Commoning, Thresholding, And The Concrete Fantasy: Lessons From France
Over a decade ago two innovative movements mobilized in France to take on the neoliberal assaults on the commons and the public good. The Nuit Debout was an Occupy movement that began in Paris in 2016. It was followed by the Yellow Vests, an extraordinary formation that rushed into Paris from the provinces starting in 2018. Triggered by a rise in fuel taxes, the Yellow Vests rapidly articulated broader grievances over inequality, territorial neglect, and the erosion of public services. They demanded affordable transport, pensions, hospitals, and schools.