Re: <nettime> Art and Revolution--yet another review

[richard@imaginaryfutures.net]

Hiya,

> In Art and Revolution, the Paris Commune serves as an historic
> example that allows one to think of alternative paths to the Leninist
> revolutionary project as a phase model that sets itself the primary
> goal of taking over the State apparatus to create a new society
> only after ascending to power.

Like Bolsheviks and Anarchists, the Deleuzoguattarians rewrite  
proletarian history to fit into their own ideological straight-jacket.  
The Paris Commune *was* a state apparatus whose greatest achievement -  
according to Marx and his mates - was holding multi-party elections  
with universal male suffrage while under siege from the Versailles  
government. In 1871, the supporters of the Commune identified  
themselves as Federalists, i.e. advocates of a federal republic!

Not surprisingly, the parties of the Second International believed  
that this proletarian experiment - when improved with the extension of  
the franchise to female workers - provided the model for the  
*political* form of the transistion to socialism. With hindsight, we  
know these hopes were disappointed in the 20th century. However, this  
is no excuse to make up fairy stories about the Paris Commune in order  
to justify the po-mo version of intellectual vanguardism...

If you want to read something smart about the Commune, I suggest these  
two excellent contemporary accounts:
Karl Marx, 'The Civil War in France'
Paul Lissagaray, 'History of the Paris Commune'.

Up the Republic!

Richard


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