History Extra podcast The Paris Commune: everything you wanted to know
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Aug 16, 2025 Historian David A. Shafer, author of The Paris Commune, dives into the thrilling and tumultuous events of 1871 when Parisians seized control, creating a radically progressive government. He discusses the Commune's ambitious reforms like abolishing nighttime bakery work and establishing compulsory education. The podcast also highlights the crucial roles women played, including figures like Louise Michel, and examines the harsh aftermath for those labeled Communards, including executions and exiles. These discussions reveal the Commune's complex legacy in French history and its enduring influences.
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Long Roots Of Revolutionary Tension
- 19th-century France carried an enduring revolutionary tradition that framed later uprisings as continuations of unfinished work from 1789.
- Industrialization, Haussmann's remaking of Paris, and political disappointments deepened urban social tensions that fed the Commune.
Survival During The Siege
- During the 133-day siege of Paris people ate zoo animals and even menus listed elephant and zebra meat at restaurants.
- Parisians also cut trees for fuel and burned straw into bread to survive the bitter winter and blockade.
Cannons Trigger The Commune
- The immediate spark was a political standoff over cannons paid for by Parisians and efforts by Versailles to seize them at Montmartre.
- That clash on 18–19 March 1871 turned local resistance into a declaration of a Paris Commune and fast elections.
