one of its goals: contagion for the example. In addition, lack of essential technical training, the devastating incompetences like that of the first doctor, the competitions and the jealousies of people, the absence of ideal of some, the imbalance of the sexes, opposition of the women who see themselves private of very civic right…: as many factors which more or less quickly harm the good walk of Nauvoo, where groups follow one another, to enthusiasm shower.

Cabet, the spiritual founder of the community, itself is expelled by it at the end of a half-dozen of years, in 1855: pioneers show it dictatorship, even of swindle. With some faithful, it takes refuge then close to Saint Louis (Missouri), where it dies the following year, deeply touched by its failure.

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