June Days Uprising
Encyclopedia
The June Days Uprising was a revolution staged by the citizens of France, whose only source of income was the National Workshops, from 23 June to 26 June 1848. The Workshops were created by the Second Republic
in order to provide work and a source of income for the unemployed
, however only pointless jobs were provided which barely gave them enough money to survive. When the revolution broke out the National Guard, led by General Louis Eugène Cavaignac
, was called out to quell the protests. Things did not go peacefully, however, and in the repression that followed 4,500 people were killed and over 4,000 insurgents were deported to Algeria
. Soon after all thoughts of a revolution were forgotten. This marked the end of the hopes of a "Democratic and Social Republic" (République démocratique et sociale) and the victory of the liberals
over the Radical Republicans
.
Although Louis Philippe was considered conservative, his ruled differed in significant ways from from the previous two rulers. Philippe was a king who mainly associated with the middle classes, during his reign extending voting rights, among other privileges, to the middle class. This was a big step for France, as the king was no longer just focusing on the upper class, but spreading privileges to other social classes. However, Philippe also retained some of the qualities of the previous kings. Specifically, the lower class continued to receive extremely little attention, both from the king and his foreign minister Guizot
. The lower classes spent almost 15 hours a day laboring in factories and even their children, who were under 18, where toiling in the factories. Working and living conditions were extremely harsh and the pay was minimal. The people cried out to the king for help; however these calls were largely ignored. Due to these growing concerns as well as the economic crisis that ensued during Philippe's reign, a revolution rose against him and he abdicated to England.
This led, in turn, to the formation of the French Second Republic
. This government got off to a good start, improving Paris, introducing Universal adult suffrage, which gave everyone over 21 the right to vote and also, starting the National Workshops
which was to provide jobs for the unemployed, although these jobs were very pointless. Soon, the Workshops were being flooded with unemployed workers seeking jobs and the system was becoming over-burdenened and neared its breaking point. As the number of workers continued to increase, the government requested that General Eugène Cavaignac start planning defenses for the city. Soon after the government began to hear that banquets being held for the workers were planning mass demonstrations, and as a result, on June 21, plans were already underway to close the Workshops.
The hard workers had now become insurgents and were tearing up stones to use as barricades. The numbers of military members were estimated to be over 40,000, however the number of insurgents were estimated to be higher. The number of insurgents were growing as they traveled from house to house recruiting other citizens to join them and threatening them with death if they refused. The insurgents also seized many armories to gather weapons, regardless they were still running low on ammunition. However, the revolutionists would rather die than to return to their lives of poverty.
Large amounts of blood was shed on the streets as the National Guard fired on the barricades, but the National Guard's men were not the only ones firing. The insurgents also inflicted heavy casualties to the Guard, who lost many of their men. By June 26, the revolution was all over, 4,500 people lay dead, with many more injured and over 4,000 insurgents were deported to Algeria
. After the insurgents were crushed, all ideas of a revolution were abandoned.
and that the people should elect a new president every four years. Once a president was elected he would have the power to select and dismiss his Ministers and high-ranking officials. The constitution also stated that there should be an Assembly of 750 legislators; these people were to be elected by the people every three years. After this constitution was introduced, elections were held and Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte was elected, and after four years in power he staged a coup d'état against the Republic thus becoming the Emperor of the Second French Empire.
French Second Republic
The French Second Republic was the republican government of France between the 1848 Revolution and the coup by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte which initiated the Second Empire. It officially adopted the motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité...
in order to provide work and a source of income for the unemployed
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
, however only pointless jobs were provided which barely gave them enough money to survive. When the revolution broke out the National Guard, led by General Louis Eugène Cavaignac
Louis Eugène Cavaignac
Louis-Eugène-John-Jacob-Cavaignac , French general, second son of Jean-Baptiste Cavaignac and brother of Éléonore Louis Godefroi Cavaignac, was born at Paris.- Military career :...
, was called out to quell the protests. Things did not go peacefully, however, and in the repression that followed 4,500 people were killed and over 4,000 insurgents were deported to Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. Soon after all thoughts of a revolution were forgotten. This marked the end of the hopes of a "Democratic and Social Republic" (République démocratique et sociale) and the victory of the liberals
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
over the Radical Republicans
Radicalism (historical)
The term Radical was used during the late 18th century for proponents of the Radical Movement. It later became a general pejorative term for those favoring or seeking political reforms which include dramatic changes to the social order...
.
Background
During this time France was in a period of internal turmoil and had gone through many revolutions such as, the July Revolution, and the 1848 Revolution. All of these revolutions were caused by the fact that the rulers that came to power after the defeat of Napoleon were conservative, and thus wanted to keep the old ways of society such as, only allowing the upper classes to vote and to have privileges in society, which the people did not like. Leaders such as Charles X and Louis XVIII were overthrown and a ruler who slightly differed from these two came into power; his name was Louis Philippe.Although Louis Philippe was considered conservative, his ruled differed in significant ways from from the previous two rulers. Philippe was a king who mainly associated with the middle classes, during his reign extending voting rights, among other privileges, to the middle class. This was a big step for France, as the king was no longer just focusing on the upper class, but spreading privileges to other social classes. However, Philippe also retained some of the qualities of the previous kings. Specifically, the lower class continued to receive extremely little attention, both from the king and his foreign minister Guizot
François Guizot
François Pierre Guillaume Guizot was a French historian, orator, and statesman. Guizot was a dominant figure in French politics prior to the Revolution of 1848, a conservative liberal who opposed the attempt by King Charles X to usurp legislative power, and worked to sustain a constitutional...
