Final answer:
The St. Vincent de Paul Society was founded in 1833 by Frédéric Ozanam and a group of students to provide charitable works to the poor in Paris.
Step-by-step explanation:
The St. Vincent de Paul Society was founded in 1833 by a group of students led by Frédéric Ozanam. They formed this society to address the needs of the poor in Paris, seeking to put the principles of their faith into action through charitable works.
This was during a time when various forms of socialism and community reform were being experimented with in Europe, as seen in the utopian socialism ideals promoted by figures such as Henri de Saint-Simon and Charles Fourier, and practical applications like Robert Owen's attempt to implement these ideals in New Lanark and New Harmony. However, the society formed by Ozanam was focused on individual charitable action inspired by Christian values rather than an overhaul of society's structures.