L'Internationale :france-cool:

The Paris Commune was established on 18 March 1871, but its roots can be traced right back to 1848, when a wave of democratic revolution originating in France washed across the European continent

In France, the democratic revolution was defeated in a matter of months, ending with the bloody suppression of a workers’ revolt protesting against the closure of the national workshops in June 1848. Despite this, the street fighting of this period laid the foundations for the establishment of an autonomous French workers’ movement, which operated independently of the centrist bourgeois political parties—a key prerequisite for the formation of the 72-day-long “Republic of Workers” in 1871.

Following the defeat of the uprising, however, a military dictatorship initially asserted control, before handing the reins to Napoleon III a few months later. East of the Rhine, in a fragmented Germany, monarchic powers were also able to put down revolutionary efforts and defeat the democracy movement. The latter’s demand for German national unity was subsequently co-opted “from above”, redefined and positioned as a project designed to suit the Prussian-led response. The policies pursued by the Prussian crown were geared towards preserving monarchic power while also seeking to unify Germany, this would led to the Franco-Prussian War.

During the Franco-Prussian war the then Emperor Napoleon III was capture during the Battle of Sedan. This sudden defeat sealed the fate of the Second French Empire, but did not signify the end of the war, with the Prussian troops marching onwards towards Paris with the aim of capturing it.

Following the defeat at the Battle of Sedan, the Third Republic was proclaimed in Paris, despite a complete lack of democratic legitimacy. Although the empire’s political and military failures meant it had been discredited, the Republic did not act to remove the monarchy. According to Marx, the measures taken by the government were evidence that they had “inherited from the empire not only ruins, but also its dread of the working class”.

By the beginning of October 1870, Paris was under total siege, beset on all sides by Prussian forces, and attempts to break the siege line with troops from the provinces had also failed. At the end of January 1871, Jules Favre, minister of foreign affairs for the Provisional Government of National Defence, signed an armistice with the newly formed German Empire

The armistice treaty stipulated that only a freshly elected National Assembly would have the power to ratify an eventual peace treaty. The assembly first met on 12 February in Bordeaux—far removed from the nation’s capital, which remained in a state of total siege by German troops.

In Paris, both the choice of location for the National Assembly as well as the make-up of the new government were viewed as betrayals of those who had spent months defending the capital against the siege.

In order to defend Paris against the German troops, in September 1870 the Thiers-led government had reorganized the National Guard and enlisted unemployed men into its regiments. This led to a change in the military’s demographic character; National Guard soldiers deposed their officers, elected new commanders from within their own ranks, and also established their own governing body, the Central Committee of the National Guard.

Having failed to capture the cannons and surprised by the workers’ resolve, Thiers decided to decamp the capital and head to Versailles, accompanied by his government and loyalist army regiments. That they were able to flee the city with ease was due to the fact that the National Guard battalions—anticipating a renewed attack by government forces—had barricaded themselves in their neighbourhood strongholds or otherwise directed their movements to avoid a confrontation.

As the sun set over Paris that evening, power in the French capital essentially resided on the streets. Given this situation, the National Guard’s Central Committee decided to cobble together a provisional government. The majority of the Parisian population first learnt of the shift that had occurred in their city the following morning, when the Central Committee occupied the Hôtel de Ville, raised a red flag, and addressed the city’s residents with their first proclamation:

You charged us with organizing the defence of Paris and of your rights.

We are conscious of having fulfilled this mission: aided by your generous courage and your admirable calm, we have chased out the government that betrayed us.

At this time our mandate has expired, and we yield it, for we don’t claim to be taking the place of those who a revolutionary wind has just overthrown.

So prepare and carry out your communal elections, and as a reward give us the only one we ever wished for: seeing you establish the true republic.

In the meanwhile, in the name of the people we will remain at the Hôtel-de-Ville.

The provisional government’s first official act was publishing a call for elections to determine the make-up of the Commune Council. The revolution of the previous day had laid the foundations for a French republic that would permanently “mark the end of the era of invasions and civil war”. Additionally, the Central Committee saw itself as the force that had defended Paris and one which would now return control of the city to its residents through the council elections.

The election took place less than ten days later, on 26 March; just two days later, the Paris Commune officially came into being. Given the urgency of organizing an election within such a short timeframe, there was scant discussion about the Commune’s actual political programme in those first few days. For this reason—according to Prosper Lissagaray, himself a Communard—votes were primarily cast based on name recognition. Consequently, the Commune Council ended up comprising a colourful mixture of Jacobins, socialists, anarchists, Romantics, and representatives of the bourgeoise opposition to Napoleon III. This meant that the Commune included powerful factions that took their political inspiration from the concepts of the bourgeoise French Revolution of 1789 right alongside proto-socialists, anarchists, and Marxists. This diversity of political positions was reflective of the century of class struggle that had preceded the founding of the Commune.


