Letter to Paul Lafargue, January 14, 1889

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 14 January 1889


First published, in the language of the original (French), in: F. Engels, P. et L. Lafargue, Correspondance, t. II, Paris, 1956
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 48


ENGELS TO PAUL LAFARGUE[1]

AT LE PERREUX

London, 14 January 1889

My dear Lafargue,

Reply from Liebknecht and Bebel after mutual consultation.[2] It would appear that they never had any intention of going to the Possibilist congress direct and without reference to you. But

1) Since the London congress[3] resolved to convene a congress in Paris and entrusted its organisation to the Possibilists, the latter do have certain rights, notably in regard to the nationalities represented in London who concurred with that resolution. (Why, by the bye, have you abdicated so completely and abandoned the field to the Possibilists?)

2) The Dutch have expressly asked that the Possibilists be invited to the congress, making this a condition for their (the Dutchmen's) atten- dance.

3) And Liebknecht is right when he says that the Germans cannot expose themselves to attack by French workers in Paris—a hazard, he avers, against which you have been unable to give them any sort of guar- antee.

Apparently, then, it has been resolved to convene a preliminary conference at Nancy,[4] one delegate per foreign nationality, and one delegate from each of the three French parties—yourselves, Blanquists, Possibilists; also to move that, at the congress, the right to speak be with- drawn from any speaker alluding to the internal affairs of those three parties and to the differences between them. In this way there would be only one congress, at which everyone would be represented.

I don't see how you can turn this down. If it then be seen that you are prepared to act along with everyone else, and that the Possibilists are trying to exclude you, it would be enough to put the Possibilists in the wrong, even in the eyes of the Dutch and Belgians (the Flemings are all right but, where their foreign policy is concerned, they are under the thumb of those false brethren in Brussels of whom you know); if, on the other hand, they accept, you will only have yourselves to blame should you fail to prove to one and all that it is you, and not they, who repre- sent French Socialism.

Here is the text of what Liebknecht says: 'Ich richtete also am Dienstag 8. Januar nach Besprechung mit Bebel eine formelle Einladung an das Blatt[5] (der Possibilisten).b Kommt kein Delegierter derselben (zur Konferenz) so haben wir freie Hand. Kommt einer oder kommen mehrere, so werden wir schon mit ihnen fertig werden. Fügen sie sich, dann gut. Fügen sie sich nicht, dann sind sie isoliert und werden von uns tot gemacht'... 'In jedem Fall sichert die Konferenz das Gelingen des Kongresses und die Lahmlegung der Broussisten.'[6]

If all this is correct, I cannot see that you have cause for complaint; on the contrary, it would provide an excellent opportunity to force the hand of the Possibilists. Before answering, however, I am anxious to ascertain the facts and to hear what you have to say. After consulting your friends, therefore, and after seeking the advice of the Blanquists, do write and tell me what you think about all this; and do it soon, it's urgent.

Give Laura a kiss from Nim and from myself.

Yours ever,

F. Engels

  1. ↑ This letter was first published in English in Frederick Engels, Paul and Laura Lafargue. Correspondence. 1887-1890, Vol. 2, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Moscow, 1960.
  2. ↑ At Paul Lafargue's request Engels approached the leaders of the German Social Democratic Party to learn their opinion concerning the forthcoming International Socialist Working Men's Congress. In this letter he informed Lafargue about the replies of August Bebel of 8 January 1889 and Wilhelm Liebknecht of 11 January 1889.
  3. ↑ The reference is to the London International Congress of Trades Unions held on 6-10 November 1888 at the initiative of the British trade unions. The congress involved trade union representatives of Britain, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Italy as well as French syndicates aligned with the Possibilists. Stipulating that delegates to this congress should be officially elected by respective trade unions, its organisers thereby deprived the German and Austrian. Social Democrats, as well as representatives of the French Workers' Party (the Guesdists), see note 33, of an opportunity to attend. Yet the leaders of the British trade unions failed in their attempts to foist reformist decisions on the congress and isolate it from the Socialists. The congress adopted a number of positive decisions. Thus, the workers were not to confine themselves to forming purely professional organisations - they were to unite into an independent political party as well. One of the resolutions stressed the need to press for legislative regulation of the working day and working conditions. In its most significant decision, the congress resolved to convene an International Working Men's Congress in Paris in 1889; organisation of this congress was entrusted to the Possibilists.
  4. ↑ A preliminary conference, scheduled for 18 January 1889 at Nancy and suggested by representatives of German Social Democracy, did not take place.
  5. ↑ Parti Ouvrier - Engels gives this sentence in a close rendering rather than word for word
  6. ↑ 'On Tuesday, 8 January, after discussing the matter with Bebel, I sent a formal invitation to the (Possibilist) paper. Should the latter not send a delegate (to the conference), we shall have a free hand. Should one or several attend, we shall know how to deal with them. If they toe the line, well and good. If they do not toe the line, they will stand on their own and will be wiped out by us.'... 'In either case the meeting will ensure the success of the congress and the hamstringing of the Broussists.'