French anarchists and the continuing power of May 1968

18 Pages·2017·0.12 MB·English

by  David Porter

TheAnarchistLibrary
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French anarchists and the
continuing power of May 1968
David Porter
DavidPorter
FrenchanarchistsandthecontinuingpowerofMay1968
2016
ScannedfromModern&ContemporaryFrance,Volume24,2016-
Issue2,pp.143-159
Scannedfromoriginal
theanarchistlibrary.org 2016

“Un dessin hors de commun.” 1989. In Mai 68 par eux-mêmes,
169–172.Paris:ÉditionsduMondeLibertaire.
Contents
Prominentevents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Personalaccounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Anarchistsocio-politicalethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Lyricalaccountsofliminalspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
PoliticalnatureofMay68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Activistlegacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
AlternativerevolutionarymodelsofMay68 . . . . . . . . 20
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
34 3
Joyeux, Maurice. 1988. Sous les plis du drapeau noir: souvenirs
d’unanarchiste.Paris:ÉditionsduMondeLibertaire.
Le Flutiste. 2008. “Les Anarchistes en Mai-Juin 1968.” Accessed
April 6, 2015. inventin.lautre.net/livres/Les-anarchistes-en-MAI-
JUIN-1968.pdf
Linhart,Danièle.1989.“Prèface.”InMai68,pareux-mêmes,3–6.
Paris:EditionsduMondeLibertaire.
Mai 68 par eux-mêmes: le mouvement de Floréal, an 176. 1989.
Paris:ÉditionsduMondeLibertaire.
Malouvier, Guy. 2008. “Interview in “Dossier 68: Rolf Dupuy et
GuyMalouvier:‘chacundecesmotscomptait:organisation;révo-
lution;anarchiste’.”AlternativeLibertaire,no.173.
Mintz,Frank.2013.Histoiredelamouvanceanarchiste,1789–2012.
Paris:ÉditionsNoiretRouge.
Pucciarelli,Mimmo.1999.“Quisontlesanarchistes?”Alternative
Libertaire (Belgium),no.219.
Rancière, Jacques. 2008. “Politiques de la mésentente.” Con-
tretemps,no.22:116–126.
Rancière,Jacques,andJudithRevel.2008.“LePlaisirdelaméta-
morphosepolitique.”Libération,May24.
Raynaud,Jean-Marc.1998.“Mai68…Mai68…Mai68…delaré-
volteàunchangementdesociétéenoubliantlarévolutionsociale.”
LeMondeLibertaire,no.1122.
Rey,Benoist.2006.LesTrousdemémoire.Paris:LesÉditionsLib-
ertaires.
Ross, Kristin. 2004. May ’68 and Its Afterlives. Chicago, IL: Uni-
versityofChicagoPress.
Sarboni,Edward.2008.“Mai68,unformidableamplificateur.”Le
MondeLibertaire,no.1124.
Sommermeyer, Pierre. 2008. “Sous les pavés, la grève.” Refrac-
tions,no.20.
Tristan, Renaud, and Guillaume Davranche. 2008. “Dossier 68:
1968,révolutionmanquée?”AlternativeLibertaire,no.173.
33
Carta,Gianni.2014.“Entretien:JacquesRancière,iln’yapasde A survey of French anarchists in the mid-1990s suggested that
démocratie.”AccessedApril6,2015.http://www.cartacapital.com.br/ substantial numbers rank the May Days of 1968 in France among
internacional/il-n2019y-a-pas-de-democratie-7518.html the Paris Commune, Ukraine’s Makhnovist revolution and the
Colson, Daniel. 2008. “L’Anarchisme, Foucault et les ‘postmod- Spanish revolution of the mid-1930s as one of the key anarchist
ernes’.”Réfractions,no.20. events in contemporary history (Pucciarelli 1999).1 Its placement
Creagh, Ronald. 2007. “Anarchism is Back: We May Now among these iconic anarchist revolutions, each of which added
Re(dis)cover Utopia.” Space of Utopia: An Electronic Journal, no. 6 substantiallytoanarchistliteratureandtheory,ledmetoexamine
(Autumn–Winter).AccessedJuly10,2015.http://ler.letras.up.pt a broad collection of books, articles and interviews by more than
D’Eaubonne, Francoise. 1978. Écologie/féminisme: révolution ou seventy French anarchists, providing memories, reflections and
mutation? Paris:LesÉditionsA.T.P. analysesconcerningthislatestinsurrection.Myselectionomitted
Duteuil,Jean-Pierre.1988.Nanterre1965–66–67–68:verslemou- accountsfromthefirsttwopost-68decadestoassurelonger-range
vementdu22mars.Mauléon:Acratie. perspectives.
