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Marx, Karl, 1818-1883

"Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte"

Him whom
we must convince we recognize as the master of the situation. Bonaparte,
made to feel secure by this step, appoints on January 12 a new Ministry,
in which the leaders of the old, Fould and Baroche, are retained. St
Jean d'Angley becomes Minister of War; the "Moniteur" announces the
decree cashiering Changarnier; his command is divided up between
Baraguay d'Hilliers, who receives the First Division, and Perrot, who is
placed over the National Guard. The "Bulwark of Society" is turned down;
and, although no dog barks over the event, in the Bourses the stock
quotations rise.
By repelling the Army, that, in Changarnier's person, put itself at its
disposal, and thus irrevocably stood up against the President, the party
of Order declares that the bourgeoisie has lost its vocation to reign.
Already there was no parliamentary Ministry. By losing, furthermore, the
handle to the Army and to the National Guard, what instrument of force
was there left to the National Assembly in order to maintain both the
usurped power of the parliament over the people, and its constitutional
power over the President? None.


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