. The lower classes spent almost 15 hours a day laboring in factories and even their children, who were under 18, where toiling in the factories. Working and living conditions were extremely harsh and the pay was minimal. The people cried out to the king for help; however these calls were largely ignored. Due to these growing concerns as well as the economic crisis that ensued during Philippe's reign, a revolution rose against him and he abdicated to England.
This led, in turn, to the formation of the French Second Republic
French Second Republic
The French Second Republic was the republican government of France between the 1848 Revolution and the coup by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte which initiated the Second Empire. It officially adopted the motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité...
. This government got off to a good start, improving Paris, introducing Universal adult suffrage, which gave everyone over 21 the right to vote and also, starting the National Workshops
National Workshops
National Workshops refer to areas of work provided for the unemployed by the French Second Republic after the Revolution of 1848. The political crisis which resulted in the abdication of Louis Philippe caused an acute industrial crisis adding to the general agricultural and commercial distress...
which was to provide jobs for the unemployed, although these jobs were very pointless. Soon, the Workshops were being flooded with unemployed workers seeking jobs and the system was becoming over-burdenened and neared its breaking point. As the number of workers continued to increase, the government requested that General Eugène Cavaignac start planning defenses for the city. Soon after the government began to hear that banquets being held for the workers were planning mass demonstrations, and as a result, on June 21, plans were already underway to close the Workshops.
Revolution
On June 23, the Comte de Falloux's committee issued a decree that the Workshops would be closed in three days and that the options were that young men could join the army, provincials could return home or they could simply be dismissed. The anger about the closing of the Workshops increased, and shortly after began the June Days (officially June 24–26, 1848). In certain sections of the city hundreds of barricades were thrown up which blocked communication and reduced mobility of persons significantly. The National Guard was called out to stop the rioting and when the Guard confronted the protesters fierce fighting broke out.The hard workers had now become insurgents and were tearing up stones to use as barricades. The numbers of military members were estimated to be over 40,000, however the number of insurgents were estimated to be higher. The number of insurgents were growing as they traveled from house to house recruiting other citizens to join them and threatening them with death if they refused. The insurgents also seized many armories to gather weapons, regardless they were still running low on ammunition. However, the revolutionists would rather die than to return to their lives of poverty.
Large amounts of blood was shed on the streets as the National Guard fired on the barricades, but the National Guard's men were not the only ones firing. The insurgents also inflicted heavy casualties to the Guard, who lost many of their men. By June 26, the revolution was all over, 4,500 people lay dead, with many more injured and over 4,000 insurgents were deported to Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. After the insurgents were crushed, all ideas of a revolution were abandoned.
Aftermath
After the revolution, a new constitution was put in place declaring France a democratic republicand that the people should elect a new president every four years. Once a president was elected he would have the power to select and dismiss his Ministers and high-ranking officials. The constitution also stated that there should be an Assembly of 750 legislators; these people were to be elected by the people every three years. After this constitution was introduced, elections were held and Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte was elected, and after four years in power he staged a coup d'état against the Republic thus becoming the Emperor of the Second French Empire.
See also
- French Revolution of 1848French Revolution of 1848The 1848 Revolution in France was one of a wave of revolutions in 1848 in Europe. In France, the February revolution ended the Orleans monarchy and led to the creation of the French Second Republic. The February Revolution was really the belated second phase of the Revolution of 1830...
- History of the Left in FranceHistory of the Left in FranceThe Left in France at the beginning of the 20th century was represented by two main political parties, the Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party and the French Section of the Workers' International , created in 1905 as a merger of various Marxist parties...
- The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis NapoleonThe Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis NapoleonDer 18te Brumaire des Louis Napoleon was written by Karl Marx between December 1851 and March 1852, and originally published in 1852 in Die Revolution, a German-language monthly magazine published in New York and established by Joseph Weydemeyer...
External links
- Marx & Engels articles published from June to November 1848 in the Neue Rheinische ZeitungNeue Rheinische ZeitungThe Neue Rheinische Zeitung - Organ der Demokratie was a German daily newspaper, published by Karl Marx in Cologne between June 1, 1848 and May 19, 1849. Its name refers to a paper earlier edited by Marx, the Rheinische Zeitung...
- Les journées de juin 1848, K. MarxKarl MarxKarl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
– F. EngelsFriedrich EngelsFriedrich Engels was a German industrialist, social scientist, author, political theorist, philosopher, and father of Marxist theory, alongside Karl Marx. In 1845 he published The Condition of the Working Class in England, based on personal observations and research...
.