Jules Ferry

Jules Ferry , 1832-93, French statesman. A member of the government of national defense established after the defeat of Emperor Napoleon III in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), he later rose to prominence as minister of public instruction (1879-80, 1882). He was twice premier (1880-81, 1883-85). Ferry established the modern French educational system with universal, free, and compulsory education in the primary schools. He secularized the public schools, abolishing religious education in them and barring members of Roman Catholic orders as public-school teachers. Ferry is best known, however, as the builder of the French colonial empire. An exponent of imperialism, he was willing to cooperate with the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck in order to secure French expansion overseas. During his premiership the French occupied Tunis, entered Tonkin and Madagascar, and penetrated the regions of the Niger and the Congo. Ferry was overthrown after a temporary French defeat in Indochina. He was assassinated by a religious fanatic.

Bibliography: See study by T. F. Power (1944, repr. 1966).

Ferry, Jules François Camille (1832–93) French statesman. Prefect of the Seine (1870–71) during its siege in the FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR, his narrow escape (18 March 1871) from the PARIS COMMUNE left him with a strong dislike of extremist politics. After serving as French ambassador in Greece, he was elected to the French Chamber of Deputies (1876–89) and was in government from 1879 to 1885, twice as Prime Minister (1880–81; 1883–85). He was responsible for much liberal legislation, extending freedom of association and of the press and legalizing trade unions. He weakened the grip of the Roman Catholic Church on education, extended higher education, created lycées for girls, and made French elementary education non-clerical (March 1882), free, and compulsory. His ministries also saw wide French colonial development in Tunisia (1881), the Congo (1884), Madagascar (1885), and Indo-China (1885). This latter lost him support and he fell from office. He narrowly failed to be elected President of the Republic in 1887.