Claude Henri de Rouvroy

Claude Henri de Rouvroy, better known as the Marquis de Saint-Simon, was an early 19th-century French thinker who promoted ideas about social progress and the importance of scientific and industrial advancement. He believed society should be organized to benefit all, especially through the leadership of talented and hardworking individuals. Saint-Simon emphasized the value of industry, technology, and cooperation in improving people's lives, advocating for a merit-based system. His ideas influenced later social and political movements focused on modernization and social reform, making him an important figure in the development of socialist and utopian thought.