Duteuil,Jean-Pierre.1998.“Éditorial.”CourantAlternatif,special RatherthanofferingmyownanalysisofMay68,Iintendtoiden-
number(May1998supplement). tifytheprincipalspecificallyanarchistanalyticalthemesandlearn-
Duteuil, Jean-Pierre. 2008a. Mai 68: un mouvement politique. La ingsfromthisdeeplyimpactingexperience.Thisseemsespecially
Bussière:ÉditionsAcratie. appropriate given the quite anarchic context, dynamics and lived
Duteuil, Jean-Pierre. 2008b. Interview in “Chantier de mai 68.” realityofMayformillionsofFrenchpeopleatthetime.
Accessed April 6, 2015. http://www.la-parole-errante.org/fichiers/ Bynow,thousandsofbooksandarticlesonMay68areavailable.
Expo68/chantierduteuil.pdf Alargeproportionoftheseconsistofsensationalistandsuperficial
“Édito.”2008.InfosetAnalysesLibertaires,no.71:1. journalism, collections of wall slogans, descriptions of specific lo-
Ferré,Léo.1989.“Ilsontvoté…etpuisaprès?”InMai68pareux- calcontexts,andanti-May68politicalpolemics.Thepresentpiece
mêmes,173–174.Paris:ÉditionsduMondeLibertaire. provideslong-neglectedanarchistinterpretationsandconclusions
Fontenis, Georges. 2008. Changer le monde: histoire du mou- andsituatestheseamongotherseriouseffortstounderstandMay
vement communiste libertaire, 1945–1997. Paris: Alternative 68anditslegacy.
Libertaire. Several approaches or themes appear most commonly in these
Furth,René.2001.“LaRévolution.”Réfractions,no.7. writings: narratives of prominent events in the immediate May-
Gildas.2008.“Desmythesàdétruire.”Courantalternatif/offensive June upheaval, personal stories of involvement, reflections on the
(jointissue),hors-sériesno.13andno.18respectively:38–39. widespreadexperienceofanarchistsocio-politicalethics,andlyri-
Gobille,Boris.2008.Mai68.Paris:LaDécouverte. cal accounts of the phenomenon of abruptly unbound conscious-
Grelet, Stany, Jérome Lèbre, and Sophie Wahnich. 2009. “Insis- ness itself. After considering each of these, I discuss French anar-
tances démocratiques: entretien avec Miguel Abensour, Jean-Luc chists’ views on May 68’s legacy of deep political critique as well
NancyetJacquesRancière.”Vacarme,no.48.
Guigou,Jacques,andJacquesWajnsztein.2008.Mai68etlemai 1Generally,asinthisarticle,theterms‘MayDays’or‘May68’refertothe
rampantitalien.Paris:L’Harmattan. wholeMay-Juneperiod.
32 5
asitsactualimpactonpost-Maysocialchange.Finally,Ishowhow realms of social life, demand a perspective of radical rupture and
severalanarchistwriters’alternativeinterpretationsoftheMay68 transformation.44
experienceimplycompetingmodelsforongoinganarchistactivity Furth’sassertiongoesfarinexplainingthecontinuingpowerof
andrevolution. May68forFrenchanarchists.
