The name of Léon Harmel (1829-1915) can certainly be associated with the historical story of French social Catholicism of the nineteenth century. Entrepreneur and social reformer, Harmel played a key role in opening up the Church to the problems of modern society. He was not a theoretician in the strict sense, nor a political thinker, but a "realizer". Yet his figure and his work deserves, in our opinion, specific attention. Both because he was representative, on the level of his own personal biography, of an era of great intellectual and social transition, and because he was the first to create the Christian corporation in his wool factory in Val des Bois. Supported by a substantial trust in the people, Harmel believes that the reconstruction of a new solidarity of life can only come from below; for this reason it addresses the workers and the people directly. He was always convinced of the need for a strong Christian workers' movement that would acquire influence on legislation and administration, that would build a life based on solidarity on a professional basis and that would not simply target economic interests, but would aim to achieve autonomy of the working class, rebuilt with its own strength. This idea was pursued throughout life and carried forward with the organization of factory councils, Christian circles of social studies, workers' congresses and the Christian democratic movement.

Il nome di Léon Harmel (1829-1915) si può certamente associare alla vicenda storica del cattolicesimo sociale francese dell’Ottocento. Imprenditore e riformatore sociale, Harmel ebbe un ruolo determinante nell’apertura della Chiesa alle problematiche della società moderna. Egli non fu un teorico in senso stretto, né un pensatore politico, bensì un “realizzatore”. Eppure la sua figura e la sua opera merita, a nostro avviso, una specifica attenzione. Sia perché rappresentativo, sul piano della sua stessa biografia personale, di un’epoca di grande transizione intellettuale e sociale, sia perché fu il primo a realizzare nella sua fabbrica laniera in Val des Bois la corporazione cristiana. Sorretto da una sostanziale fiducia nel popolo, Harmel crede che la ricostruzione di una nuova solidarietà di vita può venire solo dal basso; per questo si rivolge direttamente agli operai e al popolo. Fu sempre convinto della necessità di un forte movimento operaio cristiano che acquistasse influsso sulla legislazione e sull’amministrazione, che costruisse dal basso in alto una vita solidale sulla base professionale e che non avesse semplicemente di mira gli interessi economici, ma si proponesse di raggiungere l’autonomia della classe operaia, ricostruita con le sue stesse forze. Questa idea fu perseguita per tutta la vita e portata avanti con la organizzazione dei consigli di fabbrica, dei circoli cristiani di studi sociali, dei congressi operai e del movimento democratico cristiano.

Marsala Rosanna (2019). Democrazia e corporazione in Léon Harmel. Soveria Mannelli (Catanzaro) : Rubbettino.

Democrazia e corporazione in Léon Harmel

Marsala Rosanna
2019-01-01

Abstract

The name of Léon Harmel (1829-1915) can certainly be associated with the historical story of French social Catholicism of the nineteenth century. Entrepreneur and social reformer, Harmel played a key role in opening up the Church to the problems of modern society. He was not a theoretician in the strict sense, nor a political thinker, but a "realizer". Yet his figure and his work deserves, in our opinion, specific attention. Both because he was representative, on the level of his own personal biography, of an era of great intellectual and social transition, and because he was the first to create the Christian corporation in his wool factory in Val des Bois. Supported by a substantial trust in the people, Harmel believes that the reconstruction of a new solidarity of life can only come from below; for this reason it addresses the workers and the people directly. He was always convinced of the need for a strong Christian workers' movement that would acquire influence on legislation and administration, that would build a life based on solidarity on a professional basis and that would not simply target economic interests, but would aim to achieve autonomy of the working class, rebuilt with its own strength. This idea was pursued throughout life and carried forward with the organization of factory councils, Christian circles of social studies, workers' congresses and the Christian democratic movement.
2019
Settore SPS/02 - Storia Delle Dottrine Politiche
978-88-498-6181-5
Marsala Rosanna (2019). Democrazia e corporazione in Léon Harmel. Soveria Mannelli (Catanzaro) : Rubbettino.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10447/391682
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