Lyon Commune

Quick Facts: Who was Lyon Commune?

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Lyon Commune

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A short-lived revolutionary movement in Lyon, France, during 1870–1871.

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Origins & Early Life

The Lyon Commune (French: Commune de Lyon) was a short-lived revolutionary movement in Lyon, France, in 1870–1871. Republicans and activists from several components of the far-left of the time seized power in Lyon and established an autonomous government. The commune organized elections, but dissolved after the restoration of a republican "normality", which frustrated the most radical elements, who hoped for a different revolution. Radicals twice tried to regain power, without success. The Lyon events happened in the context of a revolutionary wave of series of similar uprisings in most major French cities in the aftermath of the collapse of the Second French Empire, culminating in the 1871 Paris Commune.

Career & Major Achievements

From the first months of 1870, the Lyon members of the International Workingmen's Association (IWA) worked to prepare the workers of Lyon for a possible revolution. In liaison with Mikhail Bakunin, they organized a big meeting bringing together several thousand participants on March 13, which gave great weight to the local section, then re-elected with Albert Richard at its head. On July 20, 1870, on the second day of the Franco-Prussian War, the IWA organized a peaceful demonstration in place des Terreaux to rue Sala. During the conflict, throughout the city the republican and more radical elements (anarchists, revolutionary socialists) prepared for the fall of the Second French Empire. The different sensibilities tried to come together to organize the aftermath of Napoleon III but they did not manage to get along.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

However, all these circles agreed on the idea of municipal autonomy, to break with the centralizing practices of the Empire. The news of the defeat at Sedan and the capture of the emperor, brought by travelers coming from Geneva, spread slowly. Among the activists who learned about it and who were preparing for the seizure of power, a group of radical tendencies which called itself the "committee of the nine" quickly made a list of approximately seventy names intended to form the first organ of power which would take the place of official authorities the next day. This group was made up of members of the left wing of the radical party, Blanquists for the most part. The majority of people on this list would effectively form the Committee of Public Safety.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1870: 1870 Milestone — The Lyon Commune (French: Commune de Lyon) was a short-lived revolutionary movement in Lyon, France, in 1870–1871.
2. 1871: 1871 Milestone — The Lyon events happened in the context of a revolutionary wave of series of similar uprisings in most major French cities in the aftermath of the collapse of the Second French Empire, culminating in the 1871 Paris Commune.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Lyon Commune

True or False: “The initial proclamation of the French Third Republic by leaders in Lyon was characterized as being revolutionary in spirit.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The text specifies that the proclamation of the French Third Republic on September 4th occurred in a 'radical but not revolutionary spirit'.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Lyon Commune