Jules Guesde

Jules Guesde , 1845-1922, French socialist, whose original name was Basile. Exiled for his support of the Paris commune, he became a confirmed Marxist after 1876 and, with Paul Lafargue, led in advocating socialism in France and a policy of noncompromise with the existing government. Guesde was largely responsible for the formation (1905) of the unified Parti socialiste, which marked the triumph of Marxism over variant forms of French organized socialism. He was a deputy (1893-1921) and served in the cabinet during World War I, when his patriotism overcame his former uncompromising stand. He wrote many socialist pamphlets and articles.

Guesde, Jules (Bazile) (b. 11 Nov. 1845, d. 28 July 1922). French socialist Born as Jules Bazile, he supported the Paris Commune of 1871 and went into exile after its failure, where he became converted to Marxism. After his return to France in 1876, he founded the Parti Ouvrier Français (POF, French Workers' Party) in 1880 which rejected social reform as a dangerous palliative that would stave off the inevitable demise of the capitalist system. After his election as Deputy for Roubaix in 1893 he became more pragmatic, and in 1905 he agreed to the merger of the socialist parties to form a united Socialist Party (SFIO), which subscribed to the Marxism of Guesde, but which in practice followed the more moderate ideas of his rival Jaurès.