Prominent events References
Most anarchist writings on May 68, certainly those in the de- Amalric,David,andBenjaminFaure.2013.“Réappropriationdes
cennialanniversaryissuesofFrenchanarchistmovementjournals, savoirs et subjectivations politiques: Jacques Rancière après Mai
include at least a brief overview of the rapidly developing explo- 68.”Dissensus,no.5.
sion during the four weeks of May and the counteroffensive of Auzias,Claire.1988.“Unmaimineur.”IRL:journald’expressions
threatenedhierarchiesuntiltheendofJune.Inshort,theusualac- libertaires,nos.77–78:8–26.
countdepictstheMay-Juneinsurgencyasinitiallyinspiredanden- Auzias, Claire. 2006. Interview in Mimmo Pucciarelli, Claire
ergisedbyafarleftandsignificantlyanarchist-composed22March l’enragée!.Lyon:AtelierdeCréationLibertaire.
Nanterreuniversitystudentmovement.2Itsbattlesoncampusand Bernard,Jean-PierreA.2000.“Mélancoliesdemai.”InLesIncen-
in Paris streets, beginning in May, led to major bloody confronta- diairesdel’imagination,editedbyMimmoPucciarelli,41–54.Lyon:
tions by students, young workers and older adults with police in AtelierdeCréationLibertaire.
theLatinQuarterandoccupationoftheSorbonne.Imagesandac- Berry,David.2009.AHistoryoftheFrenchAnarchistMovement,
counts of brutal police repression, especially during the famous 1917to1945.Oakland:AKPress.
10 May ‘Night of the Barricades’, in turn shocked and angered Biard, Roland. 1976. Histoire du mouvement anarchiste, 1945–
largenumbersacrossthecountry,provokingaprotestprocession 1975.Paris:ÉditionsGalilée.
ofnearlyamillioninParisaswellasotherselsewhereinFranceon Bourg,Julian.2007.FromRevolutiontoEthics:May1968andCon-
13May.Shortlythereafterbeganamassivewaveofprolongedcam- temporary French Thought. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University
pus revolts, strikes, workplace occupations and new horizontalist Press.
action committees throughout France, effectively shutting down Bruno and Renaud. 2008. “Dossier 68: commémorez, commé-
much of the state and capitalist economy and opening a lived al- morez,ilenresterabienquelquechose!.”AlternativeLibertaire,no.
ternativesocialreality,withsome10million(one-fifthofthepop- 173.
ulation) on strike by the last week of May. The focus of daily life
andconsciousnessdrasticallyshiftedformanyfromverticaltohor- 44‘C’estcettedynamiquedel’événementrévolutionnairequiportelacon-
fiancedesanarchistes.’‘desbrèchesetdesvoieslàoùtoutsemblaitbloqué’.‘y
renoncerseraitréduiresonprojetetsapratiqueàunensembleéparsd’analyses
critiques, de protestations morales et de résistances parcellaires.L’imagination
2Themovementwasnamedafteraproclamationagreeduponatthat1968 d’unautrefuturqueledéploiement“naturel”del’économiecapitaliste,etlaco-
dateamong142anarchistandfar-leftstudents(Mintz2013).Itsmostthorough hérencedesactionsdanslesdifférentschampsdelaviesocialeexigentlaperspec-
recentanarchistdescriptionandanalysisisbyJean-PierreDuteuil(1988). tived’uneruptureetd’unetransformationradicales.’
6 31
present day by French philosopher Jacques Rancière (2008), Ran- izontalrelations,extendingnowquitebeyondtherealmofstudents
cière and Revel (2008) and Faure (2013); Grelet, Lèbre, and Wah- alone.
