Marx called it the 'glorious harbinger of a new society’, the Bolsheviks shrouded Lenin’s body in a Communard flag, and Mao Zedong claimed the events partly inspired the Cultural Revolution. The Paris Commune 1871 was one of the most significant revolutionary uprisings of the 19th century and after, and has captured imaginations for the last 150 years, inspiring communist leaders to the recent Gilet Jaune protests in France to a French fashion brand.

 

In this special episode marking 150 years since the Paris Commune, guest presenter and War Studies historian, Dr Mark Condos, speaks to Dr Julia Nicholls, Lecturer in French & European Studies at King’s, about the events of the Commune, its aftermath and its enduring legacy.

 

Julia discusses her book 'Revolutionary Thought after the Paris Commune, 1871 – 1885', exploring what happened to the revolutionaries exiled from France post-Commune, how they kept their revolutionary ideas alive, once scattered around the globe, and what this means for understanding French politics during this period and beyond.

This podcast is part of our activities marking 150 years since the Franco-Prussian War. We’ll also be hosting a two-day conference, 6-7 May 2021, to interrogate the significance of some of the key political, social, cultural, and military transformations brought about by this crucial turning point in both European and world history. Sign up online - www.kcl.ac.uk/events/reassessing-the-franco-prussian-war-150-years-on-1