Dec 15, 2014 the paris commune of 1871 was one of the four great traumas that shaped modern france. There were 570,280 workshops as against 64,816 in 1847 and 101,171 in 1860, owned by 65,987 masters, employing only 442,310 workers besides 34,846 clerks and 23,251 servants. French revolutionary thought after the paris commune, 1871. The paris commune is an epochmaking achievement of the revolutionary working class. The next day, the committee announced elections to the commune, simultaneously invoking the revolutionary commune of. Marxs tribute at the close of his historic address testifies to the fealty of the worlds proletariat to the memory of the valiant communards and to the cause in behalf of which they fought. The francoprussian war had led to the capture of emperor napoleon iii in september 1870, the collapse of the second french empire, and the beginning of the third republic.
Jellinek, the paris commune of 1871 gollancz, 1937. Commune of paris, 1871, insurrection of paris against the french government from march 18 to may 28, 1871. Audio the paris commune of 1871 in defence of marxism. And after bakunins death in 1876 this position was developed furtherespecially in switzerland by refugees from the paris commune such as elisee reclus. May 16, 2001 the paris commune of 1871 was one of the greatest and most inspiring episodes in the history of the working class.
The paris commune lasted for only 64 days in 1871, but during that short time it gave rise to some of the grandest. For an interesting discussion, with many photos and maps, see the website historychronocartography of the 1871 paris commune. For this reason it is a highly significant event, even though it is ignored in the french history curriculum. Was there anything actually successful about the paris. Now, the paris commune occupies a peculiar position in the history of the proletarian movement. French revolutionary thought after the paris commune, 18711885. Thanks to the economic and political development of. From 18 march to 28 may 1871, the two million residents of paris ran their city as an autonomous commune, established fortythree worker cooperatives, and advocated for a federation of revolutionary communes across france. In 1866, at the apogee of parisian expansion in this period, the total population was 1,825,274. This thesis conducted an analysis, starting from the relationship between education and class struggle, using as the object of study the experience of education at paris commune in 1871. What are your thoughts on the paris commune of 1871. Inspired by the marxist politics and revolutionary goals of the international workingmens organization also known as the first international, workers of paris united to overthrow the existing french regime which had failed to protect the city from prussian siege, and formed the first.
The central committee forces the mayors to capitulate. Keith robbins vicechancellor, university of wales lampeter here is an authoritative guide to the biggest, and last, of the cycle of popular revolutions in western europe that began in 1789. Political systems, government and democratic organization. By the days of the paris commune, the paris commune was 72 days when the working class seized power in paris and put in place their own government.
The paris commune, by max shachtman in memory of the commune, by v i lenin click here to download as a pdf. The paris commune was a popularled democratic government that ruled paris from march 18 to may 28, 1871. Paris commune of 1871 article about paris commune of. The leaders were either captured and executed or else they escaped to spain, britain or usa. The paris commune became insurrectionary in the summer of 1792, essentially refusing to take orders from the central french government. Blanqui, who had twice been elected to the commune but was a prisoner in clairvaux. Sep 08, 2006 the paris commune is often said to be the first example of working people taking power. Paris commune of 1871 the first proletarian revolution and the first government of the working class.
The political nature of the paris commune of 1871 and. The paris commune of 1871 was one of the greatest and most inspiring episodes in the history of the working class. Paris commune of 1871 article about paris commune of 1871. In the small hours of 18 march 1871, troops from the french army marched. Such was the language of the commune, which socialists must now attempt to decipher.
Also, this french marxist, greg oxley, argues that even the organization of the election of the commune was an unnecessary waste of. The paris commune y max shachtman the fall of second empire. A paris commune timeline page 2 of 2 artsemerson blog. Space limitations prevented me from including anything written by eugene varlin 18391871, an outstanding member of the paris section, and later federation, of the international. Theplaceofthecommuneinsocialistevolution onmarch18,1871,thepeopleofparisroseagainstadespisedanddetestedgovernment,and proclaimedthecityindependentfree. Never has a revolution more surprised the revolutionaries. The paris commune of 1871 was one of the four great traumas that shaped modern france. The political imaginary of the paris commune verso, 2015, is a masterful study of the ideas and aspirations driving the historic revolt. Th i library 1871 the paris commune by max shachtman 10 cents dai1y wofeker pubushing co. Paris commune of 1871 as being to some extent its precursor and its prototype. Revolution ive been reading a bit about the commune and how it became something of a legend for marx and socialists in the 20th century but i cant really find out why. This book by a participant and survivor of the commune has historically been the starting point for any pro commune analysis. Roar magazine is an independent journal of the radical imagination providing grassroots perspectives from the frontlines of the global struggle for real democracy. With the majority either dead, deported, or in exile, this period has traditionally been seen as one of intellectual.
Days later, the commune was elected, immediately declari. Established in paris, it lasted for 72 days march 18 to may 28. Mar 11, 2020 commune of paris, 1871, insurrection of paris against the french government from march 18 to may 28, 1871. The argument made was that the ideal of the commune in the minds of workers was as essential to its survival as military armament. Napoleon iii in the francoprussian war 18701871, was the culmination of. Thiers sees the armed workers of paris as his main. The paris commune dissolved during the bloody week of may 2128, 1871, when the regular army returned and took control of the city. The paris commune, marxism and anarchism there are a few sure things about reading history books.
