Philosophy of Restif de La Bretonne (Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment)

This is what the Great Soviet Encyclopedia has to say on Restif de la Bretonne -
The son of a peasant, Restif de la Bretonne worked as a printer in Paris from 1755. As a writer, he introduced a new theme into literature: the life of the plebeian strata of the population. Influenced by Rousseau, he wrote the novel_ The Peasant Perverted, or the Dangers of the City_ (1775), in which urban life, with its vices, is contrasted with the Utopian agricultural commune; similar themes appear in the Utopian novel _Southern Discovery_ (1781). In these two novels and in a series of books entitled Strange Ideas (1769–89), Restif de la Bretonne is revealed as a precursor of Utopian socialism. However, his social thought was rather naïve. Extreme frankness characterizes Restif de la Bretonne’s 16-volume autobiographical novel _Monsieur Nicolas, or the Human Heart Laid Bare_ (1794–97), which reveals the depths of human psychology and depicts the life and mores of 18th-century France. The series of short stories _Women of My Day_ (vols. 1–42, 1780–85), which creates a gallery of female characters, depicts everyday life realistically.
Restif de la Bretonne’s books are notable for their accuracy of description, abundance of naturalistic detail, and clearly expressed democratic tendencies. A special place in Restif de la Bretonne’s enormous literary output (more than 200 volumes) is held by his book of literary sketches _Parisian Nights, or the Night Spectator_ (1788–94), which is devoted to prerevolutionary and revolutionary Paris. A supporter of the French Revolution, Restif de la Bretonne was close to G. Babeuf.
(he also was the first person to use the word "communism" in a somewhat modern sense)