Victor Considerant

Early socialism 1808–1893 ○ Natural causes

Fourier's successor who formulated the "right to work", went into exile after 13 June 1849 and founded a socialist colony in Texas

Born in 1808 at Salins-les-Bains in the Jura, he studied at the École Polytechnique and became an army engineer, but resigned to spread Fourier's doctrines, edited La Phalange and on Fourier's death in 1837 became head of the movement. He wrote La Destinée sociale and the Democracy Manifesto and defined the "right to work", one of the main ideas of the French socialists of 1848. Elected deputy for Montargis in 1848, he sat on the far left, joined the constitution committee and in June was the only deputy to propose votes for women. Re-elected for Paris in 1849, he took part in the rising of 13 June and fled to Belgium. In 1855 he founded the colony of La Réunion near Dallas, Texas, which failed. He returned to France in 1869, was a member of the First International and died in Paris in 1893.

Also known as: Victor Prosper Considerant