Victor d'Hupay
Encyclopedia
Joseph Alexandre Victor d'Hupay (La Tour-d'Aigues
, 1746 - Fuveau
, 1818) was a French writer and philosopher.
ic family in the village of La Tour-d'Aigues
in the Luberon
, Provence
.
While still young he wrote texts on agriculture and economics, expressing his wish to share his land with his neighbours, thus transforming the ideals of the Enlightenment
philosophers into practice. His first book, Projet de Communauté philosophe, published in 1777, advocated the idea of living in a sort of commune
. In 1785, just before the French revolution
, he referred to himself as a communist author in a book review in the journal Restif de la Bretonne; according to some sources, this was the first time that the word "communism
" was used in print in its modern sense.
During his life, Victor d'Hupay divided his time between La Tour-d'Aigues, Aix-en-Provence
and the neighbouring village of Fuveau
, to the south of Montagne Sainte-Victoire
, where he died in 1818. The restored family bastide http://hupay.com/images/IMG_3993.JPG in Fuveau was run according to his principles.
La Tour-d'Aigues
La Tour-d'Aigues is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...
, 1746 - Fuveau
Fuveau
Fuveau is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, 1818) was a French writer and philosopher.
Life and works
In 1746 Victor d'Hupay was born into an aristocratAristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
ic family in the village of La Tour-d'Aigues
La Tour-d'Aigues
La Tour-d'Aigues is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...
in the Luberon
Luberon
The Luberon or Luberon Massif , also called Lubéron, has a maximum altitude of 1,256 m and an area of about 600 km²...
, Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
.
While still young he wrote texts on agriculture and economics, expressing his wish to share his land with his neighbours, thus transforming the ideals of the Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
philosophers into practice. His first book, Projet de Communauté philosophe, published in 1777, advocated the idea of living in a sort of commune
Commune (intentional community)
A commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, and, in some communes, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become...
. In 1785, just before the French revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, he referred to himself as a communist author in a book review in the journal Restif de la Bretonne; according to some sources, this was the first time that the word "communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
" was used in print in its modern sense.
During his life, Victor d'Hupay divided his time between La Tour-d'Aigues, Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
and the neighbouring village of Fuveau
Fuveau
Fuveau is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, to the south of Montagne Sainte-Victoire
Montagne Sainte-Victoire
Montagne Sainte-Victoire — in Provençal Occitan: Venturi / Santa Venturi according to classical orthography and Ventùri / Santo Ventùri according to Mistralian orthography — is a limestone mountain ridge in the south of France which extends over 18 kilometres between the départements of...
, where he died in 1818. The restored family bastide http://hupay.com/images/IMG_3993.JPG in Fuveau was run according to his principles.
Sources
- Nicolas Flippe, Victor d'Hupay, auteur communiste au XVIIIe siècle (to be published).