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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206 THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY. the association from the fragment that they seize. The Ni hilists penetrate everywhere : they shrink from no means of executing the sentence of the secret tribunal. When they are shot or hung, they die without repenting, and they defy both judge and executioner. A real dread of them weighs upon the upper ranks of society in Russia, especially since the terrible death of the Emperor Alexander. The life of the present sovereign is in constant danger. It is hard to say which is the more astonishing, the audacity of the Nihilists or the impo tence of the police. The trial of Netchaieff also enables us to learn how the association enlisted its partisans. Netchaieff was Bakunin’s lieutenant. Ogareff had dedicated to him, in Herzen’s Kolokol, a poem entitled “The Student,” which has exercised a great influence over the revolutionary youth of Russia. Each of them learned it by heart, and it is the model they endeavour to realize. In this little poem the student devotes himself to science and to the redemption of the people. He is hunted down by the police of the Tsar and by the hatred of the Boyars. He adopts the poor and nomad life of a vagabond {skitanie), saying to the peasants from morn till eve, “ Arise, in union and with courage ! ” He was condemned to penal servitude in Siberia, where he died repeating, “The people must win land and liberty : Zemlia e Volyia.” This watchword became the title of a newspaper secretly published, up to quite recently, by the Nihilists. In September, 1865, Netchaieff, whom Ogareff’s poetry surrounded with the halo of an apostle and a martyr, arrived at Moscow. There he entered into relations with the students at the Academy of Agriculture. He made some recruits and formed a committee, which he called “The Russian Branch of the International Working Men’s Association.” He gave them some instructions on the organization of the Secret Society. The document was taken and read at the trial. The following is a remarkable extract “ The organization is founded on confidence towards the individual. No member knows in what degree he stands from the centre. Obedience to the orders of the committee must be absolute, without hesitation

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