PROUDHON PIERRE-JOSEPH: (1809-1865) French Founder of Mutualist Philosophy, Politician and first person to declare ...

PROUDHON PIERRE-JOSEPH: (1809-1865) French Founder of Mutualist Philosophy, Politician and first person to declare himself an Anarchist. Widely considered the ''Father of Anarchism''. Karl Marx and Proudhon influenced each other and lived a long-time correspondence relationship, friendship and dispute ending with anarchists and Marxists split. An excellent A.L.S., `P.J. Proudhon´, four pages, 4to, Passy, 14th December 1862, in French. Proudhon refers to his friend and lawyer Pierre Joseph Maertens (1816-1862) recently passed away and to Doctor Cook who he met during his exile, and states in part `..the death of our poor Maertens is heart-breaking. Like you, I am convinced that there is an unexplained mystery somewhere hidden… The thought of a suicide, or what is the same, a man sinking in despair, deeply touches me..´ further saying `No news regarding the Doctor, I do believe he is still in Germany. Although he is not responding to you, he has for sure received your letter, I hope that he will still do his best to clear his debt of honour…I even had to express some serious concerns about his behaviour.. He is sinking.. like this society..´ and before concluding states `I am publishing these days a response to the French democratic press, and I have to treat them even worse than I what I did with the liberal Belgian press. Returning to France I have only changed my adversaries, but I am not a man accepting steps back...´ Folded, with extremely small ink holes and a small tear to the upper edge, otherwise G £1000-1500