nich(2009);Carta(2014))showhiminaccordwiththeseessential Aside from the initiative of 22 March movement anarchists,
anarchistpositionsaswell. others in the tiny anarchist movement and its sympathisers
In general, French anarchists, like most of their counterparts throughout France3. Initially surprised by the sudden social
elsewhere,haveforalongtimerejectedthepossibilityofasudden explosion like everyone else, they enthusiastically joined and
all-inclusive and lasting social revolutionary transformation, a encouraged rapidly developing local anarchic liberating contexts
singleso-calledgrandsoir,muchbecauseofthemultidimensional of demonstrations, strikes, occupations and action committees
liberatory processes involved and the usual pattern where new as opportunities arose. By principle, without central leadership
regimes’ efforts at consolidation and violent self-defence lead to and believing in direct action initiatives, French anarchists of
new despotisms. The realities of limits in the French context in all ages needed no directives to actively integrate with others in
May-June 68 reinforced this doubt, despite the massive liberatory the various sorts of insurrectionary ‘propaganda by deed’. The
energies released. While probably most anarchists still hope for proliferation of black (or black and red) flags in demonstrations
and foresee major ruptures again in the future, the specific explo- and over factory and campus buildings in May 68 symbolised
sivesocialingredientswouldnodoubtvaryfromthosein1968.In the deeply anarchic disposition of the uprising but by no means
the meantime, French anarchists urge expanding anarchist social signified an overwhelming presence of anarchist movement
imagination and smaller-scale practice as widely as possible both militants.
for their own benefit in the present and to encourage any new Inadditiontopolicerepression,theforcesofhierarchybegana
contextofrupturetobecomeasopenaspossibletoimaginingand counteroffensivebythelastweekofMay,withdeGaullesecuring
experimenting with larger-scale non-hierarchical society. When needed army loyalty, leftist politicians and the regime gradually
this happens, says French anarchist historian Ronald Creagh channellingtherevolttowardthenarrowelectoralarena,andtop-
(2007),anarchistsshouldsimply‘stepintothebreaches’. level trade union officials, foremost in the powerful Communist-
As demonstrated in May 68, whether a new rupture begins or ledCGT(ConfédérationGénéraleduTravail),agreeingdefensively
not through anarchist initiatives, ‘it is this dynamic of the revolu- and opportunistically with the government to ‘settle’ the insur-
tionaryevent,’saysRenéFurth(2001),‘thatsustainstheconfidence gency with an overall nationwide contract for mainly ‘quantita-
ofanarchists’.Throughliberatingandcombiningintenseenergies, tive’gains.‘BecauseGaullismandStalinismrejectedfundamental
revolutionopens‘breachesandpathsthathadseemedblocked’.To change in the world,’ observed a writer for Le Monde Libertaire,
lackhopeforrevolution,hesays, ‘theycametoanagreement,withtheGrenelleAccords,andthrew
wouldbetoreduce[anarchism’s]projectandpracticetoascat-
tered ensemble of critical analyses, moral protests and piecemeal
resistances. Imagining a future different from the ‘natural’ exten-
3AccordingtoRolandBiard(1976),thenumberofthoseofficiallyinFrench
sionofthecapitalisteconomy,andcoherentactionsinthedifferent
anarchist movement organisations at the time was less than 1000, though the
number of ex-member anarchist sympathisers was significantly greater (177–
178).
30 7
a few crumbs to the people’ (Raynaud, 1998).4 Despite continued France than did the series of smaller upheavals in lengthier time
stubbornworkerresistance,bytheendofJunethestrikecollapsed periodsexperiencedelsewhere.
andFrenchsocietyresumedanouterappearanceofrestored‘nor- For anarchists, the massive explosion had special value in dra-
mality’. matically confirming and refreshing on a large scale their long-
heldassumptionofinherentsubjectiverevolutionarydesire,ausu-
allyunconsciousimpulsetodestroythoseoppressivepolitical,cul-
Personal accounts
tural, social and economic structures that blocked individual cre-
ativity and dignity and socially cooperative mutual accomplish-
Individualaccountsbythen-anarchistmilitantsandbythosere-
ment. While the manifestation of such desire seems conceded by
cruitedtothemovementbecauseoftheupheavalitselfprovideim-
many observers of the May 68 event itself, most regard this as an
portantinsightsintohowandwhygrassrootsindividualsfromev-
aberration,perhapsdelightfulbutonlyatemporarypsychicdetour
ery realm were attracted to participate, as well as the nature of
fromtheusualrealitiesofdailyexistence.
