Gracchus Babeuf

François No5el Babeuf , known under the name of Gracchus Babeuf (November 23rd 1760 with Saint-Quentin (Picardy) - Paris the 8 Meadow Year V, is the May 27th 1797), is a revolutionist French.

He fomented against the directory the “Conjuration of Equal the” and was carried out. Its doctrines, the “babouvism”, are precursory Communisme.

First years

As of the 12 years age, he works as digger with the channel of Picardy. At 17 years, it succeeds in being made engage like apprentice in a notary Feudiste. In 1781, 21 years old, it starts to exert for its own account with Roye.

Inspired by the reading of Rousseau, and noting the very hard living conditions of the vast majority of the population, it develops theories in favor of the equality and the collectivization of the grounds. In 1788, it begins the writing of the perpetual Cadastre , which will be published in 1789.

Beginnings of the Revolution

In March 1789, Babeuf takes part in the drafting of the Register of grievances of the inhabitants of Roye. Following the failure of sound perpetual Land register and especially at the beginning of the French revolution, he becomes journalist. He is thus corresponding Courrier of Europe (published with London) as from September 1789.

He fights against the indirect taxes, organizes petitions and meetings. Consequently, it is arrested the May 19th 1790 and is imprisoned. It is released in July, thanks to the pressure of the revolutionist Jean-Paul Marat. At the same time, it breaks with the Catholicisme (it will write in 1793: “Christianity and freedom are incompatible”).

It launches its own newspaper in October 1790, the Picardy Correspondent , in which it rises against the Suffrage censitaire set up for the elections of 1791. The newspaper is constrained with disappearance a few months, but Babeuf continuous to be mobilized later at the sides of the peasants and the Picardy workmen. It is constrained to flee in Paris in February 1793.

The mountain republic

Arrived at Paris, Babeuf takes party for the Jacobins against the of Gironde. It enters in May 1793 to the Commission of the subsistence of Paris. It supports there the claims of the Sans-culotte S.

He is then imprisoned November 14th 1793 (24 Brumaire An II) with the July 18th 1794 (31 Messidor year II). Ten days after its release, it is the coup d'etat against mountain Robespierre and the , the Thermidor 9 (July 27th, 1794). Babeuf criticizes the action of the mountain dwellers concerning the Terreur, saying: “I reject this point particular of their system”, but registered his action in their continuity, while wanting to pass from the “proclaimed” equality to the equality in the facts (“perfect equality” for which it militates).

The reaction thermidorienne

Starting from the September 3rd 1794, Babeuf publishes the Journal of the Freedom of the press , which becomes the October 5th (14 Vendémiaire An III) the Powerful orator of the people . This newspaper acquires a strong audience. It adheres to the same period with the electoral Club, club of discussion of Sans-culottes. The November 3rd, it requires that the women be allowed in the clubs.

Giving up the Camille first name, which it had adopted in 1792, it is then made call Gracchus, in homage to the Gracques, initiators of a land reform in the ancient Rome. Babeuf defends the need for a “peaceful insurrection”. He is again imprisoned the 19 Pluviôse (February 7th 1795).

In fact, many revolutionists are then in prison, which is the occasion for Babeuf to bind with democrats like Augustin Darthé or Filipo Buonarroti.

Conspiracy of the equal ones

Released the October 18th 1795 (26 Vendémiaire Year IV), it quickly starts again the publication of the Tribun of the people .

The government has an increasingly strong policy of repression with the closing of the Club of the Pantheon, where are present many friends and of partisans of Babeuf, and the attempt at arrest of Babeuf in January 1796. But he manages to flee and enters clandestinity.

This impossibility of acting legally leads to the creation of the “Conjuration of equal the” directed by Babeuf, Darthé, Philippe Buonarroti, Sylvain Maréchal, Felix Lepeletier (brother of the former deputy Louis-Michel Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau), Antoine Antonelle. The network of “Equal” recovers all the Arrondissement S of Paris and many provincial towns. At its head, a “secret Directory of public hello”, directed by Babeuf, coordinates the fight.

