Emile Vandervelde
Encyclopedia
Emile Vandervelde was a Belgian
statesman, born at Ixelles. He studied law at the Free University of Brussels
(now split into the Université Libre de Bruxelles
and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
) and became doctor of laws in 1885 and doctor of social science in 1888.
, the party's "constitution
." This constitution is strongly influenced by ideas of the French socialist
Jules Guesde
. He was a freemason, and a member of the lodge Les Amis Philanthropes of the Grand Orient of Belgium
in Brussels.
erupted in 1914, Vandervelde became the first member of the Belgian Labour Party to hold a position as a Minister. He was a member of the Belgian Commission that protested to US President Woodrow Wilson
against German treatment. Vandervelde's wife visited the United States
, where she raised $300,000 for Belgian relief.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
statesman, born at Ixelles. He studied law at the Free University of Brussels
Free University of Brussels
The Free University of Brussels was a university in Brussels, Belgium. In 1969, it split into the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel....
(now split into the Université Libre de Bruxelles
Université Libre de Bruxelles
The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is a Flemish university located in Brussels, Belgium. It has two campuses referred to as Etterbeek and Jette.The university's name is sometimes abbreviated by "VUB" or translated to "Free University of Brussels"...
) and became doctor of laws in 1885 and doctor of social science in 1888.
Activities
Vandervelde became a member of the Parti Ouvrier Belge in 1886. He was president of the party from 1928 to 1938. Vandervelde was initiator of the Charter of QuaregnonCharter of Quaregnon
The Charter of Quaregnon was the doctrinary basis for the Belgian socialists from 1894 until 1979.In 1894, Belgian elections were for the first time held according to the scheme of the plural right to vote under the pressure of the violent Belgian general strike of 1893...
, the party's "constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
." This constitution is strongly influenced by ideas of the French socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
Jules Guesde
Jules Guesde
Jules Basile Guesde was a French socialist journalist and politician.Guesde was the inspiration for a famous quotation by Karl Marx. Shortly before Marx died in 1883, he wrote a letter to Guesde and Paul Lafargue, both of whom already claimed to represent "Marxist" principles...
. He was a freemason, and a member of the lodge Les Amis Philanthropes of the Grand Orient of Belgium
Grand Orient of Belgium
The Grand Orient of Belgium The Grand Orient of Belgium The Grand Orient of Belgium (French: Grand Orient de Belgique, Dutch: Grootoosten van Belgie (G.O.B.) is a Belgian cupola of masonic lodges which is only accessible for men, and works in the basic three symbolic degrees of freemasonry.-History:...
in Brussels.
- Vandervelde was a member of the Belgian parliament in 1894.
- President (1900–1918) of the International Socialist BureauInternational Socialist BureauThe International Socialist Bureau was the permanent organization of the Second International, established at the Paris congress of 1900. Before this there was no organizational infrastructure to the "Second International" beyond a series of periodical congresses, which weren't even given a...
- Justice Minister (1918–1921)
- As minister of the foreign affairs (1925–1927), he participated in the elaboration of the Pact of Locarno.
- Chairman of the Executive of the Labour and Socialist InternationalLabour and Socialist InternationalThe Labour and Socialist International was an international organization of socialist and labour parties, active between 1923 and 1940. The LSI was a forerunner of the present-day Socialist International....
(1929-1935)
- Health Minister (1936–1937)
- PhD. in Laws, Social Science and Political Economy. Professor at the Free University of BrusselsUniversité Libre de BruxellesThe Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
.
World War I
When the European WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
erupted in 1914, Vandervelde became the first member of the Belgian Labour Party to hold a position as a Minister. He was a member of the Belgian Commission that protested to US President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
against German treatment. Vandervelde's wife visited the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where she raised $300,000 for Belgian relief.
Works
- Les associations professionelles d'artisans et d'ouvriers en Belgique (1892)
- L'Evolution industrielle et le collectivisme (1896); English translation, Collectivism and Industrial Evolution (1901)
- Le question agraire en Belgique (1897)
- Le SocialismSocialismSocialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
e en Belgique (1898), with Destreé - L'AlcoolismeAlcoholismAlcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
et les conditions de travail en Belgique (1899) - Le propriété foncière en Belgique (1900)
- L'Exode rural et le retour aux champs (1903)
- Le Socialisme et l'agriculture (1906)
- Le Belgique et le CongoBelgian CongoThe Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
(1911) - Three Aspects of The Russian Revolution (1918) from Archive.org