theirdirectexperience.WhileMay68mightseemtomanyinlater
MostwritingonMay68stillregardsitasanunrepeatableevent,
generations as an abstract event of inexplicable explosive dynam-
dueatthetimetoauniqueconvergenceoffactorsinsideandout-
ics,thesestoriesofferacredibleandlogicalsequenceofstepsatthe
sideofFranceand,inthelongrun,largelyorentirelyrecuperated
individuallevel,allowingreadersmoreeasilytoidentifywithpar-
by the ‘realities’ and dynamics of advanced capitalism and liberal
ticipantsandtoimaginethemselvesrealisticallyinsuchacontext.
democracy.Forastill-minorityofwritersinterpretingMay68gen-
Ofmorerecentsuchresources,especiallyvaluableisananthology,
erally, however, there is much more of notable significance and
Mai 68 par eux-mêmes: le mouvement de Floréal, An 176, including
they, like the anarchists, dismiss the reductive and negative writ-
accountsofsome38individuals(roughlyhalfareapparentlyanar-
chists),publishedbytheFédérationAnarchistein1989.5University ings on the event and its aftermath by the New Philosophers of
the late 70s, as well as those by Debray, Lipovetsky and others
and lycée students, professionals, peasants and workers from fac-
of similar interpretation. At the same time, their more recent de-
tories, shops and other settings are all represented, as are various
tailed studies, for example those by Jacques Guigou and Jacques
regions throughout France. Other especially powerful and exten-
Wajnsztein(2008),KristinRoss(2004),BorisGobille(2008)andJu-
siveindividualaccountsarebyanarchistsociologistClaireAuzias
lian Bourg (2007), essentially confirm the key interlocking anar-
(1988,2006),aLyonlycéeyouthatthetime,and‘LeFlutiste’(2008),
chist positions (without acknowledging anarchist writings them-
aformerSorbonnestudentwhodescribestheMaydemonstrations,
selves). Specifically, they agree that May 68 was fundamentally
barricadesandoccupationsinParisaswellasstudentactioncom-
against domination overall, that it was just as much political as
mitteesupportoffactoryworkersnearby.
cultural,thatsocialandindividualliberationwereinterdependent,
and (excluding Bourg) that, because of the very depth of percep-
4‘parce que le gaullisme comme le stalinisme refusaient que le monde tion experienced at the time, it is impossible wholly to contain or
change de base, ils se mirent d’accord lors des accords de Grenelle et jetèrent
repress its continuing afterlife as an anti-authoritarian and non-
quelquesmiettesaupeuple’.
5Thebook’ssubtitleborrowsthedateequivalenttoMay68fromtheFrench hierarchicalrevolutionaryvision.Thoughnotaddressing1968ina
Revolution’sinventednewcalendar(laterusedalsoduringtheParisCommune). focusedworkonthesubject,variouswritingsandinterviewstothe
8 29
then discuss it afterwards with full transparency. ‘You are always Anarchist socio-political ethics
moreorlessimprovising.’42
AnarchistwritingsonMay68especiallyfocusonthedecompart-
mentalised and egalitarian social relations directly experienced—
Conclusion
importantprefigurationsthemselvesoflong-proclaimedsocialand
politicalethicsenvisagedforananarchistsocietywithoutdomina-
May 68 demonstrated the potentials of a major rupture based
tion. Of crucial importance as well, observes Jean-Pierre Duteuil
moreon‘spontaneous’initiativethanonlarge-scalerevolutionary
(1998), ‘[w]ith the largest general strike ever in a so-called “ad-
organisation. Initially, the rapidity and breadth of insurrection
vanced” industrial society, with the first “wildcat” general strike
led some, including de Gaulle, to believe in a secretly planned
in history, May 68 is the return of the proletariat to the scene,
revolution. The reality was best described metaphorically as an
toosoonproclaimedearlierasdisappearedorintegrated’.6 Mutual
earthquake or volcanic explosion following mounting longer-
aid among workers, students and peasants, respect for individual-
range social, cultural and political tensions and a series of initial
ity and freely pursued passions, as well as joint decision-making
catalytic opportunities seized by militant activists. Within this
throughgrassrootsassemblieswithavoiceforall—thesewerean-
imagery, there were various seething explosive potentials forced
archists’traditionalidealspromotedorspontaneouslyemergingto
to the surface by exemplary activism and imitation. As Edward
varying degrees and in various grassroots contexts, from campus
Sarboni(2008)observed,‘therevoltwasbornspontaneouslyfrom
amphitheatres to factory floors and hundreds of neighbourhood
chain reactions’.43 Even the single event of the ‘Night of the
actioncommittees.Statestheanthologypreface,
Barricades’ is described by ‘Le Flutiste’ (2008) as ‘the detonator’
[mostparticipants]tookfromthisintenseperiodofmobilisation
forthemassivenationwideupheavaltocome.
