The many fortresses on this map illustrate one aspect of this fact, but the city itself was constantly being rebuilt throughout the 19th century to better defend the central government against the population of the city itselfand the population occasionally rearranged the city to defend itself against the government. These contradictions had been aggravated toward the. The paris commune of 1871 was one of the greatest and most inspiring episodes in the history of the working class. Paris commune 1871 bibliography of works in english this is a work in progress please contact me with corrections and suggested additions. Kristin ross is professor of comparative literature at new york university. The paris commune took place from march 26 to may 28, 1871. Originally published in the 1930s this is a fascinating examinat. The paris commune wis a radical socialist an revolutionary govrenment that ruled paris frae 18 mairch tae 28 mey 1871. A historical reenactment in the style of a documentary, the film received much acclaim from critics for its political themes and watkins direction. The paris commune of 1871 was one of the four great traumas that shaped modern france.
The history of the origin of the commune is the history of the fall of the empire of louis napoleon after the francoprussian war. 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. The paris commune is hailed by anarchists and marxists as the first. The paris commune was in essence the first large scale experiment in socialist governance. In this war drama blurring the lines between documentary and fiction, the working class and the bourgeoisie of 19th century paris are interviewed and covered on television, before and during a tragic workers class revolt. The paris commune was a popularled democratic government that ruled paris from march 18 to may 28, 1871. The role of british and american newspapers and periodicals.
The commune remitts all payments of rent for dwelling houses from october 1870 until april 1871. Theplaceofthecommuneinsocialistevolution onmarch18,1871,thepeopleofparisroseagainstadespisedanddetestedgovernment,and proclaimedthecityindependentfree. This book is the outstanding history of the commune, the heroic battles fought in its defence, and the bloody massacre that ended the uprising. The paris commune a brief history of the worlds first socialist working class uprising. Commune of paris, 1871, insurrection of paris against the french government from march 18 to may 28, 1871.
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 political imaginary of the paris commune verso, 2015, is a masterful study of the ideas and aspirations driving the historic revolt. The next day, the committee announced elections to the commune, simultaneously invoking the revolutionary commune of 1789 and the tradition of municipal independence favored nineteenthcentury socialists like proudhon greenberg 1973. Manifesto of the paris communes federation of artists. Germanys victory created discontent among the parisian workers who were already unhappy over growing economic inequality and food shortages. 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. With eliane annie adalto, pierre barbieux, bernard bombeau, maylis bouffartigue. On the same day the foreigners elected to the commune were confirmed in office, because the flag of the commune is the flag of the world republic. Multiple networks and mobilization in the paris commune, 1871. The paris commune dissolved during the bloody week of may 2128, 1871, when the regular army returned and took control of the city. Steve cook gives an informative talk on the history and significance of events surrounding the paris commune of 1871. Since 1871, it has been a day of celebration and rededication of the workers in every country. A truce between france and germany created further anger among workers who now were technically.
Political systems, government and democratic organization. Never has a revolution more surprised the revolutionaries. The twentieth century press, of london, england, reprinted them a few years ago in a. Many items from the siege and commune of paris, 18701871 collection are digitized and available online, though many others are only available for viewing in the librarys reading room. The impact of the paris commune in the united states. Following the elections there were 92 members of the ruling council the commune. Paris commune synonyms, paris commune pronunciation, paris commune translation, english dictionary definition of paris commune.
This was the immortal contribution to revolutionary theory of the parisian workers in 1871 and of their successors, the hungarian workers of 1956. 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. With an impertinent sense of the importance of details, these selftaught clothing manufacturers make. 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. Moving rapidly, the paris commune established the principles under which the city would operate. The decisive date in the history of the commune is march 18, 1871.
The versaillese beat back the commune patrols and massacre prisoners. On this date in 1871, the last barricade of the paris commune fell to the onslaught of the army and a legion of parisians fell to the armys firing squads. In october, 1917, fortysix years after the paris commune, the workers of russia under the leadership of the bolshevik party, with lenin at its head, established the first workers state rooted in permanence. Such was the language of the commune, which socialists must now attempt to decipher. Paris commune definition of paris commune by the free. And after bakunins death in 1876 this position was developed furtherespecially in switzerland by refugees from the paris commune such as elisee reclus. The paris commune y max shachtman the fall of second empire. Please contact the library for more information photographs 1,220 digitized photographs include formal and cartedevisite portraits of key political. In 1871, the working class of paris, incensed by their lack of political power and tired of being exploited, seized control of the capital.
Days later, the commune was elected, immediately declari. By all accounts, the regular army killed more people. The proclamation of the commune on march 26 initiated a twomonth experiment in democratic. It stands alongside the 1789 revolution, the ascent of vichy, in 1940, and odd though it. 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 importance of the paris commune is that it served as a model for. The founding of the paris commune was a natural historical phenomenon evoked by the profound social contradictions in french society. The parisian workers strove, in extremely difficult circumstances, to. The parisians, reeling from defeat in the francoprussian war set up their own revolutionary administration. 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 paris commune is often said to be the first example of working people taking power. 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 central committee forces the mayors to capitulate. The paris commune was the biggest and last popular revolution in western europe ending the cycle of revolutions that started in 1789. The commune was disbanded on 28 may 1871, long after it exercised any authority. Established in paris, it lasted for 72 days march 18 to may 28. The power of bonapartism, which had skilfully utilized the struggles of the classes to perpetuate its own rule was being confronted by the.
The decisive date in the history of the commune is. He was a pioneer in the development of a revolutionary socialist current within the international which advocated the abolition of the capitalist. The impact of the paris commune in the united states samuel bernstein phe paris correspondent of the new york world reported in april j 1871 that the commune had been plotted by the international work ingmens association. The city of paris was built for defence against various threats. The committee is defeated at marseilles and narbonne. The paris commune, functioning between march 18 to may 28 of 1871, was spawned by the francoprussian war. 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. The national assembly, which was elected in february 1871 to. The leaders were either captured and executed or else they escaped to spain, britain or usa. This was the first time the working class had established, for 72 brief but. The parisian workers strove, in extremely difficult circumstances, to put an. Jules vincent on april 1, 1871, the commune placed citizen jules vincent in charge. Paris commune of 1871 article about paris commune of.
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