Commune

Commune, in France, the smallest administrative unit, corresponding very roughly to our civil parish, governed by a maire and popularly elected council. After the war of 1870-71 a number of Parisian radicals endeavoured to make Paris a single commune - i.e. to obtain popular municipal government. Most of them, however, wished France to be a mere federation of communes, and many held more or less socialistic views. The movement was finally suppressed by the Provisional Government (then located at Versailles) on May 28, 1871, after ten weeks' bloody civil warfare. This movement should not be confused with communism proper.