Paris: 1968 generation

1. The 1968 generation
Paris

2. France in 1968
The French President
since 1958 (age: 78)
The General Charles
De Gaulle
March 1968 : the Students revolt began in Nanterre
In 1968, France took advantage of the
economic boom of the postwar
period. Economic structures had been
modernized, the standard of living had
increased but the traditional French
society hadn't changed.
The general De Gaulle, leader of the
French resistance during WWII was
president since 1958 but governed in
an authoritarian way.
The «Baby Boomer» generation
expected a different kind of society and
more freedom. The events of May
1968 revealed this dissatisfaction and
hope for change.
A Youth too anxious by
the futur

3. Students revolt in Nanterre
As in many other countries, the student protests
grew during March 1968. Because of the
populous «Baby Boomer» generation, the
students' numbers had almost tripled without
additional budget. The education system was at a
standstill.
The students' revolt began in March 1968 in the
new University of Nanterre, a suburb of Paris.
An anarchist group protested against the arrest of
students during a demonstration against the
Vietnam War. They occupied the boardroom of
the Faculty of Literature. The president of the
university decided to close the school.
Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a student in sociology and a
revolutionary was an anarchistic activist.
He was one of the main leaders of the Movement
of twenty-second March 1968. This movement
had libertarian ideas and claimed sexual
liberation. We are all « outcast »
Daniel Cohn-Bendit

4. Brutal police repression
and riots in the Latin Quarter
The general Strike
The fight goes on
Stop the infernal rate
The student's protest moved to Paris in the Latin Quarter.
The students asked for better study conditions, free
access to universities, more political freedoms and the
release of the arrested students; they also protested
against the Vietnam War.
The Odeon Theatre , the School of Beaux-Arts and the
University of the Sorbonne were occupied by students.
The Sorbonne was "open day and night for all workers". It
was a place to discuss peacefully about a new society.
The police roughly arrested 500 students. This repression
caused the anger of all students. Students built barricades
and fought against the police day and night.
After a night of riots, the unions
decided to support the students and
called for a general strike on May
thirteenth. The workers claimed fairer
salaries and reduction of their working
hours.
This general strike paralyzed the
whole country and caused a major
social and political crisis.
Odeon is open
Comrads: all united to the victory

5. 1968: a quest for FREEDOM criticizing the authority
Be young and shut up
What was the 1968 generation looking for ?
We are the power
Socially, the events of May 1968 were a great progress: the Grenelle agreements between the state and the
unions improved the work conditions.
The students obtained a reform of the education system and new teaching methods.
Politically, the Gaullists (the followers of
the president De Gaulle) were reelected
in June but one year later the French
population rejected a referendum and
De Gaulle resigned.
Less than 21 (minor)
This is your ballot paper ( a cobblestone)

6. Criticizing consumerism Hoping for a
different society
The hippie culture spread to France
Many students became hippies
because they rejected established
institutions, criticized middle class
values, opposed the Vietnam War,
championed sexual liberation and
were often eco-friendly.
Many of them were involved in the
antimilitarist action in the Larzac
region (1973-81).
Farmers, Workers: Join
our forces against the
capitalism wich exploit
our work

7. 1968: a lust for freedom and equality for women
Women claimed the right to get a grip on
their lives and to be equal to men.
In 1970, the MLF (women's liberation
movement) was created.
On the twenty-six of August, 1970, a group
of ten women stood under the Arc de
Triomphe in Paris with a banner "more
unkown than the Unknown Soldier: his
wife" .
The civil code was modified, new rights
were given to women. Contraception was
easier and in1975 abortion became legal.
Wearing trousers in schools was allowed.
All schools became mixed.
Thanks to 1968, the equality between man
and woman improved: in 1968 forty-four
percent of the women from 25 to 54 years
old worked while there are 80 % today.
May 68 has brought major social
changes.
May 68 led to more freedom.
Simone
Veil
Minister of
the Health
Defender
of the
abortion

8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUJZgkhSCq8
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yves_St_Laurent_le_smoking_at_deYoung_Museum_San_Francisco.jpg?uselang=fr
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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Imagination_Graphique_47_Bulletin_de_Vote.jpg?uselang=fr
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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Imagination_Graphique_13_Lutte_Continue.jpg?uselang=fr
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Odeon-Mai1968.jpg?uselang=fr
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tous_unis_camarades-Mai_1968.jpg?uselang=fr
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_gaulle#mediaviewer/Fichier:Bundesarchiv_B_145_Bild-F010324-0002%2C_Flughafen_K%C3%B6ln-Bonn%2C_Adenauer%2C_de_Gaulle-cropped.jpg
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