France's October 17 protests turned into chaos, with demands for social justice buried under looting and spectacle, echoing 1968's missed convergence between students and workers.
Failed convergence of social struggles
Last weekend, protests in France saw a mix of looting, vandalism, and clashes with police, overshadowing the original demands of various social groups, including students, workers, and public service unions. The planned "convergence of struggles" on October 17 aimed to unite different social movements, but the events turned chaotic and destructive.Disappearance of social demands
Stores were looted, cars set on fire, and police confrontations occurred, leading to the burial of the original demands under the chaos. The protests, intended to highlight issues like education, wages, and public services, instead became a spectacle of destruction, erasing the focus on social issues.Absence of peripheral France
The movement did not regain the intensity of the yellow vests protests of 2018. While some yellow vests were present, the struggle of peripheral France—marked by economic hardship and daily struggles—was overshadowed by the spectacle of destruction and media coverage.Echoes of May 1968
The failed convergence echoes the events of May 1968, a time of student and worker uprisings. However, unlike then, the current protests have not led to a unified movement. The separation between the student-led cultural revolution and the worker-led economic demands remains unresolved.Cultural revolution versus economic struggle
The philosopher Michel Clouscard noted that the subversion of morals and norms can support capitalism rather than challenge it. This highlights a paradox where cultural liberalism, while freeing individual desires, may not address the economic struggles of the working class.Militant confusion and political symbolism
The protests saw a mix of symbols, including Palestinian flags and Greta Thunberg's presence, reflecting a broader political culture where various indignations converge. This blending of symbols, while showing solidarity, risks diluting the focus on core social issues like wages and housing.Class struggle and political fracture
A clear divide exists between the educated bourgeoisie, focused on identity and cultural issues, and the working and peripheral classes, concerned with economic survival. This fracture highlights the different priorities and struggles of different segments of French society.Disaffiliated youth and subversion
A disaffiliated youth, without clear social or economic prospects, joins the protests, seeking recognition for their anger. They align with a libertarian bourgeoisie that views radical contestation as a continuation of cultural revolution, creating a spectacle of subversion without addressing economic issues.Revolutionary tradition and property
Historically, French revolutionaries protected property, as seen in the 1848 revolution. Today's protests, marked by looting and destruction, contrast with this tradition, raising questions about the true nature of the current movement and its alignment with historical revolutionary values.Destruction and political consequences
The destruction during protests serves a political function, shifting focus from economic issues to disorder and repression. This cycle of disorder and repression reinforces the state's control while neglecting the social demands of the working class.French desire for recognition and justice
The French seek recognition of their suffering and a just social order, not chaos. They demand functioning schools, dignified work, and public services, rejecting both the anarchy of some and the repression of others, seeking a voice in shaping their destiny.Ineffectiveness of convergence
The convergence of struggles fails because the aspirations of different groups—subversion, spectacle, and social demands—do not align. The social struggle, which truly threatens the established order, remains inaudible amid the confusion and destruction.Legacy of May 1968
Fifty-eight years after May 1968, the same pattern repeats: social demands are multiplied until the real struggle becomes inaudible. The confusion diverts popular anger from economic issues, replacing it with symbolic battles that do not challenge the privileges of the dominant classes.Preservation of economic order
The societal confusion and destruction serve to preserve the economic order by diverting attention from the real issues. The vandals and those dismantling social protections provide the ideal pretext for continued economic decline and inequality.
