An diesem Tag im Jahr 1871 vereinen sich französische Radikale, um eine kurzlebige Regierung zu gründen, die als Pariser Kommune bekannt ist. Im Mai werden Regierungstruppen in die Stadt eindringen und mehr als 6.000 Anhänger der Bewegung massakrieren.

As Marx explained, by the time France had already begun to go downhill (it started along this route in 1852 and has not stopped, always downhill, to this date).

They massacred more than Commune supporters, they executed on sight everybody they vaguely suspected to be in favour of the Commune. The exact number is also not certain, ranging from the lowest estimate at 6000 to the highest at 30000. The most commonly given estimates are between 10000 and 20000.

Also, it’s interesting to note there was no legitimate government yet at that time in France. The second Empire fell, technically a new republic was proclaimed and a new temporary war government was put in place, but it wasn’t elected. It was simply a group proclaiming their government faster than the others. The second Republic had a lot of trouble securing legitimacy for years after it was created (the next problem was monarchists).

On the other hand, the national guard was there in Paris throughtout the whole war and regime changes, including during the Prussian siege of the city and when the new government fled to Versaille. They maintained a rather high level of popularity and worked in a more democratic way than the previous or new government. They were asking for a commune early and the fast appointing of the new temporary government was a way to beat them to the punch.