By BA and Venkatesh Sundaram

Image caption: Barricade at the meeting of Boulevard Voltaire and Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, by Bruno Braquehais, 1871.

Source: https://www.historytoday.com/miscellanies/paris-communes-bloody-week

The Paris Commune was an earth-shaking event that occurred in 1871, wherein the working people took matters into their own hands, wrested sovereignty from the rulers. During its short existence of two months, at the end of which it was brutally crushed, it left behind a great legacy which serves as an example of what genuine democracy is.

The problems with the present political system in India have been discussed on this site of LRS and also by many other organisations that are concerned with the plight and powerlessness of common people. In fact, these were the very questions that came to the fore during the heroic First War of Independence 1856 – 1858. For instance, whether the people ought to be sovereign or whether sovereignty ought to vest with an elite which rules over the people. It is not insignificant that these questions were unfortunately relegated to the background when the transfer of power from the British colonialists to a supposedly popular government in India took place in 1947. Many of the problems faced in Indian political system could perhaps be traced to this continuation of the colonial legacy in 1947.

Though India is a popular democracy on the face of it, as in many countries of the world, it is in fact the monopoly houses, the elite, who wield power. Even the political parties which hasten to carry out the bidding of this elite who bankroll them however cannot hide the several problems that are apparent in the political system which concentrates political power in the cabinet of ministers. All these problems can be solved though; and the Paris commune is a shining instance of this being done in practice.

Demands for people to be sovereign in seventeenth century England

The fight over whether sovereignty should vest with the common people, or the elites is almost as old as parliamentary democracy. In England, a Civil War had broken out in 1643 as a result of the clash between the mercantile class and landed gentry with the old feudal order headed by the King over the sovereign power. Heated debates on the topic took place in Putney, England that were chaired by Oliver Cromwell – himself a representative of the elite. They belonged to and represented the rising landed gentry and mercantile classes, whose interests lay in seizing power for themselves and denying the broad masses any share in that power.

On the other hand, democratic groupings, such as the Levellers Apprentices, and others put forward popular sovereignty and demanded extended suffrage, regular parliaments, and recognition of basic rights, such as equality before the law. The Putney Debates elaborated a demand for sovereignty not to lie with Parliament or any other force, but with the people. That was defeated at that time. But the battle of what the content of democracy is, and what form it should take opened up then. The powerful forces at that time – mercantile class and gentry, which were in the ascendency, were able to resolve that battle in a way that kept the people out of power.

The Paris Commune – 1871

The Paris Commune, which existed from 26th March till 30th May 1871, was a very bold experiment of the working people with democracy. It is significant because it tried to effectively deal with many of the problems of parliamentary democracy that persist even today. All those who genuinely believe in democracy, that is, in the people themselves wielding power, ought to understand what the brave people of Paris sought to achieve and how. These can provide very significant insights into how the problems of talk-shop parliamentary democracy were dealt with justly, effectively and quickly.

At that time Paris was under siege of the German (Prussian) Army, following the capitulation of the French Army. Mass demonstrations raged through Paris, opposing the capitulation and calling for the overthrow of the Emperor. The elites formed a “government of national defence” and called upon all the working people to also support it and fight for national independence under their leadership. The Versailles government concluded a humiliating peace with the Prussians and then tried to disarm the common people of Paris. The latter retaliated by proclaiming a Commune and launching civil war against those who wished to suppress them.

Steps taken by the Paris Commune for people’s empowerment

The Paris Commune took a number of steps to empower the common people. We discuss it below, in the context of problems faced in the political system in India today.

No deceptive displays, no perks, combination of legislature and executive, right to recall

Politicians, especially from the ‘opposition’ parties, in India too often make a show of vociferously arguing in favour of the rights of people inside parliament. It is common knowledge that the same parties and politicians vote in favour of measures that would greatly benefit the rich moneybags and restrict the rights and benefits of common people when they are in power. But the real decisions on all issues that matter are always taken by a select cabinet which holds political power and implemented by a bureaucratic apparatus over which the cabinet, rather than the elected legislature, has control.. The fiery debates in parliament are intended to deceive common people by making them feel that there are indeed political parties and personalities that would take care of their interests, if only they were in power!

