orig. Mathieu Basile
born Nov. 12, 1845, Paris, France
died July 28, 1922, Saint-Mandé
French labour organizer.
He consulted with Karl Marx in 1880 on a socialist program, adopted by a French labour congress, that called on workers to elect representatives who would "conduct the class struggle in the halls of parliament." He was opposed by "possibilists," who advocated collective bargaining and support for progressive candidates regardless of party affiliation. He founded the socialist weekly L'Égalité , served in the Chamber of Deputies from 1893, and was minister without portfolio (1914–15).
Guesde, 1906
BBC Hulton Picture Library