Posted: November 15th, 2022
Henri de Saint-Simon
Henri de Saint-Simon
Henri de Saint-Simon (1760-1825) was a French political and social theorist who was a key figure in the development of socialist thought. Saint-Simon was born into a wealthy and influential family and was educated in the finest schools of France. He served in the French army during the Revolution, but was later imprisoned and exiled for his political activities.
Saint-Simon is best known for his ideas about the role of industry and technology in society. He believed that the Industrial Revolution was a major turning point in history and that it would have far-reaching consequences for the organization of society. In particular, he argued that the growth of industry and the development of new technologies would lead to the emergence of a new social class, the industrial class, which would replace the old feudal aristocracy as the dominant social and political force in society.
Saint-Simon was also a pioneer in the field of urban planning and was one of the first thinkers to recognize the importance of the city as a center of economic and social life. He believed that the city was the natural habitat of the industrial class and that it would play a central role in the development of a new, industrial society.
Henri de Saint-Simon was a significant and influential figure in the history of socialist thought. His ideas about the role of industry and technology in society continue to be studied and discussed by scholars and students of political and social theory.