Le VIIe arrondissement de Paris face à la guerre de 1870 et à la Commune

This article examines the impact of the 1870 war and the Commune on everyday life, highlighting the perspective of the defeated who perceive a sense of loss due to a radical sociopolitical upheaval. The study is based on a critical analysis of several historical sources showing the consequences of these traumatic experiences. Originally applied to military studies, the concept of defeat here takes on a human and social dimension. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the population of Paris’s 7th arrondissement, ranging from the bourgeoisie and the middle and working classes. This article explores how those who experencied the war and the revolt also suffered from the tension between preservation and revolution. Significantly, the social hierarchies within the 7th arrondissement, a traditional stronghold of the conservative bourgeoisie, appear deeply reshaped by this epoch-making socio-political change.