The Socialism of to-day

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 835096955

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-28834

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Laveleye, Émile de

Title:: The Socialism of to-day

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Field & Tuer

Year of publication:: 1884

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (XLIV, 331 S.)

Collection:: Economics Books

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THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY. 150 they organized a fête of “ international fraternization ” at the Freemasons’ Tavern. The speeches were by no means violent. On the question of wages, it was said, working men should combine ; but, to smoothen difficulties, they ought also to enter into some arrangement with their employers. According as machinery was improved, there would be a smaller demand for labour; a proportionate reduction of wages would therefore be threatened. How was a sufficient remuneration to be secured to the labourer ? It was a difficult problem, the solu tion of which required the attention of historians, philosophers, statesmen, employers, and labourers of all countries. Finally, they proposed to create committees of working men “as a medium for the interchange of ideas on questions of interna tional trade.” The conception of a universal association appears here in embryo. Two years afterwards it saw the light. On the 28th of September, 1864, a great meeting of working men of all nations was held at St Martin’s Hall, London, under the presidency of Professor Beesly. M. Tolain spoke in the name of France. Karl Marx was the real inspirer of the movement, though Mazzini’s secretary. Major Wolff, assisted him—a fact which has given rise to the statement that Mazzini was the founder of the International. So far was this from being the case that he only joined it with distrust, and soon left it. The meeting appointed a provisional committee to draw up the statutes of the association, to be submitted to the Universal Congress, which was expected to meet at Brussels in the following year. In this committee Fngland, France, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, and Germany were represented ; and afterwards delegates from other countries were admitted. They were fifty in all. They adopted none of the ways of a secret society. On the contrary, it was by publicity that they hoped to carry on their propaganda. Their office was in London : No. 18, Greek Street, Soho. The statutes that were drawn up were, after all, by no means revolutionary ; indeed, it might have been supposed to be a society for the study of social questions. A general council was appointed, with Odger for president ; Wheeler, treasurer ; Cremer, secretary ; and includ*

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