The Beginning of the End

Angelo Quattrocchi describes the events of the May 1968 revolt which spread from Nanterre to Paris, aiming to show how ideas that had been the province of radical philosophers became springs of action for millions. Tom Nairn provides an analysis of the causes and consequences of the May events.

In May 1968, France stood on the verge of full-blooded revolution. Here a rhythmic, vivid evocation from eyewitness Angelo Quattrocchi is complemented by Tom Nairn's cool and elegant appraisal to tell the astonishing story of the heady days. Paris is a battlefield of barricades, burning cars and CS gas. President de Gaulle's riot police publicly informed him that their loyalty could no longer be taken for granted. Meanwhile students and millions of young striking workers on the streets raise ideas that had previously been the sole province of radical philosophers: 'To Forbid is Forbidden', 'Be Reasonable...Demand the Impossible', 'Freedom is the Consciousness of Our Desires'.