essentiallyalivedexperiencemorethanapoliticalone.…Adiffer-
While personal epiphanies, a new sense of grassroots commu-
ent relation to the world, to others and to oneself. One got into
nityandradicalisedconsciousnesswerecommonto60supheavals
the movement essentially because it was movement, that is, un-
elsewhere in the West, what distinguished May 68 in France was
expected in that apathetic France, under the Gaullist lead weight.
theapparentsuddennessandubiquitythatprofoundlyshookmuch
One was enchanted there because it was strong and it could do
of French society within a very condensed period of time. It was
anything,onethought.Andequallybecauseitofferedencounters
this intense simultaneously shared experience of sudden multidi-
withothers;inthespaceofaninstantitofferedalreadyadifferent
mensionalrevelationanddefianttransgressivesocialrelationsthat
world(Linhart,1989,4)7
suggested the imagery of revolution much more convincingly in
6‘Aveclaplusgrandegrèvegénéraledansunpaysindustrieldit“avancé”,
aveclapremièregrèvegénérale“sauvage”del’Histoire,mai68estleretoursur
42‘resteenchampsclosetc’estcomplètementparalysant,abstrait,universi- lascèneduprolétariat,unpeuviteannoncécommedisparuouintégré.’
taire,théorique’.‘C’estenfavorisant,enouvrantdesbrèchespourquelesgens 7‘[la plupart d’entre eux] ait retiré de cette période intense de mobilisa-
s’expriment,pourqu’ilsepassequelquechose.Cen’estpasmagique,cen’estpas tionuneexpérienceessentiellementdel’ordreduvécu,plusquedupolitique.…
enappuyantsurunboutonquecelaseproduit.’‘Tuestoujoursplusoumoins Unautrerapportaumonde,auxautresetàsoi-même.Onselancedanslemou-
dansl’improvisation.’ vement,essentiellementparcequ’ilestmouvement,c’est-à-direl’inattendudans
43‘Larévoltenaîtspontanémentderéactionsenchaîne.’ cetteFranceapathique,soussachapedeplombgaullienne.Ons’yenchanteparce
28 9
Says Claire Auzias (1988), in the campus amphitheatre, ‘we de- influential example, adopted by others in campus and workplace
bated everything. Never a decision all alone. … But especially, no occupations and on the streets, that later became expected by
onewasbossingtheirneighbourinMay.Onehadtobecomeadult participants in the new autonomous movements of the ’70s.40
immediately,toknowwhatonewanted,each,immediately,tode- The 22 March movement translated in practice the desire for a
cide, to defend it and to defend oneself’ (17). ‘We always had to non-bureaucratic form of social struggle and that, he says, is
watch out that the card-carrying leftists did not concoct a mean important. ‘People should take pleasure in struggles. … For me,
trick through an A.G. [assemblée générale] or a tract. They were that’safundamentalnotion:toleadastrike,astruggle,shouldnot
very factional’ (17). ‘Everyone,’ she says, ‘spoke of [Wilhelm] Re- bealoadonone’sshoulders.’Duteuilalsostresses
ich.’ His The Function of Orgasm ‘was sold out’ (19).8 Latent revo- thedemocraticneedanddesire.Thatidearecurstimeandagain
lutionarydesire,nowexposed,revealedforAuziasandmillionsof inthe22Marchmovement.Thereisnoleader,nocentralcommit-
otherssubversivesocialalternativestodominationandalienation. tee. Of course, there is power. There were obviously power rela-
Duteuil (2008a), a co-founder of the 22 March movement, em- tions … But there was a will to flush them out, to not be content
phasises how the rare simultaneous and deep crises of workforce, withthem.Thisisfundamentalforallmovements.41
family,schoolsystemandculturalfrontallcametogether‘somuch Thoughitisalwaysclaimedthatcentralleadershipisneededfor
and so well that every problem mixed and interpenetrated’. Thus, movementefficiency,statesDuteuil,thisisn’tso.
