Barthelemy Prosper Enfantin, generally known under the name of Pere Enfantin, one of the founders of St. Simonism, born in Paris, Feb. 8, 1796, died there, Sept. 1, 1864. He was the son of a banker, and with his fellow pupils was dismissed from the polytechnic school after March 30,1814, for having on that day fired on the allied troops. He then became a commercial traveller, and in 1821 entered a banking house in St. Petersburg. He returned to France in 1823, and became cashier of a mercantile firm, at the same time joining the carbonari. In 1825 he made the acquaintance of Olinde Rodrigues, a follower of Saint-Simon, who introduced Enfantin to his teacher. After the death of Saint-Simon, May 19, 1825, Enfantin and Rodrigues began the publication of a journal, Le producteur, in which Enfantin broached new social and religious doctrines, which displeased many who at first supported it, and it was discontinued toward the end of 1826. Enfantin, however, continued to advocate his views by lectures and public meetings. The revolution of 1830 favored the movement, which was soon formally organized with Enfantin and Bazard as the chief leaders (peres supremes), and with the Globe newspaper, of which Michel Chevalier was editor, as its organ. A schism soon broke out between the leaders.

Enfantin proposed the overthrow of all legislative and social restraint in the sphere of love and affection, except that of the "priest" or "confessor," who should have full command over the body and soul of his disciples for the control of their passions. Bazard declared this an attempt to convert Saint-Simon's economical doctrines into a religious creed, and a social order founded upon licentiousness, and withdrew in 1831. His secession was followed by that of the economical and political section of the school. But Enfantin persisted in his endeavors to establish a new religion. He addressed his followers (whom he estimated at 40,000 in France alone) with the authority of a superior being set apart by Providence for the purpose of inaugurating a new era for humanity through the emancipation and the agency of woman. He endeavored to find the female Messiah (femme Messie) who in his opinion was predestined to bear to him a new saviour of mankind, and in this search is said to have spent more than 250,000 francs in splendid entertainments. He still gained adherents and procured a loan of 80,000 francs for the establishment of industrial workshops.

His meetings were closed by the authorities in May, 1832; but he now withdrew with 40 of his followers, among whom were Michel Chevalier and other eminent men, to some land which belonged to him in the vicinity of Paris, near Menilmontant, where they established a community and spent their time in manual labor and St. Simonian religious ministrations, over which Enfantin presided. Again arraigned by the government, Enfantin appeared in the court with two ladies as his counsel; but they were not permitted to plead his cause. After two days he was found guilty, and sentenced to a year's imprisonment, but was pardoned after a few months' detention. He spent two years in Egypt, then returned to France, devoted himself to agricultural pursuits, and was postmaster near Lyons. By the influence of his former disciples and associates he became in 1841 a member of the scientific board for Algeria. From 1845 to 1848 he was director of the Lyons railway. In November, 1848, he established, in concert with M. Duveyrier, a daily journal, Le Credit, with a view of reconciling political reforms with his Utopian views of social relations; but the journal was discontinued in 1850. He again received an appointment in connection with the administration of railways, which he held until his death.

His writings are not numerous. Among the principal are: Traite d'economic politique (1830); La religion saint-simo-nienne (1831); Correspondance philosophique et religieuse (1847); Correspondance politique (1849); and Reponse au P. Felix (1858). A few months before his death he published La me eternelle, a kind of religious and political testament (Paris, 1863).