May 68

May 68
Title	May 68
Partof	the Protests of 1968
Caption	Graffiti and barricades in the Latin Quarter.
Date	2 May – 23 June 1968
Place	France, primarily Paris
Causes	Authoritarian university governance, rigid social conservatism, Vietnam War protests, Algerian War legacy, youth unemployment
Goals	Educational reform, workers' rights, political liberalization, cultural revolution
Methods	Student protests, general strikes, occupations, street barricades
Result	Grenelle agreements, dissolution of the National Assembly, June 1968 election

May 68. This was a period of civil unrest in France during May and June 1968, characterized by a cascade of student protests and a massive general strike. It brought the economy to a halt and challenged the political authority of President Charles de Gaulle and his government. The events, while not a political revolution, precipitated profound and lasting social, cultural, and intellectual changes across French society.

Background and causes

The origins were rooted in post-war French society, which remained conservative and hierarchical despite rapid modernization. Within universities like the University of Paris, students chafed under overcrowded, antiquated facilities and authoritarian administration, particularly at the University of Nanterre. Broader international influences, including opposition to the Vietnam War and inspiration from countercultural movements and Maoist thought, radicalized a segment of youth. Deep-seated frustrations from the Algerian War and discontent among industrial workers over stagnant wages and managerial authority created a tinderbox of social tension.

Events and timeline

The initial spark occurred on 2 May 1968, when the administration at the University of Paris shut down the Sorbonne after escalating clashes at Nanterre. On 3 May, a large student protest in the Latin Quarter was violently dispersed by the Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS), leading to hundreds of arrests and injuries. The confrontation escalated on the Night of the Barricades (10-11 May), when students erected barricades and fought police, an event broadcast nationwide. In response, the major trade unions, the French Communist Party-aligned CGT and the CFDT, called a general strike on 13 May, which quickly engulfed the nation, idling factories and paralyzing public services.

Key participants and groups

The student movement was led by figures such as Daniel Cohn-Bendit of the 22 March Movement and organizations including the National Union of Students of France (UNEF). The Situationist International, with theorists like Guy Debord, provided influential critical ideology and provocative graffiti. On the left, the French Communist Party (PCF) and its powerful CGT union initially sought to channel worker discontent, often clashing with more radical student elements. The government side was defined by President Charles de Gaulle, his Prime Minister Georges Pompidou, and the Minister of the Interior, Christian Fouchet.

Government response and political outcome

After initially appearing paralyzed, the government, under Georges Pompidou, reopened the Sorbonne on 13 May, which only energized the protesters. De Gaulle’s cryptic disappearance for a meeting with French military commanders in Baden-Baden on 29 May created a moment of political vacuum. Upon his return, he dissolved the National Assembly and called for new elections. The subsequent June 1968 legislative election resulted in a landslide victory for the Gaullist party, UDR. However, the government also negotiated the Grenelle agreements with unions, granting significant wage increases and trade union rights in workplaces.

Social and cultural impact

The upheaval catalyzed a permanent shift in social mores, challenging traditional authority in families, education, and workplaces. It fueled the growth of the feminist movement and gay rights activism, and accelerated the decline of social conservatism. Culturally, it liberated artistic and intellectual expression, influencing cinema, literature, and philosophy. The critique of consumer society and everyday life, advanced by the Situationist International, left a deep imprint on critical theory and activist thought.

Legacy and historiography

Interpretations of the events remain contested. Some historians view it as a failed political revolution, while others emphasize its success as a profound cultural and social revolution. It significantly weakened the authority of Charles de Gaulle, who resigned the following year, and reshaped the French left, leading to the decline of the orthodox French Communist Party and the rise of new social movements. The memory and mythology continue to influence political discourse and activism in France and beyond, serving as a perennial reference point for protests against established authority.

Category:1968 in France Category:Protests in France Category:Student protests in France Category:General strikes in France Category:20th-century revolutions