Hola Camaradas :fidel-salute-big: , Our Comrades In Texas are currently passing Through some Hard times :amerikkka: so if you had some Leftover Change or are a bourgeoisie Class Traitor here are some Mutual Aid programs that you could donate to :left-unity-3:

The State and Revolution :flag-su:

:lenin-shining: :unity: :kropotkin-shining:

The Conquest of Bread :ancom:

Remember, sort by new you :LIB:

Yesterday’s megathread :sad-boi:

Follow the Hexbear twitter account :comrade-birdie:

THEORY; it’s good for what ails you (all kinds of tendencies inside!) :RIchard-D-Wolff:

COMMUNITY CALENDAR - AN EXPERIMENT IN PROMOTING USER ORGANIZING EFFORTS :af:

Join the fresh and beautiful batch of new comms:

!genzedong@hexbear.net :deng-salute:

!strugglesession@hexbear.net :why-post-this:

!libre@hexbear.net :anarxi:

!neurodiverse@hexbear.net :Care-Comrade:

  • YungTheorist [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    Yes, all vegans are racist now because of one twat who already got banned rightfully. Carnism is bad, no matter who does it.

        • BillyMays [he/him]
          ·
          4 years ago

          don't be a racist fuck. There ya go, no leading question for you. Now self crit.

          • YungTheorist [he/him]
            ·
            4 years ago

            It’s fucking horrible to use Indigenous people as a shield. You imply that indigenous people inherently are Bloodmouths, which isn’t truthful at all.

            • comi [he/him]
              ·
              edit-2
              4 years ago

              Can you answer me this question?

                • comi [he/him]
                  ·
                  4 years ago

                  I’m not talking about you though, it’s cultural question. Like I don’t get high-horsiness of vegan-comrades

                  • YungTheorist [he/him]
                    ·
                    4 years ago

                    This may go against modern vegan theory, but consumption was different before colonialism. indigenous people didn’t hunt animals to extinction or keep them in death factories. In fact, for a lot of people, animals were able to pose a significant threat at times. It wasn’t entirely equal, but it was far closer to a balance than today. I’m white, and I don’t know a lot about indigenous practices. But I get the impression that what they do isn’t nearly as destructive and cruel as what white people are doing. I think a lot of white vegans who don’t understand this will make racist remarks. This is more to do with them being White than Vegan. At best, I think you get some condescending opinions from people who are unable to relate to indigenous people. I’m kinda guilty of this myself at times, so I should do some self crit.

                    • comi [he/him]
                      ·
                      edit-2
                      4 years ago

                      Of course it was, but that precisely what the comrades tried to impress upon I think. *Edited to avoid thingy

                      • BillyMays [he/him]
                        ·
                        4 years ago

                        They know they are being racist. They also weren't born yesterday. You don't have to explain their racism to them. Most of the time racists are proud of it and want to hear the stories again.

                        • comi [he/him]
                          ·
                          4 years ago

                          But not all of them though! Modern lens is hegemonically anglo capitalist lens, so different relations to nature don’t even enter it without thinking

                              • YungTheorist [he/him]
                                ·
                                4 years ago

                                I still don’t fully think it’s good faith to call someone racist for promoting veganism. I can see where some people on this site have said a lot of stupid shit in defense of veganism

                                • comi [he/him]
                                  ·
                                  4 years ago

                                  It’s not, but some of !vegan behaviour has been sub-optimal, and downright hostile sometimes this week, and considering bans have not been raining, somewhat concerning

                                    • comi [he/him]
                                      ·
                                      4 years ago

                                      Eh, I think clearer policy of no cross dunking across all comms would be nice, to act faster. Hope you don’t get banned :fidel-salute-big:

                                      • YungTheorist [he/him]
                                        ·
                                        4 years ago

                                        I have been a bit hostile today, so if it happens, it happens. I could use a break from here anyways.

                                        • comi [he/him]
                                          ·
                                          4 years ago

                                          :Care-Comrade: whos your boy btw, leclerc?

                                          • YungTheorist [he/him]
                                            ·
                                            4 years ago

                                            Yeah. I know he’s a rich prat but they all are.

                                            Beta tax evaders move to Monaco, Alpha tax evaders are born there

                                      • comi [he/him]
                                        ·
                                        4 years ago

                                        Cmon mate, he decided to self-crit, like what more do you want? Be also kinder

                                        • BillyMays [he/him]
                                          ·
                                          4 years ago

                                          To apologize for being a racist. Describe what he said that was racist and gtfo the site. Being kinder to racists doesn't work. I'm not kind to racists.

                                          • comi [he/him]
                                            ·
                                            4 years ago

                                            Well, presumably self-reflection takes time. and if he realizes something, than why gtfo? if he purges some kneejerky reactionary thinking.

                                          • vegangobrr [he/him]
                                            ·
                                            edit-2
                                            4 years ago

                                            What did he say that was racist specifically? Also don't vegans you don't like use the same logic? That they're not nice to "animal abusers/murderers"?