born Nov. 23, 1760, Saint-Quentin, France
died May 27, 1797, Vendôme
French political journalist and agitator.
During the era of the French Revolution he advocated an equal distribution of land and income. For his part in a conspiracy to overthrow the Directory and institute a return to the Constitution of 1793, he was guillotined. His tactical strategies provided a model for left-wing movements of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Babeuf, engraving by an unknown artist, 18th century
By courtesy of the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris