EMPIRE v. COMMUNE.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 53, 15 March 1912, Page 5

EMPIRE v. COMMUNE.

Excerpt from the Manifesto of the

International, 1871

The direct antithesis to tho Empire was the Guiiniuno. Tlie cry of "Social J'l'public," with whioli the revolution ot l'\'!)niary was ushered in by the Paris proletariat, did but express a vay,ue aspiration after a Republic that « r ;is not only to supersede tho monarch iul form of class rule, but class rnlo itself. Tiic Commune was the positive form of that Republic. I'aris, tho central seat of tho old pov/er, arid at the same time the social stronghold of the French had rwen in nrm.s against the attompt. of Thiers and the Rurals to restore and perpetuate that old. gnvorninonbal powor bequeatliod to them by tiie Empire. Paris could resist only because, in. consequence of the siese, it had pob rid of the nrmy, and by a National Guard, the bulk of which consisted of working-men. This fiict was now to be transformed into an itistiiution. The first degree of tho (.''lurHi'iiiie, therefore, was the suppres.sioi; of the stand in;; army, and the subSLiiution for it of the armed people.

Tho Coniii.r.ne vas fonnod of the lmuiicipn.! cmiiicilicirs, chosen by uiiivorKai in various wards of tho iiivrn, i-esponsiblo «iiid r-(M->>nable at short tf>nns. Tlie majority of ita raom-l>i'i-.i ; wrro naturally workinai-nuMi, or ;>ckn.'i\Ucdi_;f"! ropiesoiitaiivos of iho The Commune was to

he a working, not a pnrliamontary l/ivlv, oxcfiii \vo and logislativo at the sun;" iinif. fnston.fl of roiiiinuinr: to

!.» iii' , of tr>r» central ilic potiof was at stripped of its ju.niiViil attribute:-;, and turned into l\\» lv'sjionsililn and nt all times rovocfi'ilv of ilii* Coninnuio. So v.vro Hie official <>': all other branches of the Ailtiiiiiistrafi-ir.. From the members of tlio CoiniMiino downwards the public sort'ico li.vi to bo <lono ril workmen's iv,'ip;i"j. Tin ,, vestal intorf.sis arid tlio t'.' v prcsi'!i J i;ii:ion jiUwwnnoos ol' tlio In'qh dio:-!ni.<tvU'S of Si'iti , ail on g vitM llio !ii>;li clignitT.n'i\-j I'u'ilir IMiK-fcioiis (:•"■,isor! io bo tlio prir.'Ho pr.-jporty of ll>o- ttv/Is of t-Le contra! fiovi'rni.iont. Not only miiiiicipal ration, Imt li'o wholo iiiiliative nit.hcrto ovriY-isM h<- t!:o State f/as laid into tlio !i;u'.ii ; i of I.lk- Oonmimio. Ifivii , ;." oiii'o p/jL rid of llio wtand- {"!;•■ : '■!!!>' a."-ri tliri p'.'licf, t!i-.- physical l;r j.'i.-'m-^iif" of t'ifv old iiovnnnotit, i >■'■ < ,'-' : i:'t!.:c- ;ur;!n;is to break the 5i.;,;!.-,.-.! I — --. <rf r.-jirvv-iif.!;. I'iP. "pcir-c'->i) j'-:iV.'.•:','' by !::■■ <.!l. (-:(:; lilisluiiollfc and (ii.-'cr.'!.iviiK';!t nf ;u! clmiclioH aa prnji'!. : ■;!:)■ 'I iio [i:i'-;i-i were s--'!!: 1.-.--k ! ! :c rcc. , .---'"? vi jtrivato lii'o, iI.T'IV. 1n frr.,j ,|p ; :|i ([,(-, ~;,,,., <( p t J IQ !':<k'. : 'tW ii; ii'iikl! i-.ih 'if l.lK"'r T>''- |, ']< , f<»st.1.0 A : .<.3il'-;._ Tl.o vUolo of -flic. <-'f]i;t:> ■ i.>!i;i.! \vci--o on.'O.f'd io 'li" p!Tjp%j p;rat-uitiiiislv niul nt Hie iiirw rlofrc-l o ! ' ol! in tor! ;•;,•'nee Cir.ircli n<id S''!ii-o. '!'h;!=, i'o(; on'r wa? o.'i!;-.'at!,-.n ir.;!.-lf« fo t ,]!, hut sr;-;:;.'-o iH'if _frff<d f»oin f!-o fottort< v-iiif-ii elas3 p"ro]ii<li-'i i and p;o\ t 'i.-, r;!.-.utal had v.};';n il. Tii<- jlldi' i.tl Jiil:; l'r.-!i.i! i-.'.-i w<.t.> to iir> (Inrst-rd of tliat iiidciion.K.nro v/i'.i-!i liad liiit e-'M.'- , ; !" /n.i.d: 11 • -■ ij- ;i'-- ].:-!, r.u!..?r-n.vcr..-v -I--, ;d! ,::. ,r, ! : i;;; -,><,;•■■ '..:> \vliii:!i in turn [,l:ov Inid,

taken, and broken, fciio oathi of allegia.nee. Like the rest of public servants, magistral es and judges were to be elective., responsible and revocable.