21 Monday May 2018
Posted in Action, Cartoon, Enragés, May 6-12 1968, PCF, Siné, Waldeck Rochet
Study for cartoon – Siné
Pen on tracing paper
9.5 x 13.3cm
In it’s final form this cartoon was published in issue 3 of the journal Action – on 21 May 1968, as below:
The text translates as: ”Take the photos of those two Enragés away from me!”.
The speaker is Waldeck Rochet – the General Secretary of the French Communist Party. “Enragé” was used a designation for ultra-leftists during May 1968, in reference to a radical leftist group from the French Revolution.
07 Monday May 2018
Posted in May 6-12 1968, PCF, Tract
The University:
the Gaullist Régime is Responsible!
DECLARATION
OF THE FRENCH COMMUNIST PARTY
Right in the middle of the preparation period for the exams, the Sorbonne and the faculty at Nanterre are closed and police repression is on the rampage.
Responsibility for this situation lies at the door of the Gaullist régime which, for ten years, has been maintaining and aggravating an educational system which is ill-adjusted to our times, in its operation and its methods. Yesterday, the Minister of Education himself declared that there were only 10 per cent of workers’ children amongst the students. Three out of four students cannot finish their studies. And it is still against the students that the government strikes. The students’ discontent is legitimate. Besides, this situation favours the actions of adventurers whose ideas open no horizons for the students and have nothing in common with a truly progressive movement looking towards the future, with a truly revolutionary movement.
The French Communist Party calls on the workers and on all democrats to act with it and with the Union of Communist Students for:
• an immediate and total stop to all police repression. the withdrawal of police from university areas;
• the reopening of the faculties and the normal sitting of examinations;
• the liberation of the prisoners.
United democratic forces can impose these measures. To this end manual and intellectual workers, in solidarity with the students, will extend their action in different ways and will increase their resolutions and delegations to the Ministry of Education.
The French Communist Party calls on the students and the academics, and the mass of workers, to fight for:
• the construction of new faculties (notably at Villetaneuse, Créteil and at Verrières in the Paris region);
• the widespread extension of university institutes of technology, adapted to contemporary realities;
• the appointment of a sufficient number of teachers.
In this struggle the students will continue their action for the awarding of scholarships and for the installation of democratic life in the faculties and in the grandes écoles. These are the first aims of a movement which will lead to a true democratic reform in teaching.
The French Communist Party is fighting for the disappearance of capitalism and the realisation of socialism in France. Consequently it is struggling for a new democracy which will guarantee profound changes, notably in the university and in teaching.
THE SECRETARIAT OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE FRENCH COMMUNIST PARTY
Paris, 7 May 1968
23 Tuesday Aug 2016
Posted in de Gaulle, May 27-June 2 1968, PCF, Tract, Uncategorized
After De Gaulle’s Speech
DECLARATION OF THE
FRENCH COMMUNIST PARTY
With Workers on strike for their demands, with students and teachers in a struggle for a democratic University, with millions of the French people wanting a change of policy, de Gaulle responded with a veritable declaration of war.
in his opposion to the workers, De Gaulle first takes on the Communist Party which has always defended the interests of the working class, inseparable from those of the nation.
This attack against the Communist Party is designed to mask the wish of General de Gaulle to impose its own dictatorship. In reality, the working class and its organizations have shown remarkable composure; they have developed the fight for their claims and theit mass political struggle taking care to avoid any kind of provocation. This is true in both the factories, occupied by millions of strikers, and in the impressive street demonstrations organized by the C.G.T. and other unions, supported by the Communist Party.
Scorning all workers, both blue- and white-collar, the head of State did not judge it worth saying a word about their claims.
However, the first condition for settling the huge conflict caused by the harmful policies of a State at the service of corporations, is to uphold the legitimate demands of the workers. This is the unanimous demand of the unions. It is also that of the French Communist Party.
De Gaulle announced his intention to call new elections. The French Communist Party has not been waiting for this speech to demand that the people be given their say as soon as possible.
The Party will go to this compaign explaining its program of social progress and peace and it’s policy of the democratic unity of all forces. It now calls upon the millions of Frenchmen and Frenchwomen for their trust, to defeat the Gaullist government; and to establish a true democracy that serves the interests of workers.
It calls on workers, to join strongly with the democratic forces, to develop their unity in the interests of the people and France.
The Political Bureau
of the French Communist Party
May 30, 1968.
22 Monday Aug 2016
Posted in May 13-19 1968, PCF, Tract, Uncategorized
SATURDAY MAY 18 at 1P.M.