The role of british and american newspapers and periodicals. The paris commune, 1871 robert tombs colophon outside trim. The national assembly, which was elected in february 1871 to. In an historical sketch of the events of the movement known as the paris commune of 1871, it is desirable to start with the endeavour to fix that movement in its true historical perspective. While all regular troops are disarmed, the national guard is permitted to keep their. The power of bonapartism, which had skilfully utilized the struggles of the classes to perpetuate its own rule was being confronted by the. Manifesto of the paris communes federation of artists. On march 18 1871, after france was defeated by prussia in the francoprussian. The commune is a standalone like the alamo but upside down. The parisians, reeling from defeat in the francoprussian war set up their own revolutionary administration. Up to the outbreak of war, the idea was current in the widest circles of social.
On march 18th of 1871, radical workers and artisans organized in the national guard decisively took control of the city as the regular french army fled. The workers of paris, joined by mutinous national guardsmen, seized the city and set about reorganising society in their own interests based on workers councils. Multiple networks and mobilization in the paris commune, 1871. Speech made in a womens club, the communards of paris, 108. Although it was carved a hundred years later, it is a reliable source to use as it displays the success of the paris. The decisive date in the history of the commune is march 18, 1871. The paris commune was in essence the first large scale experiment in socialist governance. The founding of the paris commune was a natural historical phenomenon evoked by the profound social contradictions in french society. The paris commune is often said to be the first example of working people taking power. It occurred in the wake of frances defeat in the francogerman war and the collapse of napoleon iiis second empire 185270. Originally published in the 1930s this is a fascinating examinat.
The twentieth century press, of london, england, reprinted them a few years ago in a. During the commune workers occupied their own city, creating a progressive democratic assembly from march 18 to may 28, 1871 before being brutally destroyed by the french government. Publication date 1896 topics paris france history commune, 1871 publisher. However, estimates give 31,340 killed in the streets, 49,670 later executed or imprisoned, and 8,120 were transported to new caledonia in the pacific ocean. The history of the paris commune of 1871 by march, thomas.
Workingmens paris, with its commune, will be forever celebrated. The paris commune was the first time the working class rose up, took power, held on to power for ten weeks before it was brutally crushed in the last. He was a pioneer in the development of a revolutionary socialist current within the international which advocated the abolition of the capitalist. The paris commune of 1871 by frank jellinek goodreads. The paris commune in shanghai dukespace duke university. Thiers breaks off the negotiations for the exchange, proposed by the commune, of the archbishop of paris and a whole number of other priests held hostage in paris, for only one man. When one studies the history of the paris commune of 1871 one learns something new from it even though from the perspective of revolutionary strategy the communards made virtually every mistake in the book.
Firstly, and most obviously, you generally know how it ends badly, in the case of the paris commune. The commune as an event has captivated imaginations for the past 150 years, but the same cannot be said of its participants. The commune of 1871 was never truly vanquishedits political imaginary lived on and is today being liberated and revived in a new cycle of struggles. In a tremendous revolutionary movement, the working people of paris replaced the capitalist state with their own organs of government and held political power until their downfall in the last week of may. Its genesis lies in a list of material in my personal collection and a further list of works i was looking for, hence the lack of some bibliographical details.
The history of the paris commune is not just history, but it is our history. Roar editor jerome roos spoke to her about the communes legacy, its impact on 19 th century radical thought, and the revival of the communal. The paris commune was the biggest and last popular revolution in western europe ending the cycle of revolutions that started in 1789. The 1871 paris commune, which began during the defeat of the french empire of.
Gould university of chicago although sociologists increasingly recognize the importance of networks in social movement mobilization, efforts to understand networkfactors have been hampered by the operationalization of network factors as individuallevel variables. The liite red library 1871 the paris commune by max shachtman o 0 10 cents. Theplaceofthecommuneinsocialistevolution onmarch18, 1871,thepeopleofparisroseagainstadespisedanddetestedgovernment,and proclaimedthecityindependentfree. It stands alongside the 1789 revolution, the ascent of vichy, in 1940, and odd though it seems, given how. The history of the origin of the commune is the history of the fall of the empire of louis napoleon after the francoprussian war. It is really the beginning of the concsious struggle for socialism. In 1871 france was deeply divided between the large rural, catholic and conservative population. It stands alongside the 1789 revolution, the ascent of vichy, in 1940, and odd though it. This book by a participant and survivor of the commune has historically been the starting point for any procommune analysis. The commune was disbanded on 28 may 1871, long after it exercised any authority.
The parisian workers strove, in extremely difficult circumstances, to put an. Representations of the paris commune by louis david. Thus there are two lines of thought which become merged in this book, the one. On march 18 1871, after france was defeated by prussia in the francoprussian war, the french government sent troops into paris to try and take back. By all accounts, the regular army killed more people. The commune has been talked about and analyzed by many for the. The paris commune during the french revolution was the government of paris from 1792 until 1795. This includes a detailed map of the barricades, assault routes, and areas burnedout during the french governments assault on the commune. After a massacre of unarmed workers, the government begins preparations to surrender paris to the germans. Karl marx, excerpts from the civil war in france in the marxengels reader, 639. Mar 18, 2016 by the days of the paris commune, the paris commune was 72 days when the working class seized power in paris and put in place their own government.
Paris commune 1871 bibliography of works in english this is a work in progress please contact me with corrections and suggested additions. I have always dreamed of making a film about the paris commune but it is an impossible undertaking. Kristin ross is professor of comparative literature at new york university. The paris commune a brief history of the worlds first socialist working class uprising. What is important is what you learn from the events discussed. The paris commune became insurrectionary in the summer of 1792, essentially refusing to take orders. Speaking on the 1871 paris commune at the imt winter school in berlin, greg oxley explained. Obliteration and commemoration of the paris commune in the west. Publication date 1896 topics paris france history commune, 1871. Anniversary of the paris commune, 1871 popularresistance.