Book International: The Value and History of the First International or the International Workingmen’s Association

Prof. Chen Huocan,  Senior expert on world history

This part below is taken from the book of the author written in 2019      

The First International, or the International Workingmen’s Association, was an international workers’ union founded in 1864. Its purpose was to unite the forces of the working class of all countries in a united political and economic struggle against the capitalist exploiters and their social system. It fought against war and the remnants of the dying feudal system. It also fought for the abolition of black slavery in the United States, for independence for Poland and Ireland, for workers’ suffrage, and for social legislation. It also constantly carried out revolutionary education for the masses. [6][1]

Because the name of the organization was too long, therefore the first word “International” is usually used. After the establishment of the Second International, it was called the “First International”. Karl Marx was one of the founders of the First International and its de facto leader. [7][3][8]  In the development direction of the First International, Engels provided the most direct material and spiritual support, as well as extensive knowledge and rigorous scientific theoretical guidance. Engels effectively refuted various erroneous thoughts, consolidated the guiding role of Marxism, and made important contributions to the international communist movement. [9]

The First International was born in the context of the renewed upsurge of the European workers’ movement and democratic movement in the late 1850s and early 1860s. After the Revolution of 1848, European capitalism developed rapidly in a relatively calm atmosphere, a capitalist world market was formed, and the connections between capitalist countries became increasingly international. At the same time, the oppression suffered by working people all over the world was increasing, and the resistance struggle of the proletariat and the oppressed people was constantly intensifying. The practice of the struggle against oppression and exploitation made the proletariat of various countries realize that they had common interests and common enemies, and that previous scattered struggles often led them to the same defeat. The proletariat must unite on an international scale and use the international solidarity of the proletariat to counter the international unity of the bourgeoisie. This internationalist consciousness promoted the birth of the International Workingmen’s Association. [10]

In 1871, the French branch of the First International participated in the Paris Commune movement, but with the failure of the Paris Commune, the organization gradually weakened and officially declared its dissolution on July 15, 1876. [11]

Development History

On September 28, 1864, more than 2,000 workers from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and other countries gathered at St. Martin’s Church in London to support the Polish uprising. The conference decided to establish an international workers’ organization named the International Workingmen’s Association (English name: International Workingmen’s Association), historically also known as the First International. [1]

Based on the proposal of the British and French workers’ representatives, the congress decided to establish an international workers’ association and elected a provisional committee of 21 members (the committee was called the Central Committee from October 18, 1864 and was renamed the General Committee in the summer of 1866). The International Workingmen’s Association was established. [12] On November 1, 1864, the Association’s Programmatic Document Drafting Committee approved the two programmatic documents drafted by Marx: the “Inaugural Declaration” and the “Common Rules and Regulations”. [13]

The first meeting elected 50 members and a special committee of 9 people to draft the charter. Marx represented German workers at the meeting and joined the special committee. He drafted the “Manifesto of the International Workingmen’s Association” and the “Provisional Charter of the Association”, which were revised at the London Conference in September 1871 and became the “Common Charter of the International Workingmen’s Association”. The charter clarified the purpose of the proletarian movement: to overthrow capitalism and establish a working-class regime; it declared the basic principle of the workers’ movement: “The liberation of the working class should be fought for by the working class itself.” [12] In 1876, the First International officially declared its dissolution at a representative conference held in Philadelphia, USA. [11]

Internal struggles

From its establishment to its dissolution, the First International experienced two internal struggles. Under the leadership of Marx, it resolutely fought against erroneous trends such as British trade unionism, French Proudhonism, and Bakuninism, thus expanding the influence of scientific socialism. During this period, the proletarian parties in European countries were basically able to act on the Marxist standpoint. [1]

Struggle Against Proudhonism

The Proudhonists opposed the participation of the working class in political struggle and openly defended the private property system. From the very beginning, the International, which aimed at the complete liberation of the working class, put the struggle against the Proudhonists at the top of its ideological struggle. [14] The main issue of the struggle was whether the working class should participate in the political struggle and whether the private ownership system should be eliminated. Despite the opposition of the Proudhonists, the First London Conference passed a resolution that Poland’s democratic independence must be restored, emphasizing the necessity of the working class’s participation in the political struggle, thus winning the first round of the struggle against Proudhonism. [14]

