A-Infos (en) France, Monde Libertaire - IDEAS AND STRUGGLES: From the Commune to Communalism followed by Inventing Desirable Lives (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Communalism, the word has resurfaced in the political debate. Recently, 
La France Insoumise (LFI) appropriated the concept during the municipal 
elections, diverting it from its original meaning, at the very least 
that of the Paris Commune championed by Gustave Lefrançais. Indeed, 
communalism opposes the State, rendering it unnecessary. Integrating 
this management of social life by individuals into a State that retains 
sovereign powers, including the legitimate use of force, is to establish 
an anti-democratic tutelage. This comes as no surprise to me from the 
proponents of this attack on local liberties.

Paula Cossart, in a stimulating short essay, From the Commune to 
Communalism: A Paradoxical Legacy, published by Éditions de la Lanterne, 
presents this project of political organization "from below." As its 
editor points out, the book revisits the democratic practices of the 
Commune to understand its paradoxical legacy and contemporary uses. 
"Within this constellation of experiences, both scattered and linked by 
shared concerns, communalism finds renewed relevance today: not as a 
unified model but as a pluralistic horizon, fraught with tensions, and 
carrying a renewed critique of state and representative forms of 
democracy." Certainly, the reference to the Commune, and therefore to 
the past, articulated with a conception of utopia as "thought of 
becoming," is characterized by a profound dynamism. The aim is not to 
obscure this past, nor to mythologize it, but to provide a guiding light 
at a specific moment in history. The ideas and measures implemented 
between March and May 1871 in Paris are perceived as an "example of the 
possibility of the people seizing power," a source of inspiration for 
revolutionaries worldwide. However, no exact reproduction is conceivable 
because circumstances change. Let's speak instead of analogy. Rojava, 
the ZAD of Notre-Dame-des-Landes, and the Yellow Vests are current 
echoes of this, and this reference should be seen as a "critical 
resource for thinking about and experimenting with present forms of 
political engagement." With or without the State? The principle of a 
federation of communes, contained in various declarations of the 
Commune, is also found in the assembly of assemblies initiated in 
Commercy. The author analyzes Bookchin's thought and his critique of the 
Paris Commune, including, among other things, the question of the 
State's role. Many anarchist authors and/or participants in the Commune, 
such as Élisée Reclus and Pierre Kropotkin, criticized the maintenance 
of a statist tradition. We find this confusion in certain texts, such as 
the decree of April 2, 1871, concerning the separation of Church and 
State. (Emphasis added). We could also consider the Paris Commune of 
1792-1793, whose heirs the Communards considered themselves to be. Let 
us recall Proudhon's reflections, his vision of a commune as "by its 
very nature[...]a sovereign entity," and his work, *Du principe 
fédératif* (On the Federal Principle). In the years preceding the Paris 
Commune, authors such as Pecqueur, Renouvier, and Fauvety developed 
their conceptions of local direct democracy. The question of the 
imperative mandate can be considered to have been on people's minds (in 
clubs and sections of the International Workingmen's Association), if 
not explicitly stated in legal texts, as was that of revocation. Gustave 
Lefrançais wrote: "The Communalist movement aimed to eliminate the 
notion of authority and government, replacing it with that of law and 
the direct and inalienable sovereignty of citizens." Even if the whole 
is not pure and perfect-let us never forget the fire of the Versailles 
troops and the incessant attacks-debates take place in clubs, sections, 
and neighborhoods. Women speak out and position themselves as active 
participants in public life. Initiatives emerge. After the repression of 
1871, the socialist movement split. The Guesdist wing aimed for control 
of the state apparatus, while others, more inclined towards 
self-management, identified with municipal socialism, which certainly 
managed the powers granted by the law of April 5, 1884, on municipal 
organization as best it could. "The municipal council regulates the 
affairs of the municipality through its deliberations," but within the 
framework of the laws of the Republic. From revolutionaries, these 
socialists became reformists. Initiatives are emerging in small 
municipalities today, but restrictive, sclerotic regulations, reduced 
budgets, and the legal "guardianship" established by the State, and in 
practice by other communities and inter-municipalities, are hindering 
the emergence of modern communalism.

* Paula Cossart, From Commune to Communalism: A Paradoxical Legacy, 
Éditions de la Lanterne, 2026. The commune of Saillans (population 
1,500) in the Drôme region garnered attention when a social and 
political experiment there enabled a process of democratization in 
practice from 2014 to 2020. What self-governance structures and 
mechanisms ensured the voice of the majority? In the fall of 2015, 
academic Séverin Muller wrote to the municipal team: "I would like to 
recount your ongoing story, sharing my reflections as the project 
unfolds, taking the time to understand, share, and participate in the 
activities." In his book, Inventing Desirable Lives: From Democracy to 
Work in Saillans, published by Éditions du Croquant, he outlines the 
lessons learned from this rather exceptional term. It is a work of 
scholarship that skillfully explains its methods, listens attentively, 
and makes its points accessible to the reader. This is an excellent tool 
for reflecting on local initiatives for active citizen participation. 
The 2014 election was a success, even if not the entire population 
embraced the experience. This was due to a lack of availability, doubts 
about the process, and indifference. We are dealing with concrete 
realities. A series of initiatives are being led by residents in 
associations, cooperatives, and self-managed spaces where energy and 
means of production are shared. This experience highlights a classic 
reflection in the sociology of work: "How work creates society and how, 
through work, humans transform society." Séverin Muller emphasizes: 
"Politically, this will invite us to reflect more broadly on the present 
and future of these attempts to create desirable lives on the expanded 
margins of society." With him, we move forward step by step, with as 
many questions as observations. How do we organize a collegial 
municipality, how do we create a collective? It's not easy in a society 
and a legal framework based on delegation rather than participation. 
Hey, an interesting title: the ideal municipality is an inverted 
pyramid. Read on.

From ideals to reality, the field is vast. The essential example is 
obviously the local urban development plan, this foundational document 
for spatial planning policy that can constrain property owners, stifle 
projects, or promote others. The other crucial tool in a municipality: 
the budget. Here too, the debates are heated. What are the priorities? 
How can residents be involved?

A flagship project: Elisa's house, welcoming migrants, and always
this restrictive legal framework.

And there will be defeat in the 2020 elections. Séverin Muller quotes
Laure Godineau, speaking at the end of the Paris Commune, of the thirst for
the ordinary. I would say weariness, being fed up with meetings, the
confusion of debates. A classic. Is this dream pointless? No, it
has translated into reality; it allows us to analyze and understand. I
also believe that we must take into account the evolution of the town
and its environment. A sequel to this book would be interesting. I
reiterate this quote from the activists: "You will have neither our joy 
nor our determination."

* Séverin Muller
Inventing Desirable Lives,
From Democracy to Work in Saillans
Ed. du Croquant, 2026

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