‘everyenergywasliberated’andeverythingspokenaboutandchal- Anotheroriginalityofthe22Marchmovement,hesays(Duteuil
lenged (199).9 For this reason, he asserts that the critique of hier- 2008b), concerns the place of internal critique. By itself, critique
archywasthesinglemostimportanttraitofMay68:‘allformsof ‘remainsaclosedperspectiveandthisiscompletelyparalysing,ab-
hierarchy: the refusal to be executors submitting to directors; the stract,scholarly,theoretical’.Atthesametime,itwasequallydan-
refusal of a pyramidal society, a model that penetrates the least geroustothinkthattheabsenceofcritiqueisparalysing.‘Whatis
recesses, from individual relations to work activities and leisure’ important is to open things up so that people express themselves,
(11).10 sothatsomethinghappens.It’snotmagic,it’snotbypressingabut-
tonthatsomethinghappens.’Unanimitywasnotconsideredneces-
qu’ilestfortetqu’ilpeuttout,pense-t-on.Etégalementparcequ’iloffrelaren-
sary.Ifagroupwantedtotakesomeaction,theyshoulddoit,but
contreavecd’autres,qu’iloffredéjàl’espaced’uninstantunmondedifférent.’
8‘Ondébattaittout.Jamaisunedécisiontoutseule.…maissurtout,aucune
priseenchargeduvoisin,enMai.Ilfallaitdevenirmajeurtoutdesuite,savoirce 40Consistentwiththismodelaswellwasthe22Marchmovement’sdecision
qu’onvoulait,chacun,toutdesuite,décider,ledéfendreetsedéfendre.…Etles to dissolve itself after June to prevent co-optation by certain newcomer leftist
gauchistesencarte.Ilfallaitsansarrêt,veilleràcequ’ilsnenousconcoctentpas elementswithhierarchicalambitions(Duteuil,2008aDuteuil,Jean-Pierre.2008a.
uneentourloupe,audétoursd’uneA.G.,d’untract.Ilsétaienttrèsfactieux.’‘Tout Mai68:unmouvementpolitique.LaBussière:ÉditionsAcratie.,207–208).
lemondeparlaitdeReich.’‘étaitépuisée’. 41‘C’estimportantquelesgensprennentduplaisirdanslesluttes.…C’est
9‘Tantetsibienquetouslesproblèmesvontsemêlerets’interpénétrer.… une notion fondamentale pour moi, à savoir que mener une grève, une lutte,
touteslesénergiesselibèrent’. cen’estpasunpoidsqu’ondoitportersursesépaules.’‘lanécessitéetledésir
10‘…touteslesformesdehiérarchie.Lerefusd’êtredesexécutantssoumis démocratique.Celarevienttoujoursdansle22mars.Iln’yapasdechef,pasde
àdesdirigeants;lerefusd’unesociétépyramidaledontlemodèlepénètreses comitécentral.Biensûrqu’ilyadupouvoir.Ilyadesrapportsdepouvoir…Mais
moindresrecoins,desrapportsindividuelsauxactivitésprofessionnellesoude ilyaunevolontédelesdébusquer,denepass’encontenter.C’estfondamental
loisir.’ danstouslesmouvements.’
10 27