From - Fri Dec 14 11:02:52 2001 Received: from isis.univ-montp3.fr (isis.univ-montp3.fr [193.52.136.240]) by mx1.eskimo.com (8.9.1a/8.8.8) with ESMTP id OAA02906 for ; Wed, 12 Dec 2001 14:39:50 -0800 Received: (from sympa@localhost) by isis.univ-montp3.fr (8.11.0/8.11.0) id fBCMVb626429; Wed, 12 Dec 2001 23:31:37 +0100 X-Authentication-Warning: isis.univ-montp3.fr: sympa set sender to ra-l-owner@univ-montp3.fr using -f Message-ID: <3C17DCE5.E41D050A@loyno.edu> Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 16:40:37 -0600 From: Research on Anarchism Reply-To: ra-len@univ-montp3.fr Organization: Research on Anarchism List X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.77 [en] (Win98; U) X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Research on Anarchism List , Research on Anarchism List Subject: Reclus and Gender Relations Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="------------D0E04291ABD89B88A6B15F22" X-Loop: ra-l@univ-montp3.fr X-Sequence: 1180 Precedence: list List-Help: List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: List-Post: List-Owner: Status: RO X-Mozilla-Status: 8001 X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 X-UIDL: 447fe759beb5663a46b8cf4f5c194cd5 --------------D0E04291ABD89B88A6B15F22 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit This is in response to Eddie Reynolds' inquiry concerning "gender relations in early anarchism in france from about 1840-1870" and "the attitudes of bakunin, reclus, and kropotkin." Although, as Marianne said, anarchism as a large mass movement began to develop around 1870, there were earlier development that are worth investigating, I think. The following is an excerpt from the book on Reclus I did with Camille Martin. French and Italian editions have appeared but the English unfortunately remains forthcoming. The following is from a biographical chapter entitled "The Anarchist Geographer": After six years of travel, Reclus decided to return to his home and family and to seek new opportunities in France. He returned with his idealism and creative energy seemingly unaffected by his adversities, and with a wealth of experience that would be invaluable in his future vocation. His strong beliefs concerning the desirability of blending races and cultures were put into practice in his personal life when he married, in December 1858, Clarisse Brian, the mulatto daughter of a French father and a Senegalese mother. According to Paul Reclus, “there is not the slightest doubt that Elisée’s stay in Louisiana formed in him the idea of marrying a daughter of the despised race.”(22) To whatever degree he had such a motive, the marriage was also based on personal affinity and was a happy one. Tragically, it ended after ten years with Clarisse’s death, shortly after the birth of their third child, who also died soon thereafter. A year later, Reclus married an old friend, Fanny L’Herminez, according to anarchist principles--that is, without the formalities of either church or state. This alliance proved to be his closest and most valued relationship with any woman in his life, since the two shared common values, intellectual interests, and political commitments. There was a spiritual affinity between them comparable only to that which Reclus had with his brother Elie. Although Fanny died less than four years after the marriage, he was profoundly affected by her for the rest of his life, and for many years included her name or initials as part of his signature. He later entered into another “free” marriage with his third wife, Ermance Beaumont-Trigant. This relationship was also a fulfilling one, though it lacked the spiritual depth he had found with his second wife. The testimony of Reclus’ friends and colleagues indicates that his egalitarian and cooperative ideas were practiced admirably in his personal life. His fundamental principles of solidarity and mutual aid were much more than political slogans. According to his friend and fellow anarchist geographer Kropotkin, “the idea of dominating anyone at all seems never to have crossed his mind; he hated down to the smallest signs a dominating spirit.”(23) This was true of his relationships not only with his wives, but also with other members of his family and his wide circle of friends. He was widely praised for his great sense of humility and his reluctance to present himself as a “leader” or “expert.” While he became well known as both a scientist and a political writer and activist, he vehemently rejected the idea of having followers or of placing himself in a position of superiority. As he once wrote to a would-be disciple: “For shame.... Is it right for some to be subordinated to others? I do not call myself ‘your disciple.’”(24) There are numerous stories of his interactions with others on terms of complete equality, and of his unassuming participation in the more menial aspects of political work. Jean Grave notes that Reclus “was able to listen to objections from whatever source they came, and to answer them without any pride and without the sharp tone of one who issues decrees, and admits of no discussion.”(25) [I might add that the "would-be disciple" mentioned above was a young woman.] (22) Paul Reclus, “Biographie d’Elisée Reclus” in Les frères Elie et Elisée Reclus (Paris: Les Amis d’Elisée Reclus, 1964), p. 43. (23) Peter Kropotkin, “Elisée Reclus” in Joseph Ishill, ed., Elisée and Elie Reclus: In Memoriam (Berkeley Heights, New Jersey: The Oriole Press, 1927), p. 63. (24) Letter to Mlle. De Gérando in Correspondance II: 238, quoted in Marie Fleming, The Geography of Freedom: The Odyssey of Elisée Reclus (Montréal: Black Rose Books, 1988), p. 192. Fleming also cites Elie’s observation that when Elisée was in his sixties, he not only taught, but also attended courses at the New University, always eager to learn from others (p. 178). (25) Jean Grave, “Elisée Reclus” in Joseph Ishill, ed., Elisée and Elie Reclus, p. 39. This is no small tribute to someone who was generally considered the most renowned geographer and one of the two or three most important anarchist theorists of his time. --------------D0E04291ABD89B88A6B15F22 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit      This is in response to Eddie Reynolds' inquiry concerning "gender relations in early anarchism in france from about 1840-1870" and "the attitudes of bakunin, reclus, and kropotkin."
    Although, as Marianne said, anarchism as a large mass movement began to develop around 1870, there were earlier development that are worth investigating, I think. The following is an excerpt from the book on Reclus I did with Camille Martin. French and Italian editions have appeared but the English unfortunately remains forthcoming.  The following is from a biographical chapter entitled "The Anarchist Geographer":