STATEMENT TO “FRANCE-INTER” by WALDECK ROCHET
Secretary General of The Communist Party of France
The events which are unfolding in both the University and in the Working Class express the profound dissatisfaction that has accumulated over ten years, directed against anti-social and reactionary policies and a state in the service of big capital.
The Workers’ struggle experiences new developments every hour.
The French Communist Party reaffirms its total solidarity with workers fighting for their claims, as it has asserted with the students’ struggle for a modern and democratic University.
Both workers and unions demand increases in wages, the immediate revocation of the orders on Social Security, the guarantee of full employment, reduction of working time and the extension of trade union freedom.
It is essential to meet the most pressing demands of the workers.
The current events constitute the condemnation of the Gaullist government and its policies.
It is high time to bring this government to an end and to promote a genuine democracy which can open the way to socialism, and act in the interests of the people and the Nation.
For the achievement of these objectives the French Communist Party considers it imperative to reach an accord on a socially progressive programme between parties of the left and trade unions, by majority agreement.
We believe this program should provide for the application of far-reaching reforms to shield the state from the grip of capitalist monopolies, and for the implementation of a plan for economic and social development to progressively meet the demands of both blue- and white-collar workers. These reforms should aim to involve citizens in decisions affecting the economic, political and cultural life of the country.
It is time to plan for the establishment of a popular government and a democratic union. For its part, the French Communist Party is willing to take on it’s full responsibilities.
20 Monday Jun 2016
Posted in Elections, PCF, Poster, Uncategorized, Workers
FROM THE FIRST ROUND
T0 guarantee the benefits gained by the united struggle of workers
VOTE COMMUNISTE
19 Sunday Jun 2016
Posted in Atelier Populaire, Elections, June 17-23 1968, PCF, Poster, PSU, Uncategorized
“Peoples’ Power”
(19 June 1968 – Atelier Populaire)
Red screenprint on newspaper (Atelier Populaire stamp)
48.5 x 76.5 cm
Documented in:
UUU p.89; Dobson #188; Mésa, p121; Camard #157; Beauty #106; Gasquet p. 136 ; Wlassikoff p.137 ; Artcurial #447 ; Camard #157 ; Beaubourg #201 ; Paves; Imagination #33 ; Peters #59; Les Affiches #185; Chartres #84
Online Resources:
ENSBA #10536/10775
Zurich – 64-0743
BNF
Bienecke: BrSides Folio 2008 23
13 Friday May 2016
Posted in May 13-19 1968, PCF, Tract, Uncategorized, Union
Workers, students, teachers
All unite to make May 13
a great day of struggle
The Gaullist government has been forced to make its first retreat. It had to consider: the power of the students’ and teachers’ movement; the support of the workers and democratic forces for the student victims of repression; and the call of trade unions for a general strike and powerful demonstrations for May 13 – which is a decisive factor in the government retreat.
The French Communist Party is calling on you to make this day of struggle a great success, to compel the government to quickly implement the announced measures, and obtain:
– full and complete amnesty for the convicted;
– the immediate release of the imprisoned;
– the total withdrawal of police forces from university premises and the Latin Quarter;
– the immediate reopening of schools and the conduct of examinations and tests without candidates having to suffer difficulties because of these events.
That is not enough. The legitimate discontent and the struggles of students and teachers have their origin in the deep crisis in the University. To address this crisis, with the workers, students and teachers, we require:
– The rapid creation of new Faculties and technical colleges, suited to contemporary realities, and the appointment of a sufficient number of qualified teachers.
– The satisfaction of the claims of the students: study grants; the development of social and cultural works co-managed with the participation of students; the establishment of a democratic life in universities and colleges.
These are the primary objectives in the struggle for a democratic and modern University to replace the current class-based University.
Against the power of the capitalist monopolies, the factory and office workers are fighting for increases in wages, the guarantee of jobs and resources, the repeal of anti-social orders, the respect and extension of trade union freedoms.
Thus, the essential interests of students, factory workers, and of all manual and office workers converge. The realization of their just aspirations is possible only by eliminating this government of personal power and by the institution of a new and genuine democracy, paving the way for socialism.
To this end, the French Communist Party works to strengthen mutual ties between the working class, the decisive force of our time, and all the other people’s forces, to strengthen the union of workers and democratic forces.
ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE STRIKE AND THE DEMONSTRATION
EVERYONE TO REPUBLIQUE AT 3P.M.!
The Federations of Paris, Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, Val-d’Oise, the Yvelines of the French Communist Party.
Documents from May 1968 