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 Statute- 
book 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 inter 
national, 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 trans 
formation 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