Barthélemy Prosper Enfantin

The Comte de Saint-Simon, who has spent the past few decades writing prolifically and funding a Paris salon for intellectuals and scientists, has developed a theory of "evolutionary organicism," which postulates history as an orderly progression culminating in an industrial, harmonious society ruled by a scientific elite on the basis of a division of labor.

French social theorist Barthelemy Prosper Enfantin meets the Comte de Saint-Simon shortly before the latter’s death on May 19, 1825.

Saint-Simon’s New Christianity, published that year, synthesizes Catholic and Enlightenment ideas.

Enfantin, with St. Amand Bazard, establishes Saint-Simonism, a political and religious movement based on Saint-Simon’s thought, which advocates a highly centralized, planned society, ruled for the common good by a natural aristocracy of the most talented.

Barthélemy Prosper Enfantin had become a member of the secret society of the Carbonari While working as a cashier in the Caisse Hypothécaire in Paris in around 182.

Two years later, he had formed a friendship with Olinde Rodriguez, who had introduced him to the Comte de Saint-Simon, the founder of French socialism.

He had affiliated to Saint-Simon's version of utopian socialism, and, by 1829, he had become one of the acknowledged heads of the sect.

Rodrigues, the favored disciple of Saint-Simon, and Enfantin together had received Saint-Simon's last instructions before his death in 1825.

Their first step was to establish a journal, Le Producteur, but it was discontinued in 1826.

The sect, however, had begun to grow, and before the end of 1828, had meetings not only in Paris but in many provincial towns also.

Amand Bazard, who had in 1820 founded a society called Amis de la vérité corresponding to the Carbonari of Italy, gave a "complete exposition of the Saint-Simonian faith" in a long course of lectures at Paris, which were well attended.

His Exposition de la doctrine de St Simon (two volumes, 1828–1830), which is by far the best account of it, wins more adherents.

The second volume is chiefly by Enfantin, who along with Bazard stands at the head of the society, but who is superior in metaphysical power, and is prone to push his deductions to extremities.

Enfantin’s “Doctrine de St. Simon” spawns Saint-Simonism.

Barthélemy Prosper Enfantin had resigned his office of cashier after the July Revolution of 1830 and devoted all his energy to the promotion Saint-Simon's version of utopian socialism.

Besides contributing to Le Globe, he has made appeals to the people by systematic preaching, and organized centers of action in some of the main cities of France.

The headquarters in Paris had been moved from the modest rooms in the Rue Taranne to the large halls near the Boulevard des Italiens.

Enfantin and Amand Bazard had been proclaimed Pères Suprêmes ("Supreme Fathers")—a union that is, however, only nominal, as a divergence is already manifest.

Bazard, who has concentrated on organizing the group, has devoted himself to political reform, while Enfantin, who favors teaching and preaching, has dedicated his time to social and moral change.

The antagonism has been widened by Enfantin's announcement of his theory of the relation of man and woman, which would substitute a system of "free love" for the "tyranny of marriage.” Bazard and his disciples had broken with Enfantin's group.

The latter has become sole "father", leading a movement chiefly oriented to religion, joined by new converts (according to Enfantin's estimate, the total number of followers would have reached forty thousand).

He wears on his breast a badge with his title of Père, is referred to by his preachers as "the living law", declares himself to be the chosen of God, and sends out emissaries in a quest of a woman predestined to be the "female Messiah," and the mother of a new Savior (the latter quest has been very costly and altogether fruitless).

Meanwhile, the new religion has gathered believers in all parts of Europe.

His extravagances and success at length bring him to the attention of authorities, who argue that he is endangering public morality.

In May 1832, the government closes the halls of the new sect, and the Père, with some of his followers, appears before the tribunals.

Enfantin retires to his estate at Menilmontant, near Paris, where with forty disciples, all of them men, he continues to carry out his socialist views.

In August of the same year, he is again arrested, and on his appearance in court he desires his defense to be undertaken by two women who are with him, alleging that the matter is of special concern to women; the request is promptly refused.

The trial occupies two days and results in a verdict of guilty, and a sentence of imprisonment for a year with a small fine.

Enfantin is released in a few months, but this prosecution has discredited the new society.

Barthélemy Prosper Enfantin has gone to Egypt, accompanied by twenty of his followers and a number of engineers, with the intent of creating a Suez canal, pursuing "odd symbolic ideas about the project being a marriage between East and West.”

This irritates the Egyptian Viceroy, Muhammad Ali, who wants the Saint-Simonians thrown out, but Ferdinand de Lesseps, the man who will ultimately build the canal, is sympathetic and intervenes on their behalf.

Barthélemy Prosper Enfantin, who had stayed in Egypt two years, involved in a futile canal project and in search of the Woman Messiah, might have entered Muhammad Ali's service had he professed himself, as several of his followers did, a Muslim.

On his return to France, he occupies minor offices, initially that of a postmaster near Lyon.

The Suez Canal Company is formed in Egypt in November 1854.

Although the alleged difference in sea levels could be problematic for construction, the idea of finding a shorter route to the east remains alive.

In 1830, F. R. Chesney had submitted a report to the British government that stated that there was no difference in elevation and that the Suez Canal was feasible, but his report received no further attention.

Lieutenant Waghorn had established his "Overland Route", which transported post and passengers to India via Egypt.

Linant de Bellefonds, a French explorer of Egypt, became chief engineer of Egypt's Public Works.

In addition to his normal duties, he surveyed the Isthmus of Suez and made plans for the Suez Canal.

French Saint-Simonianists had showed an interest in the canal and in 1833, Barthélemy Prosper Enfantin had tried to draw Muhammad Ali's attention to the canal but was unsuccessful.

Alois Negrelli, the Austrian railroad pioneer, became interested in the idea in 1836.

In 1846, Prosper Enfantin's Société d'Études du Canal de Suez invited a number of experts, among them Robert Stephenson, Negrelli and Paul-Adrien Bourdaloue to study the feasibility of the Suez Canal (with the assistance of Linant de Bellefonds).

Bourdaloue's survey of the isthmus is the first generally accepted evidence that there is no practical difference in altitude between the two seas.

Britain, however, fears that a canal open to everyone might interfere with its India trade and therefore prefers a connection by train from Alexandria via Cairo to Suez, which is eventually built by Robert Stephenson.

Ferdinand de Lesseps had corresponded at least once with the Société d'Études du Canal de Suez during the reign of Abbas I in Egypt, but Abbas had closed off most of Egypt to foreign influence.

Upon Abbas' assassination in 1854, Lesseps makes inquiries with a former, if short-term, acquaintance and successor in Egypt, Said Pasha.

On November 7, 1854, he had landed at Alexandria; on the 30th of the same month Said Pasha signs the concession authorizing him to build the Suez Canal.

Ground is broken for the Suez Canal, in Egypt, on April 25, 1859.

Work starts on the shore of the future Port Said.