Léon Bourgeois
| Léon Bourgeois | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 49th Prime Minister of France | |
|
In office 1 November 1895 – 29 April 1896 |
|
| President | Félix Faure |
| Preceded by | Alexandre Ribot |
| Succeeded by | Jules Méline |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
21 May 1851 Paris |
| Died | 29 September 1925 (aged 74) Épernay |
| Political party | None |
| Alma mater | Université de Paris |
Léon Victor Auguste Bourgeois (French: [leɔ̃ buʁʒwa]; 29 May 1851 – 29 September 1925) was a French statesman. His ideas influenced the Radical Party regarding a wide range of issues. He promoted progressive taxation such as progressive income taxes and social insurance schemes, along with economic equality, expanded educational opportunities, and cooperative solidarism. In foreign policy, he called for a strong League of Nations, and the maintenance of peace through compulsory arbitration, controlled disarmament, economic sanctions, and perhaps an international military force.
Bourgeois was born in Paris, and was trained in law. After holding a subordinate office (1876) in the department of public works, he became successively prefect of the Tarn (1882) and the Haute-Garonne (1885), and then returned to Paris to enter the Ministry of the Interior. He became Prefect of Police in November 1887 at the critical moment of Jules Grévy's resignation from the presidency. In the following year, he entered the Chamber, being elected deputy for the Marne, in opposition to George Boulanger, and joined the Radical Left. He was undersecretary for Home Affairs in Charles Floquet's ministry of 1888 and resigned with it in 1889, being then returned to the chamber for Reims. In Pierre Tirard's ministry, which succeeded, he was Minister of the Interior, and subsequently, on 18 March 1890, Minister of Public Instruction in the cabinet of Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet, a post for which he had qualified himself by the attention he had given to educational matters. In this capacity, he was responsible for some important reforms in secondary education in 1890.
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