Francesco Saverio Merlino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francesco Saverio Merlino
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| Born | 9 September 1856 Naples, Italy
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| Died | 30 June 1930 (aged 73) Rome, Italy
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| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | Libertarian socialism |
Francesco Saverio Merlino (born September 9, 1856 – died June 30, 1930) was an Italian lawyer. He was also an important activist and thinker for a political idea called libertarian socialism.
Contents
Merlino's Early Life and Ideas
Francesco Saverio Merlino was born in Naples, Italy, on September 9, 1856. He grew up learning about the anarchist ideas popular in Naples at the time. Anarchism is a political philosophy that believes in self-governed societies without a state or government. Merlino started joining the anarchist movement in Italy while he was still studying at university.
Attending the Anarchist Congress
In July 1881, Merlino attended an important Anarchist Congress in London. Other famous thinkers and activists were there, like Peter Kropotkin and Errico Malatesta. At this meeting, they talked about how to spread their ideas. They agreed that "propaganda by the deed" was a way to encourage social change. This meant taking actions that would inspire people to work towards a social revolution.
Exile and Return to Italy
In 1884, Merlino had to leave Italy and live in other countries, which is called going into exile. He lived in England and also traveled to the United States. When he returned to Italy in 1894, he was arrested and spent two years in prison.
Developing New Socialist Theories
Merlino wrote articles in 1891 where he shared his anarchist views. He also started to question some of the basic ideas of anarchism. In 1897, he published a book called Pro e contro il socialismo (which means For and Against Socialism). This book showed his changing thoughts on socialism. In the years that followed, he developed his own ideas about libertarian socialism. He often discussed these ideas with his friend, Errico Malatesta. Libertarian socialism is a political philosophy that combines the ideas of socialism (where society controls resources) with libertarianism (which emphasizes individual freedom).
A Famous Defense Case
In 1900, Merlino took on a very important legal case. He defended Gaetano Bresci, an Italian-American anarchist. Bresci had killed King Umberto I of Italy. This act was done in response to a violent event where many people were killed by the army. Despite the serious nature of the crime, Bresci was not sentenced to death. This made him the only person to kill a king without the monarchy being overthrown and not be executed.
Later Life and Changing Views
In 1907, a newspaper in Turin, Italy, published an interview with Merlino. In this interview, he said that he no longer believed in anarchism. The interview was even titled "The End of Anarchism." Merlino stated that anarchism was an old idea, full of disagreements, and would soon disappear. Another leading Italian-American anarchist, Luigi Galleani, wrote his own article in response, titled "The End of Anarchism?", adding a question mark to challenge Merlino's statement.
Francesco Saverio Merlino passed away on June 30, 1930, in Rome, Italy.