Moreover, a very common complaint in many countries is that politicians do not care about the people who elected them once the elections are over, since they cannot be recalled once elected. People have no control over them! Furthermore, MPs and MLAs including in India get lots of privileges, perks and even pensions at public expense. They not only literally lord it above the people, but they are also a source of unnecessary and wasteful expenditure paid for from taxes collected from the people!

The Paris Commune however took very effective measures in contrast. It transformed the elected organs into both legislative and executive bodies where those who passed the laws were also responsible for their implementation. The police as also officials of all other branches of the administration were turned into responsible servants of the Commune whose powers could be recalled at any time. Even public officials like judges were elected – and again could be recalled at any time by the electors. And what’s more,  from the members of the Commune downwards, public service had to be done at workmen’s wages only! No special privileges or perks whatsoever.

All citizens responsible for defence, no standing army

Today, in many countries, the government spends a significant portion of the taxes it collects towards establishing and maintaining armed forces. The men and women in these forces do not participate in productive activities. They are often used by the governments to crush popular movements, and in the case of imperialist powers like the US, to threaten other countries and launch bloody wars in them.

However, in Paris, only two days after its proclamation, the Commune abolished the standing army. It declared the National Guard, in which all citizens capable of bearing arms were to be enrolled, as the sole armed force. Thus, in one stroke, it thus carried out a very bold and far-reaching reform. Furthermore, by eliminating two great sources of parasitic expenditure — the standing army and the bureaucracy, the Paris Commune showed in practice that the functioning of a government need not be a drain on the economy.

Religion made a purely private affair, symbols of tyranny destroyed

Among other revolutionary measures taken by the Commune was the separation of the Church from the State was very significant for the time. It ended state support for religious purposes, converted Church property to state property, and the removed from public life and education, “all that belongs to the sphere of the individual’s conscience”.

Education and science which were previously the preserve of only property-owning classes  were made accessible to all the working people.

Hated symbols of tyranny, such as the guillotine, and of national chauvinism, like the Victory Column erected after Napoleon’s military campaigns against other countries, were publicly brought down and destroyed. The number of decisive and far-reaching steps taken within a few days of coming into existence is indeed truly remarkable.

Defeat of the Commune, lessons for genuine democracy

The reactionary army entered Paris on 21st May 1871. Though the communards fought with tremendous courage, they were finally defeated on May 28. In the subsequent fighting that lasted for several weeks, the reactionary troops unleashed their savagery on the working masses, men, women, and children of Paris – anyone suspected of having cooperated in any way with the Commune – leaving more than 30,000 dead and an even greater number arrested, tortured and shot.

There are many reasons why it was defeated – including the fact that it was the first such experiment in modern times, the fact that the people lacked experience and organisation and much more. Though it was short-lived, the Paris Commune has great lessons which all those who wish to work for genuine democracy must take note of.

The Paris Commune demonstrated in real, practical terms, how it is entirely possible to achieve what the Levellers demanded in England over two centuries before, in 1643 (see box), namely for sovereignty to vest with the people and not with some elites. It showed that people, so empowered, can certainly usher in a version of genuine democracy. In fact, they can do this swiftly, effectively, efficiently, and even economically. Therefore, for genuine progress in the world, it is essential that sovereignty vests with the people and not with an elite or an exclusive cabinet, as is the case in many countries today.

This kind of democracy, in which sovereignty vests with the people, has many refreshing features that eliminate several of the vexed problems that exist in parliamentary democracy today. The Paris Commune reinforced the concept of people’s representatives actually being accountable to the people, and getting recalled at any time by those who elect. Not just representatives, but all public officials including judges, are elected and subject to recall. Moreover, no one gets any special privileges for being a representative or a judge or an official – everyone is paid what other working people get paid. Religion is completely a private affair in which the state has no role to play. All citizens are duty bound to take up arms and defend the country – not a full time standing army. These measures also greatly reduce the cost of governing and defending the country.

Those interested in ushering in genuine democracy today need to understand the experience accumulated by those who have been fighting for genuine democracy over the centuries, including that of the Levellers and the Paris Commune and others, and apply them to the conditions prevailing today. This will help them to be even more successful than their predecessors.

By admin