Final answer:
The Saint-Simonians did not directly advocate for feminism, but their progressive ideologies on social organization and industrial utopia influenced the intellectual environment that embraced gender equality and female empowerment as essential elements of social progress.
Step-by-step explanation:
Henri de Saint-Simon did not directly deal with feminism as we understand it today; however, the Saint-Simonians, who were followers of his vision of an industrial utopia, indirectly contributed to feminist thought. Although the movement itself did not ignite a significant popular movement, many of its members, influenced by Saint-Simon's ideas, went on to play influential roles in French industry and societal development. Social change and women's equality were touched on by other thinkers like Charles Fourier and Flora Tristan, who emerged from Fourierist and Saint-Simonian circles to support the cause of female equality in their progressive social agendas.
Feminism in the relevant period, the early 19th century, was starting to gain ground alongside socialist ideologies that questioned traditional gender roles and social hierarchies. Proponents of what would later be known as first-wave feminism argued that women's perceived inferiority was a consequence of inferior education, and with equitable education, they could demonstrate their intellectual capabilities and thus deserve equal treatment and rights. The Saint-Simonians' emphasis on technological progress and intellectual discourse indirectly affected social attitudes, which made them somewhat aligned with the broader goals of movements advocating for gender equality and reform.