Le Révolté
Encyclopedia
Le Révolté was an anarcho-communist journal started by Peter Kropotkin
, along with François Dumartheray and Georg Herzig, in February 1879. The journal was partially funded by Elisée Reclus
, Kropotkin's mentor. At the time of the journal's founding, Reclus and Kropotkin were living in the village of Clarens
on Lake Geneva
. The journal itself was published in Geneva
. After Kropotkin was expelled from Switzerland
and convicted in the Lyon trial of 1883 (for belonging to a defunct organization, i.e., The International), Le Révolté, needed a new editor. Elisée Reclus, who had become quite friendly with Jean Grave
, recommended Grave for the editorship and, after some hesitation, Grave accepted and moved to Geneva in 1883. Due to difficulties in getting the journal into France
as well as Swiss police harassment, in 1885 Grave moved back to France with the journal. In 1887 the journal became La Révolte, and after 1895, Les Temps Nouveaux which ceased publication in 1914. The last issue of Le Révolté was March 14, 1885. The switch to La Révolte resulted from a desperate and ineffective effort to avoid legal responsibility for a fine assessed the journal for participating in an illegal lottery
in support of military
desertion. Le Révolté was issued semimonthly before May 1886 and afterwards was a four page weekly. The journal’s circulation in 1886 was about 4,000 and by 1889 had grown to 6,000.
Peter Kropotkin
Prince Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin was a Russian zoologist, evolutionary theorist, philosopher, economist, geographer, author and one of the world's foremost anarcho-communists. Kropotkin advocated a communist society free from central government and based on voluntary associations between...
, along with François Dumartheray and Georg Herzig, in February 1879. The journal was partially funded by Elisée Reclus
Élisée Reclus
Élisée Reclus , also known as Jacques Élisée Reclus, was a renowned French geographer, writer and anarchist. He produced his 19-volume masterwork La Nouvelle Géographie universelle, la terre et les hommes , over a period of nearly 20 years...
, Kropotkin's mentor. At the time of the journal's founding, Reclus and Kropotkin were living in the village of Clarens
Clarens
Clarens is the name of several places:* Clarens, Free State, a town in Free State Province, South Africa* Clarens, Hautes-Pyrénées, a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of southwestern France...
on Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva or Lake Léman is a lake in Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. 59.53 % of it comes under the jurisdiction of Switzerland , and 40.47 % under France...
. The journal itself was published in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. After Kropotkin was expelled from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and convicted in the Lyon trial of 1883 (for belonging to a defunct organization, i.e., The International), Le Révolté, needed a new editor. Elisée Reclus, who had become quite friendly with Jean Grave
Jean Grave
Jean Grave was an important activist in the French anarchist movement. He was involved with Élisée Reclus' Révolté...
, recommended Grave for the editorship and, after some hesitation, Grave accepted and moved to Geneva in 1883. Due to difficulties in getting the journal into France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as well as Swiss police harassment, in 1885 Grave moved back to France with the journal. In 1887 the journal became La Révolte, and after 1895, Les Temps Nouveaux which ceased publication in 1914. The last issue of Le Révolté was March 14, 1885. The switch to La Révolte resulted from a desperate and ineffective effort to avoid legal responsibility for a fine assessed the journal for participating in an illegal lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
in support of military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
desertion. Le Révolté was issued semimonthly before May 1886 and afterwards was a four page weekly. The journal’s circulation in 1886 was about 4,000 and by 1889 had grown to 6,000.