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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BAKUNIN THE APOSTLE OF NIHILISM. 219 Seraing, attracted a great deal of attention to the International. The leaders, however, were unwilling to encourage strikes, for fear they should fail. Thus, at the second National Congress of Antwerp, which sat from the ist to the 15th of August, 1873, it was resolved that the federations should make every prepara tion for the universal strike, but that it was necessary to give up entirely partial strikes, except “ in a case of legitimate defence.” At the time of its greatest diffusion the International counted eight federations : those, namely, of Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp, Liège, the Vesdre, the Borinage, the Centre, and Charleroi. As to the number of members, it has been variously estimated from one to two hundred thousand ; but as member ship is acquired by a purely platonic adhesion, exact statistics are impossible. However, the organization has been more complete here than anywhere else. After the schism of the Hague, the Belgian Internationalists pronounced against the exclusion of Bakunin, without however adhering to his doctrines. Since the Universal Association has ceased to operate, the Belgian Socialists have attempted to reconstitute it on a national basis. Two tendencies exist : some, like the German Socialists, wish to obtain power by means of the elections, and they call for universal suffrage and common action with the bourgeois radicals ; others, represented by the newspaper Le Mirabeau, assert, like the Nihilists, that it is necessary to begin by de stroying everything. “ Whoever,” says this journal, “ has not borne the rags of wretchedness cannot desire the true revolu tion. The labourer alone can bring it about. All weapons are employed against him ; be it so : an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Let us put in operation fire, sword, poison, and petroleum. Let us make a tabula rasa. Let us level to the ground this rotten society based on our misery and our ignorance. As conquerors, we shall build up a new society founded on labour and justice.” Prosecutions on account of these appeals to violence having only given them a notoriety that they would not otherwise have possessed, all interference with them has ceased. During the past few years Socialism does not appear to have gained

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