Catéchisme républicain, philosophique et moral
Contributions
- Citoyen Lachabeaussière (Auguste-Étienne-Xavier Poisson de La Chabeaussière)
- author
- Chez Desenne (Victor Desenne)
- publisher
Related resources
- has translation
- Catechismo francese o sia principij di filosofia di morale e di politica repubblicana ad uso delle scuole primarie di Chabeaussière tradotto dal francese translation
- has translation
- Catechismo, ossia principi di filosofia morale, e di politica repubblicana, ad uso delle prime scuole, di Chabeaussière tradotto dal francese translation
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- Cattechismo, ovvero Principj di filosofia, di morale, e di politica repubblicana a uso delle prime scuole, del La Chabeaussière translation
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- Catechismo francese o sia principij di filosofia di morale e di politica repubblicana ad uso delle scuole primarie di Chabeaussière tradotto dal francese translation
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- Catechismo politico-morale, scritto in versi francesi dal cittadino Chabeaussière di Parigi, e tradotto in versi italiani secondo il metro dell’originale da Gianfrancesco Masdeu barcellonese translation
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- Nuovo catechismo repubblicano tratto dal francese dal celebre cittadino Gio. Battista Agretti prefetto consolare presso i tribunali del Trasimeno per uso de’ suoi figli translation
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- Nuovo catechismo repubblicano tratto dal francese dal celebre cittadino Gio. Battista Agretti prefetto consolare presso i tribunali del Trasimeno per uso de’ suoi figli translation has paratext
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- Principj di filosofia morale republicana translation
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- Catechismo dell’uomo libero ad uso delle scuole primarie composto da La Chabeaussière translation
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- Principi di filosofia morale repubblicana translation
Summary (extracted citations)
How the definition of liberty evolved (1st extract from 1792): "Qu'est-ce que la Liberté? Le plus beau don du ciel, le vrai bien sur la terre. Esclaves! Travaillez à la reconquérir; Malheur, haine éternelle à qui lui fait la guerre. Vive la liberté! qui la perd doit mourir". (2nd extract from 1795–96): "La liberté donne donc le droit de tout faire? ]La liberté n’est pas ce penchant de nature, De repousser tout frein, de haïr tout pouvoir, Elle est le droit d’agir, comme on doit le vouloir ! La justice est sa règle et la loi sa mesure".
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Notes
Poisson de La Chabeaussière's 'Catechism', addressing the basics of republican morality in rhyming couplets, was chosen as the official catechism for schools under the French Directory, following a contest announced on 9 Pluviôse, An 2 (28 January 1794) but not awarded until two years later. It ran to 89 editions, without counting the numerous translations (although none in English have been found), and was still being reprinted in 1893, making it the most successful of all the political catechisms produced during the Revolution.
This edition is the first version, written whilst in prison and sent to the Committee for Public Instruction, possibly as an instance of self-defence to prove his commitment to the Revolution, who must have passed it on to Desenne for publication. When the results of the competition were announced by Lakanal in 1796 (14 Brumaire, An 4), the winning author was awarded 2500 francs and official publication of his 'Catechism' was paid for by the Conseil des Cinq-Cents, which appeared under the new title, 'Catéchisme français, ou principes de morale républicaine à l'usage des écoles primaires' (An 3 (1795-96), Fuchs). A third edition was issued in 1797 as, 'Catéchisme français, ou principes de philosophie, de morale, et de politique républicaine à l'usage des écoles primaires. Par La Chabeaussière' (An 5, du Pont, Ferrare, Pomatelli). This is the title from which most of the Italian translations are drawn.
By its sixth edition in An 8, the original 37 Q&As had been enlarged to 62 (Goujon fils). Despite official requests from the ministry to cut or alter several passages, especially those concerning 'God', the 'soul', the 'future', most of the text remained intact. Clearly the Ministry was worried about the effects of such free-thinking – "What is God? I do not know what he/it is, but I see his works" – on children aged between six and twelve years. In 1804, it was reissued for a Swiss readership, replacing 'français' with 'vaudois' (Lausanne: Hignou et Cie).
For more on this, see Jean-Charles Buttier, "Les trois vies du 'Catéchisme républicain, philosophique et moral' de La Chabeaussière", in AHRF 364 (avril-juin 2021); also his PhD, "Les catéchismes politiques français (1789–1814)". Sciences de l’Homme et Société. Paris1 - Panthéon-Sorbonne, 2013.