The goal is to continue the Révolution, and to lead to the collectivization of the grounds and the means of production, to obtain “the perfect equality” and “common happiness”.

Thanks to information of an indicator, Georges Grisel, the police force stops Babeuf, Buonarroti, Darthé and the principal leaders of Equal the May 10th 1796 (19 Floréal An IV). A popular attempt to release them fails the June 29th (11 Messidor). A second attempt also fails. To prevent that the people do not release them, the Equal ones are transferred to Vendôme (Loir-et-Cher).

A high court is made up, and the lawsuit opens with Vendôme the February 20th 1797 in the presence of two ministers. The April 16th, Lazare Carnot had made vote a law which punished of dead the apology for the Constitution of 1793 and the calls to the dissolution of the Directoire. Babeuf, which one reproach the initiative of the plot, and Darthé, which was locked up at the time of the debates in the most total dumbness and to which one reproaches the drafting about execution of the Directors, are condemned to death. Babeuf and Darthé try to commit suicide and are guillotines the 8 meadow year V (May 27th, 1797). Buonarroti, Germain and five others marked is condemned to the deportation. Fifty six others shown, whose Jean-Baptist-Andre Amar, is discharged.

The decree project (extracted)

Buonarroti will quote this project which was to install a levelling republic following the conspiracy:

general Organization :

Article first: It will be established in the republic a great national community.

Article 2: National community with the property of the goods below: - The goods which being declared national, were not sold at Thermidor 9 of year II; - Goods of the enemies of the revolution (…) ; - Fallen goods or to fall to the republic in consequence of legal judgments; - Currently occupied buildings for the public service; (…) - Goods of those which will make abandonment with the republic of it; - Goods usurped by those which grew rich in the exercise by the public office; - The goods whose owners neglect the culture.

Article 3: The death tax intestate or by will is abolished: all the goods currently had by private individuals will fall, with their death, the national community. (…)

Article 5: Any French of one or the other sex, which makes abandonment with the fatherland of all its goods and its person devotes to him and the work of which it is able, is member of the great national community.

Article 6: The old men who reached to them sixtieth year and the disabled person, if they are poor, are of right members of the national community.

Article 7: Are also members of the national community the young people raised in the national houses of education.

Article 8: The goods of the national community are exploited jointly by all its valid members.

Article 9: The great national community maintains all its members in equal and honest mediocrity: it provides them all which they need.

Article 11: From…, no one could not be a civil or military civil servant, if he is not member of the aforesaid the community. (…)

Of common work :

Article first: Any member of the national community owes him the work of agriculture and useful arts of which it is able.

Article 2: Are excluded, the 60 years old old men and the disabled person. (…)

Of the distribution and the use of the goods of the community :

Article 2: The national community ensures, as of this moment, with each one of its members: - A healthy, convenient housing and properly furnished; - Clothings of work and rest, wire or wool, in conformity with the national costume; - Washing, lighting and heating; - A sufficient quantity of food out of bread, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, butter or oil; wine and other used drinks in the various areas; vegetables, fruits, seasonings and other objects whose meeting constitutes poor and frugal ease; - Helps in art to cure. (…)

Of the currencies : Article first: The republic does not manufacture any more a currency. Article 2: The monnayées matters which will fall to the national community will be employed to buy among foreign people the objects which it will need. Article 3: Any individual not taking part the community, which will be convinced to have offered matters monnayées to one of its members, will be punished severely. Article 4: It will be introduced any more into the republic neither gold nor money. (…)

The posterity of Babeuf

  • Some speak about a political current which would be specific to Babeuf, the babouvism which Auguste Blanqui would approach, asserting egalitarianism and outlining a utopian presocialism.

  • Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx recognized in him a precursor of Communism, and in the Conspiracy of Equal “the first Communist party”. Babeuf is often regarded as the first true militant Communiste.

  • According to Rosa Luxemburg, Babeuf is “the first precursor of revolutionary risings of the Prolétariat”.

See too

Random links:Mantoche | Break into leaf dead of the plum tree | Adolphe Menjou | Philesturnus | Banlieue_noire_de_Franklin,_comté_de_Colombie,_Pennsylvanie