During the Second Empire, Jean Macé founded the "Ligue de l'enseignement" (Teaching League) in 1866; during the Lille Congress in 1885, Macé reaffirmed the masonic inspiration of this league devoted to popular instruction. Following the 1872 Hague Congress and the split between Marxists and anarchists, Fernand Pelloutier set up in France various "Bourses du travail" centres, where workers gathered and discussed politics and sciences.