BAKUNIN  THE  APOSTLE  OF  NIHILISM.  22/
themselves  definitively  from  Marx,  and  pronounced  in  favour  of
Bakunin,  who  had  been,  in  fact,  their  Messiah.
Even  since  the  International  has  ceased  to  exist  the  name
has  continued  to  be  given  to  all  Socialistic  associations  in  Italy,
and,  for  that  matter,  they  call  themselves  “  Sections  of  the  Italian
federation  of  the  International  Association  of  Labourers.”
Their  number  has  not  ceased  to  increase,  and  they  may  be
said  to  exist  in  all  the  towns.  Latterly,  in  order  to  escape
the  severity  of  the  police,  they  have  taken  the  name  of  “  Circles
tor  Social  Studies.”  From  time  to  time  they  issue  manifestoes,
and  occasionally  they  assemble  in  regional  congresses.  They
carry  on  an  active  propaganda.  Although  the  Italian  Statutebook
  did  not  proclaim  liberty  of  association  at  the  same  time
as  the  other  essential  liberties,  the  exercise  of  the  right  has
ecome  customary,  and  is  recognized  in  practice  as  guaranteed
hy  the  constitution.  To  attack  the  associations  called  international, ­
  jurisprudence  has  been  obliged  to  look  upon  them
as  associations  of  malefactors  preparing  crimes  against  common
right,  such  as  assassination  and  robbery.  It  is  on  this  ground
that  they  have  been  dissolved  and  their  members  prosecuted.
In  1874  proceedings  were  taken  to  arrest  all  the  provincial
commissions,  to  dissolve  by  force  all  the  sections,  and  to
sequester  their  registers  and  papers.  The  juries,  however,
often  brought  in  an  acquittal.  The  prosecutions  served  only
to  transform  the  associations  into  secret  societies—a  transformation ­
  which  greatly  augments  their  prestige,  their  influence
and  their  popularity,  for  they  thus  answer  much  better  to  the
habits  of  conspiracy  engrained  in  the  people.  *
In  a  letter  written  from  Locarno,  on  the  5th  of  April  1872
to  Francesco  Mora,  at  Madrid,  Bakunin  thus  described  the
Socialistic  movement  in  Italy:  “You  are  doubtless  aware
that  the  International  and  our  dear  Alliance  have  lately
taken  a  great  development  in  Italy.  Hitherto  it  was  not
revolutionary  instincts  that  were  wanting,  but  organization