The collected works of Claude-Henri de Saint-Simon (1760–1825) outline a foundational shift in human organization, proposing that society be understood as an organised machine or biological entity, something he termed Social Physiology. Saint-Simon argues that the 19th century must transition from a critical and revolutionary phase to an inventive and organising one.

The core of his thesis is the inevitable replacement of the Theological and Feudal system dominated by nobles, clergy, and military with the Industrial System led by scientists, artists, and industrial producers. In this new order, politics is redefined as the science of production, and the government of persons is replaced by the administration of things. Saint-Simon advocates for a meritocratic society where all men must work and where social resources are directed toward the greatest possible improvement of the poorest and most numerous class.

1. The Science of Social Physiology

Saint-Simon posits that society is not a mere collection of individuals but a "veritable organized machine" whose parts contribute to the movement of the whole. He asserts that sociology (or social physiology) is a positive science based on observation rather than conjecture.

The Organic Metaphor

* Society as an Organism: Human relations are physiological phenomena. The "social body" experiences ages of growth—from childhood (superstition/despotism) to maturity (reason/industry).
* The Science of Man: Saint-Simon identifies the primary task of the 19th century as completing the transition of physiology and psychology into "positive sciences" based on observed facts, following the path of astronomy, physics, and chemistry.
* The Role of Specialists: Just as individual physiology requires healthy organs, social physiology requires specialized classes (scientists, artists, and producers) to fulfill specific organic functions for the health of the species.

"Society is not a simple agglomeration of living beings... society, on the contrary, is especially a true organized machine whose all parts contribute in a different way to the movement of the whole."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. The Historical Transition: From Feudalism to Industry

Saint-Simon identifies a macro-historical shift occurring since the 15th century, characterized by the decline of the "Theological/Military" system and the rise of "Science/Industry."

The Two Systems

Feature Theological-Feudal System (Old) Industrial-Scientific System (New)
Dominant Classes Nobility, Clergy, Military, Legalists Scientists, Artists, Industrial Producers
Basis of Power Conquest, Ruse, Birthright, Revelation Production, Labor, Talent, Demonstration
Social Aim War and Maintenance of Order Action on Nature for Human Prosperity
Nature of Order Command and Obedience (Subjugation) Direction and Cooperation (Association)

The "World Reversed"

Saint-Simon critiques the contemporary state as a "world reversed," where:

* Incapable men are charged with directing capable men.
* The most immoral (parasites) are tasked with teaching virtue to the citizens.
* The poor are forced to be generous to the rich, as the producers pay for the superfluities of the idle.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. The Industrial Class: Producers vs. Parasites

A central theme is the distinction between those who contribute to social wealth and those who consume without producing.

The Producers (The Industrial Class)

The "industrial" is anyone who works to produce or make available to society the means to satisfy its needs. This includes:

* Manual Laborers and Farmers: The foundational "arms" of the industry.
* Manufacturers and Merchants: The "heads" who organize production.
* Bankers: The "agents" of the industrial system who facilitate credit and movement.
* Scientists and Artists: The "spiritual" leaders who provide positive knowledge and inspire social direction.

The Parasites (The Anti-National Party)

Saint-Simon labels the non-productive classes as "hornets" preying on the "bees":

* Nobles and Oisifs (Idle Rich): Those who live "nobly" without working.
* Legalists (Legists): Critiqued for focusing on "words over things" and "forms over substance." Saint-Simon argues they are ambitiously revolutionary but ultimately serve power against the interest of the producers.
* The Clergy: Representatives of a "conjectural" system that is no longer in line with positive science.

"The industrial class is the only useful class... it must end by becoming the unique class."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Political and Administrative Reorganization

Saint-Simon proposes a radical restructuring of the state to reflect the reality of industrial production.

Politics as the Science of Production

In the industrial system, politics becomes the "science of the order of things most favorable to all types of production." The state’s role is reduced to ensuring that "useful works are not troubled."

Proposed Governance Structures

Saint-Simon suggests replacing traditional political bodies with specialized councils:

1. Chamber of Invention (Artists and Engineers): To imagine and propose public works and social improvements.
2. Chamber of Examination (Scientists): To evaluate projects through the lens of positive laws and observation.
3. Chamber of Execution (Industrial Leaders): To manage the budget and implement projects.

The End of Arbitrary Power

Because the "administration of things" is based on demonstrable scientific principles, the need for arbitrary "command" vanishes.

* From Subject to Sociétaire: In a military system, the people are "subjects" commanded by leaders. In an industrial system, they are "partners" (sociétaires) directed by experts in a common enterprise.
* Economy in Governance: Producers are naturally the most economical administrators because they manage their own wealth and interests, unlike "parasitic" bureaucrats.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Morality and the "New Christianity"

Saint-Simon envisions a shift from "Celestial Morality" (based on fear and hope for the afterlife) to "Terrestrial Morality" (based on the happiness of the species on earth).

New Christianity

The fundamental principle of this new moral system is: "Men must conduct themselves as brothers toward each other."

* Primary Objective: All social institutions should aim for the physical and moral improvement of the poorest class.
* Obligation to Work: Saint-Simon famously asserts that "all men must work." The idle are viewed as "thieves" and a burden to the social organism.
* The Future as Paradise: Unlike traditional poets who place the "Golden Age" in the past, Saint-Simon argues it lies in the future: "The Golden Age of the human race is not behind us, it is before us, it is in the perfection of the social order."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Strategic Insights

* The Power of Credit: Saint-Simon identifies bankers as essential political agents because they possess the "pécuniaire" (financial) force to compel the government to organize according to industrial interests.
* The Failure of 1789: The French Revolution failed to terminate because it was led by legalists and metaphysicians who focused on the "rights of man" (abstractions) rather than the "organization of industry" (positive facts).
* Legal Means of Change: Saint-Simon explicitly rejects insurrection, noting that it destroys the very industrial property that producers need. Instead, he advocates for the legal transition of power through the control of the budget.
* Internationalism: The industrial system is essentially pacifically and globally oriented. Producers across nations (especially France and England) have more in common with each other than with the "parasites" of their own nations.

Source: 

Saint-Simon, Claude-Henri de (1965 [1803-1825]), La physiologie sociale - Œuvres choisies par Georges Gurvitch, Paris: Presses universitaires de
France, 1965, 160 pages. Collection: Bibliothèque de sociologie contemporaine.