Paris Commune

The Paris Commune was a two-month long radical socialist and revolutionary government that ruled Paris, France in 1871.

Crime

According to Marx, crime was virtually absent in the commune, stating:

in fact, for the first time since the days of February 1848, the streets of Paris were safe,and that without any police of any kind.“We hear no longer of assassination, theft, and personal assault; it seems indeed as if the police had dragged along with it to Versailles all its Conservative friends.” Said a member of the Commune

Economics

The Commune abolished night work for bakers, prohibited employers from making their workers pay fines, and required owners of closed factories to hand over the buildings to workers to be reopened as cooperatives. In total, the Commune set up forty-three worker cooperatives. The Commune also opened up several schools, including one for women.

Notable Participants

• Louise Michel