The Spirit of '68 : Rebellion in Western Europe and North America, 1956-1976

In virtually all corners of the Western world, 1968 witnessed a highly unusual sequence of popular rebellions. In Italy, France, Spain, Vietnam, the United States, West Germany, Czechoslovakia, Mexico, and elsewhere, millions of individuals took matters into their own hands to counter imperialism, capitalism, autocracy, bureaucracy, and all forms of hierarchical thinking. Recent reinterpretations have sought to play down any real challenge to the socio-political status quo in these events, but Gerd-Rainer Horn's book offers a spirited counterblast. 1968, he argues, opened up the possibility that economic and political elites on both sides of the Iron Curtain could be toppled from their position of unnatural superiority to make way for a new society where everyday people could, for the first time, become masters of their own destiny. Furthermore, Horn contends, the moment of crisis and opportunity culminating in 1968 must be seen as part of a larger period of experimentation and revolt. The ten years between 1956 and 1966, characterised above all by the flourishing of iconoclastic cultural rebellions, can be regarded as a preparatory period which set the stage for the non-conformist cum political revolts of the subsequent "red" decade (1966-1976). Horn's geographic centres of attention are Western Europe, including the first full examination of Mediterranean revolts, and North America. He placed particular emphasis on cultural nonconformity, the student movement, working class rebellions, the changing contours of the Left, and the meaning of participatory democracy. His book will make fascinating reading for anyone interested in this turbulent period and the fundamental changes that were wrought upon societies either side of the Atlantic. Contents 8 Introduction 12 1. Outcasts, Dropouts, and Provocateurs: Nonconformists Prepare the Terrain 16 1. The First World Congress of Free Artists 16 2. From Lettrism to Situationism 18 3. Situationist Practice 21 4. The Meaning of Cultural Revolt 25 5. Beat Poets 27 6. Literature and Theatre of Revolt 30 7. The Place of Cultural Critique 31 8. The First Transnational Youth Revolt 34 9. Marlon Brando Turns Communist 38 10. Beatniks, Hipsters, Existentialists 41 11. British Rock 43 12. Beat Culture in Italy 47 13. The Amsterdam Provos 49 2. Under the Cobblestones Lies the Beach: Student Activism in the 1960s 65 1. Sit-ins, SNCC, and Freedom Rides 65 2. Mississippi Freedom Summer 68 3. The Berkeley Free Speech Movement 71 4. US Student Movements After Berkeley 76 5. The Peculiarities of Belgium 78 6. Leuven Vlaams 80 7. Mississippi on the Dijle 83 8. Sociology in Trento 85 9. Mobilizations and Reflections: Trento (and Italy), 1966–1967 88 10. Radicalization: Trento (and Italy), 1967–1968 92 11. The Shut-down of Higher Education in Italy: 1968 94 3. Vogliamo Tutto: The Working-Class Dimension of ‘1968’ 104 1. The Valley of the Turón 104 2. Mobilizations in Underground Spain 108 3. French Workers in the Calvados 111 4. From Nanterre to the Sorbonne 113 5. The Genesis of a General Strike 115 6. The Meaning of the General Strike 117 7. French Workers After 1968 121 8. Italy’s ‘Creeping May’ 122 9. Questioning Authority on the Factory Floor 126 10. The Revolution of the Carnations 129 4. Left, Left, Left: The Old, the New, and the Far Left 142 1. The Suez Crisis and Its Aftermath 142 2. A Social Democratic Foreign Policy? 146 3. Social Democracy’s Domestic Agenda 147 4. Youth Revolt and the Old Left 149 5. Il Caso Manifesto 153 6. Intellectuals and the New Left 155 7. Marcuse and Mills 157 8. The Mediterranean New Left 159 9. Characteristics of the New Left 163 10. The Limits of New Left Organizational Practice 166 11. Maoism and Trotskyism 169 12. The Genesis of the Far Left 171 13. The Far Left as Inspiration 172 14. A Social Democratic Turn towards the Left? 174 15. The Promise of Eurocommunism? 