Emile Pouget

Émile Pouget (French: [emil puʒɛ]; 12 October 1860 – 21 July 1931) was a French journalist, anarchist pamphleteer and trade unionist, known for his pivotal role in the development of revolutionary syndicalism in France. His iconic newspaper, Le Père Peinard, stood out from previous anarchist publications with its inventive use of vernacular and urban slang. Notably, Pouget introduced the term "sabotage" as a tactical approach, a concept later adopted by the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) at its Toulouse Congress in 1897. Pouget's combination of anarchist political theory and revolutionary syndicalist tactics has led several authors to identify him as an early anarcho-syndicalist. Having been introduced to radical politics through his stepfather's involvement in political journalism, Pouget emerged as a prominent figure in the anarchist movement. In 1883, Pouget and Louise Michel were jailed after they led a protest at Les Invalides, where the emblematic anarchist black flag is said to have been flown for the first time. The enactment of the Lois scélérates, which sought to suppress anarchist activities, forced Pouget into exile in London from 1894 to 1895. There, he was exposed to international anarchist militants like Errico Malatesta, as well as the British trade unionist movement, which inspired his contributions to revolutionary syndicalism. Returning to France, Pouget resumed his political activities, starting the newspaper La Sociale in 1895 and collaborating closely with Fernand Pelloutier to promote revolutionary syndicalist ideas within the French labor movement. By 1902, he had become an integral part of the revolutionary faction within CGT leadership, and was arrested with other leaders of the CGT in 1908 following violent strikes in Draveil and Villeneuve-Saint-Georges. After his release, Pouget began to distance himself from activism, a trend that accelerated following the collapse of his final newspaper, La Révolution, in 1909. He lived quietly outside Paris until his death in 1931.