Economic Romanticism and the philosophy of misery in France in the years 1820-1840

When in 1897 Lenin attacked Sismondi and "economic romantism" which following Marx he characterized as "cheap sentimentalism", he pointed out the existence of a trend close to literary romantism. Breaking away with the Manchesterian liberal thought this trend originated from the anti-revolutionary stream and made a comeback to Catholicism. Three authors, among others, P. E. Lemontey, E. Buret and A. Leboyer then denounced these causes of poverty which were according to them the multiplication of manufactures, the introduction of machines and the division of work. It was only after the Revolution of 1848 that economic liberalism and "scientific" socialism put an end to economic romantism.