The book details the historical events surrounding the coup d'état of December 1851, executed by Louis Bonaparte against the Second French Republic. Victor Hugo meticulously chronicles the suddenness of the usurpation, the illusion of security that preceded it, and the swift violation of the National Assembly. He describes the cowardice of certain officials, the complicity of the military, and the desperate efforts of a handful of Representatives to rouse the apathetic populace of Paris. The narrative shifts from the political chambers to the streets and the first barricades erected by defenders of the Republic, such as Baudin.
Despite initial apathy and the overwhelming force of the military, a small band of deputies attempts to rally the people against tyranny. The text captures the psychological and political atmosphere of a nation surrendering to dictatorship, contrasting the cynicism of the usurpers with the doomed valor of the resistance. The work serves as both a historical record and a fierce polemic on liberty, law, and civic duty, closing on the tragic sacrifices made in the opening struggles of the uprising.
