Record of Marx's Speech on the Split in the Romance Federation

Author(s) Karl Marx
Johann George Eccarius
Written 1870


First published in Marx and Engels, Works, Second Russian Edition, Vol. 16, Moscow, 1960
Reproduced from the Minute Book of the General Council
Published in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 21

Marx delivered this speech in the General Council on June 28, 1870 to substantiate his resolution on the subject (see General Council Resolution on the Federal Committee of Romance Switzerland. The General Council to the Romance Federal Committee). The speech was recorded by Eccarius.

FROM THE MINUTES OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 28, 1870

Cit. Marx thought the only thing the Council could do was to leave the Geneva Committee[1] that had helped from the foundation of the Association as it was. It had fulfilled its duty in every respect and had had a larger constituency though fewer delegates than [the] other party at the Swiss Congress.[2] The vote admitting the Alliance should also be communicated.[3] The new committee could choose some local name.

  1. ↑ The Federal Council of Romance Switzerland.— Ed.
  2. ↑ The reference is to the congress of the Romance Federation held at La Chaux-de-Fonds from April 4 to 6, 1870. The Alliance of Socialist Democracy made vigorous preparations for the congress and, as a result of various manoeuvres, managed to send 21 delegates representing 13 minor and often fictitious sections (about 700 members), while the Federal Council failed to secure full representation of all its sections and had only 19 delegates from 23 sections (about 1,500 members).
  3. ↑ A reference to the admission of the Alliance of Socialist Democracy to the International (see The International Workingmen's Association and the International Alliance of Socialist Democracy and The General Council of the International Working Men's Association to the Central Bureau of the International Alliance of Socialist Democracy).— Ed.