In this episode we discuss the pivotal Paris Commune of 1871 and how it set the stage for 20th century revolutionary movements and in turn the reactionary responses of authoritarian governments to said movements. After a 5 month siege by the new German Empire Paris was radicalised by the collapse of the Second French Empire and the revolutionary voices of the Proudhonist and Blanquist radicals in their midst. After a failed attempt to disarm them by the monarchist government based in Versailles for 62 days the working class of Paris would run their own affairs and seek to build a Socialist society in the streets of the City of Lights. The crushing of the commune and the murder of 25,000 Communards by the supposed legitimate government would cast a long shadow over France and the modern European Left.

Please find below the sources for our research for this episode:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1xlMRjveNWaHkzqziDIkoT?si=hONhoGnzSwSjhYYkhWIkgg

https://robertgraham.wordpress.com/bakunin-the-paris-commmune-and-the-idea-of-the-state/

https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1871/civil-war-france/ch05.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYVXYyaYQpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2TmX_ZIqXI&ab_channel=YaleUniversity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epGlo2abAYY&ab_channel=MatteoB.