--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Paris Commune was first and foremost…" description: "\"The Paris Commune was first and foremost a democracy. The government was a body elected by universal suffrage.\" — C. L. R. James" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/c-l-r-james-17182_body_the-paris-commune-was-first-and-foremost_3166952.png" --- # The Paris Commune was first and foremost a democracy. The… ![“The Paris Commune was first and foremost a democracy. The government was a body elected by universal suffrage.” quote by C. L. R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/c-l-r-james-17182_body_the-paris-commune-was-first-and-foremost_3166952.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/c-l-r-james-17182_body_the-paris-commune-was-first-and-foremost_3166952.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/c-l-r-james-17182_body_the-paris-commune-was-first-and-foremost_3166952.png) > “The Paris Commune was first and foremost a democracy. The government was a body elected by universal suffrage.” [C. L. R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-l-r-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Paris Commune embodied direct democracy, with officials elected by all citizens, reflecting true popular sovereignty. **In simple terms:** The Commune was a democracy elected by everyone. Key Takeaway Study its structure for modern democratic ideas. Themes democracy political theory history Mood analytical thoughtful Type historical political When to use this quote - civic education - activist organizing - policy design - community meetings Key Concepts political science social movements Questions to Reflect On - What lessons can modern societies draw? - How does universal suffrage shape governance? A Different Perspective Historical context differs; modern systems face complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Communes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communes/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Suffrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffrage/) [Universal suffrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal-suffrage/) ## Related quotes > [Look at the Paris Commune. That was the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/look-at-the-paris-commune-that-was-the-dictatorship-of-the-proletariat/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [“Auteuil (the southern sector of Paris's then-rustic 16th arrondissement) at the home of his great-uncle, two months after the Treaty of Frankfurt formally ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/auteuil-the-southern-sector-of-paris-s-then-rustic-16th/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Hong Kongers deserve universal suffrage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/hong-kongers-deserve-universal-suffrage/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [“Parvus denied that universal suffrage was an end to itself since the middle class would always find ways to manipulate the electoral system. Freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-service/parvus-denied-that-universal-suffrage-was-an-end-to-itself-since-the/) [Robert Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-service/) > [I firmly believe that the wider community supports achieving the goal of universal suffrage for 2017 according to law. I also believe most political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-lam/i-firmly-believe-that-the-wider-community-supports-achieving-the-goal/) [Carrie Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-lam/) > [All governments use force and all assert that they are founded on reason. In fact, whether universal suffrage prevails or not, it is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilfredo-pareto/all-governments-use-force-and-all-assert-that-they-are-founded-on/) [Vilfredo Pareto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilfredo-pareto/) > [We Chinese are instinctively democratic, and Dr. Sun's objective of universal suffrage evokes from all Chinese a ready and unhesitating response.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiang-kai-shek/we-chinese-are-instinctively-democratic-and-dr-sun-s-objective-of/) [Chiang Kai-shek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiang-kai-shek/) > [ I need \[Beijing's\] trust in order to develop universal suffrage. 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But before he was president they used to call him badly dressed, old, archaic and say he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/everyone-says-francois-mitterrand-had-huge-charisma-but-before-he-was/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [Does man's freedom consist in revolting against all laws? We say no, in so far as laws are natural, economic, and social laws, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/does-man-s-freedom-consist-in-revolting-against-all-laws-we-say-no-in/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) ## More by C. L. R. 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