May ’68, Spot the Workers’ Autonomy A4

Description

 A text translated from French raising some questions about established myths and reality in the uprising in France in May-June 1968. In many ways the myth of the revolt, its images and slogans, have defined ideas about revolution, at least in ‘developed western democracies’. It has also been used to sell both large volumes of hip capitalist merchandise and many alleged left alternatives to capitalism. But how does the 40 year olf myth measure up to reality? Ten million workers were said be on strike during these events; a strike wave brought under controlled and neutralised by the Communist party and CGT union. But how autonomous was this wave? How much did the CGT and its militants direct the strikes and how much did workers themselves break from these structures? With first-hand accounts from some strikers and activists involved. From Past Tense.