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Swiss anarchist (1844–1916) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James Guillaume (1844–1916) was a leading member of the Jura federation, the anarchist wing of the First International. Later, Guillaume would take an active role in the founding of the Anarchist St. Imier International.[1]
James Guillaume | |
---|---|
![]() James Guillaume (date unknown) | |
Born | |
Died | 20 November 1916 72) | (aged
Resting place | Montparnasse Cemetery |
Nationality | Swiss |
Occupation(s) | Writer, historian |
Organization | International Workingmen's Association |
Movement | Anarchism |
Guillaume was born in London on 16 February 1844, the son of George Guillaume and his wife Marie Suzanne Glady.[2] George Guillaume ran the London branch of a Neuchâtel watchmaking factory.[3] His brother, also named George, would later become a communard.[3] The family returned to Switzerland in 1848.[3]
From 1862 to 1864, he studied at the University of Zurich, but did not complete his degree; he acquired a teaching diploma from Neuchâtel in 1865.[2] He taught in Le Locle from 1864, as a professor of French and history.[3] There, he and Constant Meuron founded the local section of the International in 1866.[2] He was active in the foundation of the Jura Federation, which led to his expulsion from the First International.[2]
His political activities resulted in his dismissal from teaching in 1869, and he turned to operating his father's printing business until 1872.[3] He became editor of La Solidarité in April 1870, and edited Bulletin de la Fédération jurassienne from February 1872 until March 1878.[3]
After his prosecution following demonstrations in Bern in 1877, he moved to Paris and served as editor for various academic projects: Ferdinand Buisson's Dictionnaire de pédagogie, Revue pédagogique, and Dictionnaire géographique et administratif de la France.[2]
His daughter Marguerite died in 1897.[2] Subsequently, Guillaume stayed at the psychiatric hospital of Waldau in Bern until 1898, then Neuchâtel until 1901.[2] His wife, Elise Golay (married 1870)[2] died in 1901.[3]
A meeting with Jean Jaurès prompted his return to politics. He was unimpressed by the direction socialism had taken, and favoured the direct action of syndicalists like the CNT.[2] With Max Nettlau, he published six volumes of Bakunin's writings; he also edited L’Internationale, documents et souvenirs, 1864-1878 (Paris, 1905–1910).[3]
Guillaume left Paris in December 1914 to seek treatment in the Préfargier mental hospital in Neuchâtel, where he died on 20 November 1916.[2]
In his 1876 essay, "Ideas on Social Organization," Guillaume set forth his opinions regarding the form that society would take in a post-revolutionary world, expressing the collectivist anarchist position he shared with Bakunin and other anti-authoritarians involved in the First International:
Only later, he believed, would it be possible to progress to a communist system where distribution will be according to need:
In 1909, James Guillaume assisted Peter Kropotkin with the research in preparing his book, "The Great French Revolution, 1789-1793," particularly helping with regards to the resolutions (arrêtés) of 4 August 1789, where the Assembly declared that it is acting with both constituent and legislative power.[5] Guillaume is said to have played a key role in Peter Kropotkin's conversion to anarchism.
He also edited five of the six volumes of Bakunin's collected works (in French), which included the first biography of Bakunin.[6]
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