L'Ami du peuple

L'Ami du peuple (French: [lami dy pœpl], The Friend of the People) was a newspaper written and published by Jean-Paul Marat during the French Revolution. Described by historian Jeremy D. Popkin as "the most celebrated radical paper of the Revolution", it advocated popular sovereignty and the interests of the lower classes. Marat used the newspaper to denounce political figures and institutions whom he regarded as enemies of the Revolution, frequently identifying individuals by name and sometimes by occupation and address, and at times calling for popular violence. In 1789, Marat was elected to the electoral assembly of the Carmes-Déchaussés district in Paris. He proposed publishing a journal to keep local voters informed about political events, but when the assembly rejected the proposal, he resigned and decided to publish one himself. The first issue, entitled Le Publiciste parisien, appeared on 12 September 1789. After several issues, he renamed it L'Ami du peuple.