The Cult of the Revolutionary Tradition: The Blanquists in French Politics, 1864 - 1893

This pathbreaking study explores the thought and activities of the disciples of Auguste Blanqui, from the later years of the French Second Empire to the crisis attending the political campaign of General Boulanger. It examines the mythological significance, atheist thoughts, role in the Paris Commune, relationship with Marxist ideologies, and influence on the cult of the Revolutionary tradition in the early years of the Third Republic. It challenges the standard interpretation of the Blanquists as unreflective precursors of Marxists and highlights the obstacles to a unified revolutionary movement in the Third Republic.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 234 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

This groundbreaking study delves into the thought and actions of the disciples of the renowned revolutionary, Auguste Blanqui, from the later years of the French Second Empire (1860s) through the crisis attending the political campaign of General Boulanger (1880s). It explores the mythological significance of Blanqui for the French Left, the atheist thoughts of the Blanquists as the foundation of their revolutionary politics, the role of the Blanquists in the Paris Commune of 1871, the relationship between Blanquist and Marxist ideologies, and the influence of the Blanquists as promoters of the cult of the Revolutionary tradition in the early years of the Third Republic.

The Cult of the Revolutionary Tradition is the first comprehensive study of the Blanquists to appear in French or English. It is also the first to treat seriously the impact of the legend of Blanqui upon his followers and admirers. In tracing their changing conception of the revolutionary cause, from its sources in the radical thought of a Parisian youth movement to its perversion in the proto-fascist doctrine of some aging Blanquists employed myth and ritual to popularize their ideas, and how in the end their efforts to do so transformed their revolutionary party into a conservative sect.

Hutton takes issue with the standard interpretation of the Blanquists as unreflective precursors of the Marxists. Far from contributing to Marxist Socialism, he contends, the Blanquists began with different theoretical assumptions and developed a different model of revolution. In describing the antagon

antagonisms between Blanquists, guardians of the French Revolutionary tradition, and Marxists, apostles of a new Socialism, the author reveals the obstacles which stood in the way.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 216 x 140 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520306264