The daily worker., 1933-03-22
Lessons of the Paris Commune

On March lS, the 62nd anniver-
sary of the Paris Commune was
celebrated by workers throughout
the world. The experiences of the
Paris Commune were not only a
stirring example for future gener-
ations of workers, but gave con-
crete lessons to the workers strug-
giles. These lessons were anslyzed
by Karl Marx In Civil War in
France" and later developed and
applied to the epoch of imperial
ism by Lenin. What these lessons
are is discussed in the following
article, which should be read care
fully by all workers.
BY F. BROWN
The first experiment of the pro-
letsrian state was not without errors,
which are to be found in the COM
position o the Commune itself, di-
vided in a majority of Blanquists
and in a minority composed of the
followers Of the Proudhon School
and members Of tke First Interna-
tional.
However, in spite of the division
OF groupings - the Blanquists we're
Socialists with proIetarian revolu-
tionary instinct, the socialist con-
spirators and believers in the cen
tralized dictatorship; the Proudhon-
lists were the petty bourgeois social
lists of the farmers and artisans. The
Commune in practice, however, was
the embryo, the first experience OF
the future proletarian dictatorship
which identified itself with the power
Of the council of. workers, farmers
and soldiers.
Mistakes Of Indecision
The mistakes were the mistakes
Of indecision. The hesitancy to
launch an attack upon the Versailles
government, isolated Paris from the
rest Of France. "Our victory is your
hope" said the Commune to the
large masses of farmers. The Com
mune said to the masses that the
cost Of the war should be paid by
those that wanted the war, namely:
the defeated class the bourgeoiSie.
The Commune was for national
federation Of all the French Com
munes.
Here and there the appeal of the
Commune found response. MarSeilles,
Toulouse and other centers followed
the example of Paris, but because of
the isolation from the center and
the lack Of connection among them
selves, they soon capitulated. The
voice OF the Commune did not pene-
trate deeply to the cities and coun-
tryside.
Theirs, the new head Of the French
bourgeoisie, understood very well
that to subjugate the revolution it
was first of all necessary to prevent
the union Of the Partisan proletariat
with the masses of peasants, and he
speedily asked for the liberation of
the prisoners, with the view to re-
build the s-my.
Should Fave Attacked The Versailles
Government
On the other side, the Commune.
while centering its strength upon
the defense of Paris, did not enter
upon a direct attack against the Yer
sailles Government, an attack which
could have been started by the Com
munards, 100000 strong, with the
men OF the National Guard. This
would have opened pa.sss E towards
the peasant masses of vcance and
the other insurgent cities.
Another mistake made was the
high respect" used by the Commune
in regard to the Bank of France,
which should have constituted the
biggest hostage in the hands of the
proletariat against the French bour-
geoisie. The latter, in order not to
lose its money, would have been
brought to a more yielding position
toward the Commune, and in this
manner have given the Commune a
breathing space to strengthen its own
position.
Mistakes Of indectsion were made
in regard to hostages; too much leni-
ency towards the assRssins of the
proletariat, indecision in conducting
the war until the last moment. More
over, the forces Of defense were
weakly coordinated.
MARX on the Paris Commune
1t is known how a few months be-
fore the Commune, Marx put the
workers Of Paris on guard against
the premature attempt TO overthrow
the government, an attempt which at
that moment would have constituted
a desperate stupidity" But later,
in 1871, when the struggle was im-
posed Upon the workers of Paris, he
greeted rho proletsrian revolution
with sre sye,se-t ertttnrssenr; -,~.e