Akademik

(1760–1825)

French social philosopher and founding father of socialism. After considerable political activity during the French revolution, Saint-Simon founded the journal L’Industrie . His experience in the revolution led him to perceive that the general optimism of the Enlightenment needed a deeper understanding of the historical and social conditions of society if durable change for the better was to be produced. Saint-Simon was the first to see that it was the economically 338 based conflict of classes that led to the ruin of the feudal system of government, and of the ecclesiastical world view. His particular target was the class of useless bureaucrats, idlers and wastrels whom he contrasted unfavourably with the men of industry in whose hands the future would and should lie. Saint-Simon was a seminal influence on Comte (who was his secretary) and above all on Marx.