Paris Uprising May 1968

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A look at the events and some of the causes of the uprising in France in the Spring of 1968.

Unfortuately, there is no mention of one of the driving forces of the uprising both before and during the revolt - the Situationist International.


For more information check out the writings of the Situationists themselves.

The Beginning of an Era


May 1968 Documents


The Joy of Revolution


The Society of the Spectacle


The Revolution of Everyday Life


Enrages and Situationists in the Occupation Movement, France, May '68


May 1968 Graffiti

Boredom is counterrevolutionary.

In a society that has abolished every kind of adventure the only adventure that remains is to abolish the society.

Those who make revolutions halfway only dig their own graves.

No replastering, the structure is rotten.

We will ask nothing. We will demand nothing. We will take, occupy.

Down with the state.

It's painful to submit to our bosses; it's even more stupid to choose them.

Abolish class society.

We want neither to rule nor to be ruled.

All power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely

Politics is in the streets.

Barricades close the streets but open the way.

People who work get bored when they don't work.
People who don't work never get bored.

The boss needs you, you don't need the boss.

Humanity won't be happy till the last capitalist is hung with the guts of the last bureaucrat.

A single nonrevolutionary weekend is infinitely more bloody than a month of total revolution.

We refuse to be highrised, diplomaed, licensed, inventoried, registered, indoctrinated,
suburbanized, sermonized, beaten, telemanipulated, gassed, booked.

Coming soon to this location: charming ruins.

Our aim is to agitate and disturb people. We're not selling bread, We're selling yeast.

You will end up dying of comfort.

Poetry is in the streets.

The most beautiful sculpture is a paving stone thrown at a cop's head.

Revolution, I love you.

I'm a Groucho Marxist.

Desiring reality is great! Realizing your desires is even better!

Be realistic, demand the impossible.

Those who lack imagination cannot imagine what is lacking.

Arise, ye wretched of the university.

Professors, you are as senile as your culture, your modernism is nothing but the modernization of the police.

Neither God nor master.

If God existed it would be necessary to abolish him.

How can you think freely in the shadow of a chapel?

The more we make love, the more we want to make revolution. The more we make revolution, the more we want to make love.

Revolutionary women are more beautiful.

Make love, not war.

Down with consumer society.

The more you consume, the less you live.

Commodities are the opium of the people.

You can't buy happiness. Steal it.

The economy is wounded - Lets hope it dies!

I don't have time to write!!!

Don't get caught up in the spectacle of opposition. Oppose the spectacle.

No forbidding allowed.

The freedom of others extends mine infinitely.

Channel: News & Politics
Uploaded: October 23, 2006 at 12:43 am
Author: OttOmOlOtOv

Length: 00:09:52
Rating: 4.88
Views: 26842

Tags: May 1968 Paris Situationist Debord Anarchy Anarchism Revolution Riot Cinema French History Graffiti

Video Comments:
MarxBakuninMe (October 3, 2008 at 9:02 am)
The unions could easily have brought down the government. Bloody Soviet influence fucked it up.
veronicadredd22 (September 23, 2008 at 12:03 am)
revolution devours her own children
specticality (August 31, 2008 at 5:56 am)
Long live Guy Debord and the Situationalists.
VWC1904 (July 13, 2008 at 2:31 pm)
whats the song at 38 sec
Vice81 (July 4, 2008 at 7:34 am)
Well Marxism and agency don't go very well together for one thing. 68 was an expression of immediacy and the power of spontaneity something that dialectic ridden marxism could never understand. Beyond that Foucault was always more incised by Nietzsche anyway.
criticaljunkie (June 3, 2008 at 7:21 am)
people have explained to me that the events of may 1968 inspired michel foucault to part with marxism. it seems to me that the strikes and protests were fairly successful- so i'm wondering if anyone can elaborate on why these events would have caused his shift
Egorend (June 3, 2008 at 9:14 am)
they didn't end capitalism
OttOmOlOtOv (June 8, 2008 at 1:03 pm)
I don't think too many people involved in the events thought the outcome was a success, accept for the labor unions and the official communist party. What seemed to be happening was the beginning of a true revolution, but what happened was simply a few more reforms. Lots of radicals felt betrayed by the unions and the communist party for conceding to the government in exchange for some minor pay raises and such.
plutoohno (October 3, 2008 at 9:45 am)
i think it caused him to reconsider the parameters of disciplinary power - as the 68 revolts were against both soviet and capitalist regimes. i think also it is what inspired his tepid sense of what is to be done, so to speak, as the entire point was some sort of autonomous and direct composition of the social body, foucault wouldnt want to administer any official prescriptions... there is an interview he did with some students/workers around this period that covers it better.
luka55555 (May 31, 2008 at 3:10 am)
Im marxist and I think its kinda funny.