communards

Communards were individuals who participated in and supported the Paris Commune of 1871. This was a revolutionary government that briefly seized control of Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. The Commune emerged from a combination of working-class discontent and radical political ideas prevalent in France at the time. Communards came from various social strata, including workers, artisans, intellectuals, and even some disillusioned members of the National Guard. They advocated for a decentralized, democratic republic, often with socialist or anarchist leanings.

The policies enacted by the Communards reflected their ideals. These included the separation of church and state, the abolition of child labor, the establishment of free and compulsory education, and the organization of worker cooperatives. They also sought to reform the justice system and introduce more equitable taxation. However, the Commune faced significant opposition from the French national government, led by Adolphe Thiers, which was based in Versailles. The conflict culminated in a brutal suppression of the Commune by government forces, resulting in thousands of deaths and imprisonments. The term "communard" thus became associated with those who fought for and believed in the principles of the Paris Commune, often viewed as martyrs by later socialist and anarchist movements.