![svp logo svp logo](https://img.chmedia.ch/2021/11/18/273bec08-4565-4090-9d39-708866bcbe86.jpeg)
It was the taunt of an anti-religious opponent in a debating society founded by the students that stung him to action: Homelessness, disease, and starvation were common.Ī young student, Frederic Ozanam had to walk through the poorer suburbs on his way to university lectures each day and he soon became deeply moved at the hopeless state of families who had been left without the support of their breadwinners after the epidemic. Large slums areas were forming in Paris thousands of people lived without work, some without clothes, and many alcoholic. In 1832 an epidemic of cholera swept through Paris killing up to 1200 people each day. Many arrived to discover that there was no work, little pay or that the factories were closed due to revolution. Large numbers of the country people were moving to the cities to find work in the factories. Religion was on the decline and atheism increasing scepticism was virtually triumphant in the teachings of Saint Simon. The 1830s brought the collapse of the old Bourbon monarchy which had dreams of strengthening the throne with the support from the Church. A new type of society was being formed - a republic based on liberty, equality and fraternity. During and following the French revolution 1788-1799, Paris was profoundly affected by social unrest. Paris of the early 19th century was in the grip of great upheavals.