MAY68

May 1968 witnessed a period of civil unrest in France, which began with anti-capitalist protests by students in Paris. After arrests, events quickly became violent, with police using tear gas and the demonstrators building barricades and throwing cobblestones. Factory workers also went on strike and the movement spread throughout the country, causing the economy to grind to a halt. The government feared a revolution and the French President, Charles de Gaulle, even fled to Germany for a short time. He returned after some 300,000 of his supporters descended on Paris. Some major reforms were finally implemented, including a 35 percent raise of the minimum wage and a 40-hour work week.