The Geneva Congress adopted resolutions on issues such as the eight-hour workday, protection of women and children’s labor, universal technical education, cooperatives, trade unions, and the abolition of the standing army, in accordance with the spirit of the “Instructions of the Provisional Central Committee to the Delegates on Certain Questions” drafted by Marx. These resolutions dealt a heavy blow to the Proudhonists. [14]

The resolution on the trade union issue adopted by the congress was of special significance. It called for the close integration of the proletariat’s economic struggle and political struggle, thus opposing not only the French Proudhonists and German Lassalleans who denied the trade union organization, but also the British trade unionists who exaggerated the significance of economic struggle. The Lausanne Congress once again affirmed the necessity of the working class to carry out political struggle, emphasizing that the social liberation of the working class and their political liberation are inseparable, and that the struggle for political freedom is an indispensable and primary measure. After the Geneva Congress and the Lausanne Congress, the Proudhonists began to split. [15]

Against Bakuninism

The struggle revolved around the question of how to eliminate private property, and involved whether the proletariat should establish its own independent political party and establish proletarian political rule in order to eliminate the capitalist exploitation system.[16]  After the Basel Congress, Bakunin slandered and attacked the General Council. In his “Confidential Notice”, Marx exposed and criticized Bakunin’s conspiracy and slanderous remarks. In order to summarize the lessons of the Paris Commune and counter the attack of the Bakuninists, the General Council held a conference in London in September 1871.

The entire work of the conference was centered on opposing sectarianism and anarchism. The resolutions adopted by the conference to establish independent proletarian parties in various countries and the resolution requiring groups participating in the International to abandon sectarian organizations not only marked the victory of Marxism over Bakuninism, but also pointed out the direction for the future development of the workers’ movement in various countries. After the London Conference, the Bakuninists held a separatist conference in Sonvilliers, Switzerland, attacking and negating the resolutions of the London Conference, calling for the abolition of the General Council and the implementation of complete autonomy, which was actually the complete abolition of the political organization of the proletariat. In the notice “The So-called Split in the International” drafted for the General Council, Marx and Engels exposed Bakunin’s conspiracy and criticized Bakunin’s anarchist views. [15][17][18][19][20]

After the Basel Congress passed a resolution to implement public ownership of land, Bakunin demanded that the abolition of inheritance rights be used as a means to eliminate private ownership and the starting point of social revolution, attempting to impose his anarchist proposition of “social liquidation” or the immediate abolition of all political states on the International. In his “Report on the Right of Inheritance” drafted for the General Council, Marx criticized Bakunin’s proposition, pointing out that he was wrong in theory and reactionary in practice. [16]

Struggle Against British Trade Unionism

In order to expand the international organization and curb the influence of the British trade unions on the workers’ movement, Marx and Engels decided to absorb the British trade unions into the First International and criticize and struggle against them. Because if they were not criticized on issues of principle, they would lead the workers to the path of trade unionism and the First International would degenerate. Only by criticizing and struggling against British trade unionism could scientific socialism be instilled into the workers’ movement, leading the British working class to the correct revolutionary path and promoting the development of the international workers’ movement. [21]

Marx understood that the British trade unionists had no proletarian organizational ideas. So at the meeting of the General Council on November 8, 1834, Marx proposed that “no one can be a member of this committee if he does not attend the meeting.” Since these trade unionists joined the International only to enjoy the rights and publications but did not want to fulfil their obligations, at the meeting of the General Council on November 29, Marx proposed and unanimously passed the following resolution: “As a member of the International, no one who has not paid his previous subscription can be elected to the Central Committee.” [21]

In order to ensure the purity of the First International, Marx pointed out that it was necessary to prevent trade unionists from bringing bourgeois politicians into the International. He proposed and unanimously passed at the regular meeting on January 24, 1865 that “the election of new members should be carried out in the absence of candidates. Candidates must be members of the International, and there should be no honorary members in the International.”[21] Because Marx adhered to the correct organizational principles of the First International, Marx ensured the consolidation and development of the First International and the victory of Marxism over British trade unionism.[21]

Please Download for Full Text