For two months between March and May 1871, the armed workers of Paris, surrounded by enemies on all sides, took their destiny into their own hands and demonstrated that it is possible for the workers to run society democratically, without capitalists, bankers or even a standing army.
In his brilliantly concise and penetrating addresses, written in the heat of the events themselves, Karl Marx succeeds in distilling the experience of the Commune down to its most fundamental elements, drawing out in the process a programme for the revolutionaries of the future. 150 years on, The Civil War in France by Marx – available now from Wellred Books – remains a priceless resource for the workers of the world.
