Aristide Briand (1862–1932,) fully Aristide Pierre Henri Briand, was a French statesman and diplomat known for his efforts in international peace and reconciliation during the interwar period. He served eleven terms as Prime Minister of France and held 26 ministerial positions.
Born in Nantes, France, Briand studied law at the University of Paris and became involved in left-wing politics, writing for Le Peuple and co-founding L’Humanité (1904) with Jean Jaurès. He was instrumental in drafting the 1905 secularism law, a cornerstone of French governance.
His diplomatic achievements include the Locarno Treaties (1925,) promoting peace between France and Germany, and the Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928,) renouncing war as a policy tool. His efforts earned him the Nobel Peace Prize (1926,) shared with German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann.
While Briand did not author books, his speeches and policies were widely studied. Works analyzing his contributions include Aristide Briand et la séparation des églises et de l’État (1998, “Aristide Briand and the Separation of Churches and State”) by Christophe Bellon and Aristide Briand: Defending the Republic through Economic Appeasement (2012) by Robert Boyce.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Aristide Briand
A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests.
—Aristide Briand
Topics: Nation, Nationalism, Nationality, Nations
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