175 Photo Essay: The Belgian Manifestation of ‘1968’ 189 5. Participatory Democracy: The Meaning of ‘1968’ 201 1. Measuring Failure and Success 201 2. Cultural Revolution and Material Gains 202 3. Participatory Democracy 205 4. Free Schools and Universities 209 5. An Experimental Laboratory in the Bois de Vincennes 212 6. The Alberoni Project 214 7. Participatory Democracy at the Point of Production 217 8. Participatory Democracy and the Left 223 9. Neighbourhood Associations in Iberia 223 10. The Commune of Nantes 226 11. Individual and Collective Liberation 227 12. The Birth of Second-Wave Feminism 228 13. Caged Birds Break Free 230 Conclusion: A Moment of Crisis and Opportunity 239 1. A Tale of Two Europes 239 2. The Legacy of 1968 242 3. The Great Rehearsal? 246 Bibliographic Essay 252 Index 264 A 264 B 264 C 264 D 264 F 264 G 264 H 264 I 264 J 264 K 264 L 264 M 264 N 265 O 265 P 265 Q 265 R 265 S 265 T 265 U 265 V 265 9780199276660,9781429493031,0199276668,0199541590,9780199541591 Oxford University Press, USA In Virtually All Corners Of The Western World, 1968 Witnessed A Highly Unusual Sequence Of Popular Rebellions. In Italy, France, Spain, Vietnam, The United States, West Germany, Czechoslovakia, Mexico, And Elsewhere, Millions Of Individuals Took Matters Into Their Own Hands To Counter Imperialism, Capitalism, Autocracy, Bureaucracy, And All Forms Of Hierarchical Thinking. Recent Reinterpretations Have Sought To Play Down Any Real Challenge To The Socio-political Status Quo In These Events, But Gerd-rainer Horn's Book Offers A Spirited Counterblast. 1968, He Argues, Opened Up The Possibility That Economic And Political Elites On Both Sides Of The Iron Curtain Could Be Toppled From Their Position Of Unnatural Superiority To Make Way For A New Society Where Everyday People Could, For The First Time, Become Masters Of Their Own Destiny. Furthermore, Horn Contends, The Moment Of Crisis And Opportunity Culminating In 1968 Must Be Seen As Part Of A Larger Period Of Experimentation And Revolt. The Ten Years Between 1956 And 1966, Characterized Above All By The Flourishing Of Iconoclastic Cultural Rebellions, Can Be Regarded As A Preparatory Period Which Set The Stage For The Non-conformist Cum Political Revolts Of The Subsequent 'red' Decade (1966-1976).--jacket. Outcasts, Dropouts, And Provocateurs: Nonconformists Prepare The Terrain -- Under The Cobblestones Lies The Beach: Student Activism In The 1960s -- Vogliamo Tutto: The Working-class Dimension Of '1968' -- Left, Left, Left: The Old, The New, And The Far Left -- Participatory Democracy: The Meaning Of '1968' -- Conclusion: A Moment Of Crisis And Opportunity. Gerd-rainer Horn. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [241]-251) And Index. From Germany to Vietnam, from Italy to the United States, 1968 witnessed a highly unusual sequence of popular rebellions. Millions of individuals took matters into their own hands to counter imperialism, capitalism, and autocracy - indeed any kind of hierarchical thinking. Gerd-Rainer Horn offers a fascinating re-assessment of these turbulent times, arguing that 1968 cannot be seen in isolation: that it must be viewed in the context of a much larger period of experimentation and. revolt. He sheds valuable new light both on social movements and on their individual participants, and he offers a.. From Germany to Vietnam, from Italy to the US, 1968 witnessed a highly unusual sequence of popular rebellions. Millions of individuals took matters into their own hands to counter imperialism, capitalism, and autocracy - indeed any kind of hierarchical thinking. This book offers a re-assessment of these turbulent times 1968 witnessed a highly unusual sequence of popular rebellions worldwide. Gerd-Rainer Horn offers a fascinating re-assessment of these turbulent times, arguing that 1968 cannot be seen in isolation; it must be viewed in the context of a much larger period of experimentation and revolt