Jules Simon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jules Simon
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| Prime Minister of France | |
| In office 12 December 1876 – 17 May 1877 |
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| President | Patrice de MacMahon |
| Preceded by | Jules Dufaure |
| Succeeded by | Albert, duc de Broglie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 December 1814 Lorient |
| Died | 8 June 1896 (aged 81) Paris |
| Political party | Moderate Republican (1848-1871) Opportunist Republican (1871-1896) |
Jules François Simon (born 31 December 1814 – died 8 June 1896) was an important French politician and thinker. He was a leader of the Moderate Republicans during the Third French Republic. This was a time when France was trying to establish a stable government after a period of big changes.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jules Simon was born in Lorient, a town in France. His father was a cloth seller from Lorraine. His family name was originally Suisse, but Jules later chose to use Simon, which was one of his middle names.
Even though his family wasn't rich, they made sacrifices so he could go to school. He first attended a religious school called a seminary in Vannes. After that, he worked briefly as an assistant in a school.
In 1833, Jules Simon became a student at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. This was a very famous school for training teachers and scholars. There, he met a well-known philosopher named Victor Cousin. Cousin helped him start teaching philosophy in other cities like Caen and Versailles.
Simon also helped Cousin with his translations of ancient Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. By 1839, he became Cousin's assistant professor at the University of Paris. He also taught about the history of philosophy at the École Normale Supérieure.
During this time, he edited the writings of other famous thinkers. He also wrote his own two-volume book called Histoire de l'école d'Alexandrie (History of the School of Alexandria). He wrote for a popular magazine called Revue des deux mondes. In 1847, he helped start a magazine called Liberté de penser (Freedom to Think). He later left this magazine because he disagreed with some of its ideas.
Political Career: From 1848 to 1871
Jules Simon began his political career in 1848. He was chosen to represent the Côtes-du-Nord region in the National Assembly, which was like the French parliament. The next year, he joined the Council of State, a body that advises the government.
However, he was removed from his position because of his republican views. He refused to promise loyalty to the government of Louis Napoleon after a major political change in 1851. Because of this, he also lost his teaching job.
After leaving his teaching role, he focused on writing books about philosophy and politics for the general public. Some of his famous books from this period include Le Devoir (Duty), La Religion naturelle (Natural Religion), and La Liberté politique (Political Freedom). These books explored ideas about morality, religion, and freedom.
In 1863, he was elected back into the French parliament, called the Corps Législatif. He joined a group of five politicians who opposed the government.
When the Government of National Defense was formed in September 1870, Jules Simon became the Minister of Instruction. After Paris surrendered in 1871, he was sent to Bordeaux. His job was to prevent another politician, Léon Gambetta, from continuing to fight for peace. Gambetta was very powerful in Bordeaux and even tried to arrest Simon. However, Simon managed to get help from Paris, and Gambetta eventually resigned. Simon then took control of the Ministry of the Interior.
Becoming a Leader in the Third Republic
After being defeated in the elections for the Seine region, Jules Simon became a representative for the Marne region in the National Assembly. He continued as the Minister of Education in the first government led by Adolphe Thiers.
As Minister of Education, he strongly supported making primary education free for everyone. He also tried to work with the clergy (religious leaders) to achieve his goals. However, a powerful bishop named Félix Dupanloup opposed his plans for elementary education.
Simon was more successful with secondary education (like high school). He encouraged students to learn modern languages instead of just focusing on Latin poetry. He also promoted new teaching methods at the École Normale. He even helped set up a school in Rome for French students studying history and archaeology.
He stayed in his role until just before Adolphe Thiers' government fell in 1873. Many people who wanted to bring back the monarchy saw Jules Simon as a major obstacle. However, some on the far left didn't trust him because his views were too moderate. Gambetta, for example, never forgot their conflict in Bordeaux.
In 1875, Jules Simon became a member of the Académie Française, a very respected French institution. He also became a life senator, meaning he would serve in the Senate for the rest of his life. In 1876, when Jules Dufaure resigned, Simon was asked to form a new government.
As the head of the government, he replaced officials who were against the republic with those who supported it. He remained in power until May 3, 1877. On that day, the Chamber of Deputies (another part of parliament) passed a motion asking the government to stop religious protests.
His opponents, especially those from the clergy, then convinced Marshal MacMahon, who was the President, to act. MacMahon wrote a letter to Simon, saying he no longer had enough influence in the Chamber. This was basically a demand for Simon to resign.
Simon resigned in response to this event, which is known as the "Seize Mai" (May 16th) crisis. He could have tried to fight it by appealing to the Chamber, but he feared that resisting might lead to MacMahon trying to take full control of the government. His resignation ended his time in high office. However, the May 1877 crisis eventually led to MacMahon losing power and the Republicans winning against those who wanted to restore the monarchy.
After this, Jules Simon continued to be an influential figure. He opposed a part of Ferry's Education Act in 1880. This part would have stopped members of certain religious groups from teaching. He was a key leader of the moderate Republican group known as the Opportunist Republicans. He wrote articles for several newspapers, including Le Gaulois, Le Matin, Journal des Débats, and Le Temps. These articles helped him keep his influence among moderate republicans.
Jules Simon's Writings
Jules Simon wrote several books that shared his own experiences and thoughts on the events he was involved in. These include Souvenirs du 4 septembre (Memories of September 4th) from 1874, and Le Gouvernement de M. Thiers (The Government of Mr. Thiers), published in two volumes in 1878. He also wrote a series of books called Mémoires des autres (Memories of Others), Nouveaux mémoires des autres (New Memories of Others), and Les Derniers mémoires des autres (The Last Memories of Others). These books offered his perspective on the history of his time.
He also wrote a book about his former teacher, Victor Cousin, in 1887. His son, Gustave Simon, later edited and published some of his personal memoirs, including Premiers mémoires (First Memoirs) and Le Soir de ma journée (The Evening of My Day).
Simon's Government: December 1876 – May 1877
During his time as the head of government, Jules Simon led a team of ministers. Here are some of the key people in his cabinet:
- Jules Simon – Head of the Council and Minister of the Interior (in charge of domestic affairs)
- Louis Decazes – Minister of Foreign Affairs (in charge of relations with other countries)
- Jean Auguste Berthaud – Minister of War (in charge of the army)
- Léon Say – Minister of Finance (in charge of the country's money)
- Louis Martel – Minister of Justice and Worship (in charge of laws and religious affairs)
- Martin Fourichon – Minister of Marine and Colonies (in charge of the navy and overseas territories)
- William Henry Waddington – Minister of Public Instruction (in charge of education)
- Albert Christophle – Minister of Public Works (in charge of roads, bridges, etc.)
- Pierre Teisserenc de Bort – Minister of Agriculture and Commerce (in charge of farming and trade)
See also
In Spanish: Jules Simon para niños
