marx in Paris

In 1871, the French government had briefly lost control to a newly-developed, political Commune. Driven by the demands of the working class, the Commune had aimed for the emancipation of workers. At this time, Marx had been working on the First International, an organization which encouraged the working class to act independently. As political tensions rose within France, Marx's call to the working class was heard amongst working class Parisians. 

Following France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, political tension escalated between the government and working class. Despite this tension, Marx had advised against a political uprising, as this might have diminished France's strength in the eyes of the other European powers. Rather than encouraging them to revolt, Marx suggested they challenge the authority in order to gradually improve their opportunities of liberty. This advice had been ignored several times by the Jacobins and Blanquists, whose attempted uprisings had failed twice. 

Marx had constructed a manifesto for the Commune, which declared their Republican freedom, and ultimately lead them to overthrow Napoleon III. However, Marx's Socialist ideology had not been linear to that of the Commune, whose attraction to Marx had stemmed primarily from the desire for social reform. Marx had realized the shortcomings of the Commune, whose political ideologies had veered from his own, and whose power he realized would inevitably diminish.

After a few mere months, the Commune crumbles as a political power. Though Marx had predicted these shortcomings, he however did not invalidate the movement. Marx had believed that the significance of the Commune had lied in its mere existence. The Paris Commune had been the first worker-driven, governing body. Marx had perceived such political action as the first step in the establishment of Socialism.