June Days Uprising

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For the 1905 uprising in Łódź, Poland, see: Russian Revolution of 1905

Image:Horace Vernet-Barricade rue Soufflot.jpg

Painting of a barricade on Rue Soufflot (with the Panthéon behind), Paris, June 1848. By Horace Vernet.

The June Days Uprising (French: les journées de Juin) refers to the French workers' revolt on June 21, 1848, after the closure of the National Workshops created by the Second Republic to give work to the unemployed. The uprising lasted five days, until June 26, 1848. The repression, led by general Cavaignac, killed 1,500, while 15,000 prisoners were deported to Algeria. Cavaignac was then named head of the executive power while Louis Blanc was judicially persecuted by the government. This marked the end of the hopes of a "Democratic and Social Republic" (République démocratique et sociale) and the victory of the liberals over the Radical Republicans.

[edit] Chronology

1847-1848 : In a context of economic crisis, the Republicans opposed to the July Monarchy start a campaign of public banquets (Campagne des banquets). The prohibition of one of them leads to a protest march, culminating in riots during which the National Guard rallied itself to the rioters.
February 24, 1848. King Louis-Philippe abdicates and the deputies proclaim a provisional government composed of Radical Republicans and moderates (Louis Blanc, "Albert l'Ouvrier" — alias Alexandre Martin — Alexandre Ledru-Rollin, François Arago, Lamartine, Flocon, Crémieux, Garnier-Pagès, Marie, Marrast) and presided over by Dupont de l'Eure. The Second Republic is proclaimed, along with universal male suffrage, freedom of the press and of reunion, and the abolition of slavery by the Schoelcher decree.
February 26: Creation of the National Workshops intended to resolve unemployment in large towns affected by the economic crisis since 1847.
March 15: The far left, fearing bad results, unsuccessfully tried to report elections.
April 23 and 24: Election of the Constituent Assembly; all candidates proclaim themselves "Republicans". Those who win are members of various electoral lists (scrutin de liste départemental until 1852), thus mainly moderates and "Republicans of the eve" (Républicains du lendemain).
June 21: The National Workshops are suppressed because of their cost.
June 22: Beginning of the June uprising provoked by the closure of the workshops, harshly repressed by the army headed by general Cavaignac.
June 25: Death on the barricades of Monseigneur Affre, archbishop of Paris.
- — assassination of général Bréa by the insurgents.
June 26: End of the uprising with the fall of the last barricade on faubourg Saint-Antoine. 1,500 were killed and 15,000 prisoners deported to Algeria. The National Assembly decides to depose a judicial complaint against Louis Blanc.
June 28: The National Assembly rewards general Cavaignac by naming him head of the executive power.
July 3: Dissolving of the National Workshops.
July 27: Following the repression of the June uprising, the Assembly restricts the Clubs' activities and forbids the participation of women and children.
July 28: Act restricting the activities of political clubs.