A Socialist History of the French Revolution

by Jean Jaurès, Mitchell Abidor (Translator), Henry Heller (Introduction)

Jean Jaurès was the celebrated French Socialist Party leader, assassinated at the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Published just a few years before his death, his magisterial A Socialist History of the French Revolution, has endured for over a century as one of the most influential accounts of the French Revolution ever to be published. Mitchell Abidor’s long-overdue translation and abridgement of Jaurès’s original six volumes brings this exceptional work to an Anglophone audience for the first time.
            Written in the midst of his activities as leader of the Socialist Party and editor of its newspaper, L’Humanité, Jaurès intended the book to serve as both a guide and an inspiration to political activity, which is just as relevant today.

Genres: History, French Revolution, Nonfiction, Politics, French Literature, France, World History

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1911

About the author

Jean Léon Jaurès was a French Socialist leader. Initially an Opportunist Republican, he evolved into one of the first social democrats, becoming the leader, in 1902, of the French Socialist Party, which opposed Jules Guesde's revolutionary Socialist Party of France. Both parties merged in 1905 in the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO). An antimilitarist, Jaurès was assassinated at the outbreak of World War I, and remains one of the main historical figures of the French Left.

Reviews

[Nathaniel Flakin · Rating 4 out of 5]

To avoid misunderstandings: the "Histoire Socialiste" is a massive book with something like 3,000 pages in eight volumes. This is not that book. This is selections from Jaurès's book comprising maybe an eighth or a tenth of the original. In my opinion, this is a good thing — I would never have attempted to read eight volumes. Pluto Press has included a very useful introduction by Henry Heller explaining how Jaurès's work has been interpreted in the 100+ years since its publication.

Jaurès's writing is wonderful, without a shred of the "objectivity" expected of modern bourgeois historians. He is almost like a character in the story, commenting on every decision by the revolution's leaders and giving retroactive advice about the best course of action.

Still, Jaurès is a social democrat, and his thinking is permeated with the reformist teleology typical of the Second International: for him, the bourgeois revolution was carried out precisely as it had to be, and any attempt to go further would have been doomed to fail. He heaps praise on the leaders of the bourgeois revolution for creating a "republic" and a"democracy," providing the proletariat with a mechanism to create socialism. Thus he vigorously defends Robespierre, and is haughtily dismissive of his critics to the Left, particularly the Enragés.


This is the third book I have read in the last year on the French Revolution. A number of commenters have said this book is confusing for people who need an introduction. For me, it was just the right level. I think Albert Soboul is the one who has provided a true socialist history, and this is more of a "Social Democratic / Reformist History of the French Revolution." Still, a great read, above all to see a historian with such a strong personality.

[Nathan Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the true absences in English translation; this is more than welcome, but obviously enormously truncated. Nonetheless, while straining for poetic effect often, it lands upon it by virtue of Jaures' obvious commitments. There are overly psychological detours, but nothing here remotely close to the armchair variety — rather, from one who shares the impossible burden of living with the full weight of revolutionary struggle and its ambiguities.

[Suzammah · Rating 3 out of 5]

My historical hero writing about his; I was always going to enjoy this.

As a translated and edited version of Jaurès extensive work on the French Revolution, there was a lot left out and this often interrupted the flow of his narrative, particularly up until 1793 - reading this requires a detailed knowledge of the years 1789-94 before you start. It's a great read though, full of passion and detail. A refreshing take on the Revolution - the dominance of a much more conservative narrative in the current historiography, even by those on the left, is really notable.

He is naturally very forgiving of Robespierre which is a perspective you'd struggle to find elsewhere. But as he notes at the end, the revolutionaries' task was great, indeed too great only for one generation to manage. Democracy, republicanism, socialism, would need time to cement and the struggle would be ongoing.

[Shelley Ettinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

As others have noted, if you don't already have a good knowledge and understanding of the French revolution you won't gain it from this book. I don't and I didn't. I'm sorry, and frankly embarrassed, to say that I was at sea through much of it. Though there are many soaring passages and the angle of approach, the use of a Marxist analysis, is wonderful, I wish I'd read this after first reading a more basic history. I might just do that and then come back and reread this.

[Sinan Öner]

French Socialist Party Leader, Social Philosopher Jean Jaurés' "A Socialist History of the French Revolution" is one of the most important books about the French Revolution by a Socialist Leader. Jaurés writes the History of French Revolution with a Socialist view. Jaurés' philosophy of history forms "A Socialist History of the French Revolution", for Jaurés, to understand the History of the French Revolution, a socialist philosophy, a socialist historiography is necessary! Socialism as an ideology of modern working class, bring the new and more useful methodological tools to study on the History of the French Revolution. In the development of the French Revolution, Jaurés sees the social changes of France, the development of social classes' conditions and social reformation of France.

[Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the closest available equivalent to Mieville’s October — a similarly incandescent and sympathetic account of epochal revolutionary action — dramatically foregrounding the humanity of its actors within a narrative both tragic and inspiring.

Jaures is obviously keen to ground his efforts in the historical-materialist record, but his ambitions refuse to merely plot out an ostensibly “objective” chronology at the expense of situating the french revolution within the context of universal struggles for social and political emancipation.

Marat, Robespierre, Hebert… — the pivotal figures of the revolution are not clumsily psychologised but brought to life, not romantically lionised but understood in their own terms, not elevated into great men but integrated into their determinate socio-historical circumstances.

Of course, such a heavily abbreviated edition of Juares’ titanic project leaves rather significant gaps in the continuity of the narrative — a not so insignificant problem for someone such as myself without the requisite knowledge to fill them in without trouble. That being said, the editors do a decent enough job at retaining the structure that this will surely be a rewarding read no matter your familiarity with the events of the Revolution.

[Andrew Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the best efforts of it's translator/editor, this book is not a history of the french revolution. Because it cuts down its source material from 6 volumes to a short book, it is instead best read as a series of essays on various important moments in the french revolution, linked by short explainers. I can see why many reviewers were completely confused, as it doesn't really form much of a coherent narrative.

Nonetheless, treated as a collection of essays, what essays! At times it almost seems like an epic poem. Jaures has such a deep emotional connection to the revolution that he treats it almost like a character. His deep understanding of the characters of the revolutionary drama leaps from the page and though of course he has his own biases and axes to grind, he makes no pretenses to objectivity, instead painting a beautiful picture of the grandeur, ambition and tragedy of the unfolding events.

[Juan Pablo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a good read but I believe it suffers from the style of being an “epoch narrative”. It’s a good introduction to the French Revolution. Juares I believe was a Social Democrat & not necessarily in the socialist vein of Social Democracy in other European countries which would be more in line with Bolshevism but he is more in line with the SPD or USPD of Germany. I could be mistaken based on what little I’ve read about him but I believe this colors his conclusions on figures active or important to the Revolution.

It doesn’t seem to be as material analysis driven but it’s not completely lacking in that from the economic & social perspective. It’s also compiled from what seems to have been several volumes written by him on the subject so that may also take away from it.

Either way, it’s a good introduction & likely more informative than anything given in formal education.

[Lyka Rhodes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some part of this book are brilliant but other are really confusing and requires rereading and constant googling to make sence of it. Fell like it does not cover socialism very clearly and expect a high degree of knowledge to understand. This book is not accecible but I would still recommend it.

[Ryan O'Malley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important read if you have prior knowledge of the French Revolution. This is not a history of the revolution. It is a commentary on different aspects and how it relates to class conflict. I found it helpful in connecting the revolutions goals to the working class.

[Emir · Rating 4 out of 5]

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