  After six years of travel, Reclus decided to return to his home and family and to seek new opportunities in France.  He returned with his idealism and creative energy seemingly unaffected by his adversities, and with a wealth of experience that would be invaluable in his future vocation.  His strong beliefs concerning the desirability of blending races and cultures were put into practice in his personal life when he married, in December 1858, Clarisse Brian, the mulatto daughter of a French father and a Senegalese mother.  According to Paul Reclus, “there is not the slightest doubt that Elisée’s stay in Louisiana formed in him the idea of marrying a daughter of the despised race.”(22) To whatever degree he had such a motive, the marriage was also based on personal affinity and was a happy one.  Tragically, it ended after ten years with Clarisse’s death, shortly after the birth of their third child, who also died soon thereafter.  A year later, Reclus married an old friend, Fanny L’Herminez, according to anarchist principles--that is, without the formalities of either church or state.  This alliance proved to be his closest and most valued relationship with any woman in his life, since the two shared common values, intellectual interests, and political commitments.  There was a spiritual affinity between them comparable only to that which Reclus had with his brother Elie.  Although Fanny died less than four years after the marriage, he was profoundly affected by her for the rest of his life, and for many years included her name or initials as part of his signature.  He later entered into another “free” marriage with his third wife, Ermance Beaumont-Trigant.  This relationship was also a fulfilling one, though it lacked the spiritual depth he had found with his second wife.
     The testimony of Reclus’ friends and colleagues indicates that his egalitarian and cooperative ideas were practiced admirably in his personal life.  His fundamental principles of solidarity and mutual aid were much more than political slogans.  According to his friend and fellow anarchist geographer Kropotkin, “the idea of dominating anyone at all seems never to have crossed his mind; he hated down to the smallest signs a dominating spirit.”(23) This was true of his relationships not only with his wives, but also with other members of his family and his wide circle of friends.  He was widely praised for his great sense of humility and his reluctance to present himself as a “leader” or “expert.” While he became well known as both a scientist and a political writer and activist, he vehemently rejected the idea of having followers or of placing himself in a position of superiority.  As he once wrote to a would-be disciple: “For shame....  Is it right for some to be subordinated to others? I do not call myself ‘your disciple.’”(24) There are numerous stories of his interactions with others on terms of complete equality, and of his unassuming participation in the more menial aspects of political work.  Jean Grave notes that Reclus “was able to listen to objections from whatever source they came, and to answer them without any pride and without the sharp tone of one who issues decrees, and admits of no discussion.”(25)

[I might add that the "would-be disciple" mentioned above was a young woman.]

(22) Paul Reclus, “Biographie d’Elisée Reclus” in Les frères Elie et Elisée Reclus (Paris: Les Amis d’Elisée Reclus, 1964), p. 43.
(23) Peter Kropotkin, “Elisée Reclus” in Joseph Ishill, ed., Elisée and Elie Reclus: In Memoriam (Berkeley Heights, New Jersey: The Oriole Press, 1927), p. 63.
(24) Letter to Mlle. De Gérando in Correspondance II: 238, quoted in Marie Fleming, The Geography of Freedom: The Odyssey of Elisée Reclus (Montréal: Black Rose Books, 1988),  p. 192.  Fleming also cites Elie’s observation that when Elisée was in his sixties, he not only taught, but also attended courses at the New University, always eager to learn from others (p. 178).
(25) Jean Grave, “Elisée Reclus” in Joseph Ishill, ed., Elisée and Elie Reclus, p. 39.  This is no small tribute to someone who was generally considered the most renowned geographer and one of the two or three most important anarchist theorists of his time.
 
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