| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 10 November 1893 |
ENGELS TO VICTOR ADLER
IN VIENNA
London, 10 November 1893
Dear Victor,
I am sending you herewith part of a letter from August. I do not share his misgivings, for it seems to me that such possibilities are too remote and by now may to some extent be excluded. Make sure that the letter is destroyed as requested.
My letter of 11 October[1] crossed with yours of the same date. You will have seen that we are fully in agreement as regards our general view of the situation in Austria, a situation that seems to me rather more favourable now than it was then. Electoral reform, taking Taaffe's Bill as the minimum, will no longer be relegated to the background in Vienna. The Emperor[2] has approved it and the Emperor cannot back down. He, however, is far more representative of Austria than the Diet. It would seem that the new-born coalition goverment is already expiring, but even if this is not the case, it will come to grief at the first sign of positive action. Even if, as August supposes, it were to marshall the forces of Baernreitherism, 294 that would be no more than a very temporary expedient and would not prevent a collapse, should the question of action arise in some other quarter. This much is certain; Austria is now in the van of the European political movement, while we others limp along behind—even those countries that already have universal suffrage will not be able to elude the impulse provided by Austria. At Ronacher they wanteds set-to. 295 If you succeed it keeping the chaps on a tight rein, you can't go wrong. The one thing that might bring Windischgrätz, Plener and Jaworski together would be a set-to in Vienna and a victory combined with a fusillade.
Over here we're doing very nicely, In matters of serious reform the Liberal government is proving an abject failure. Even the Fabian society 43 has foresworn its allegiance and disavowed its whole policy of permeation. See the article by Autolycus (Burgess) on page one of the Workman's Times[3] on the Fabian manifesto which appeared in the Fortnightly Review.[4] If the Liberals can't do any better, there'll be a mass of Labour candidates come the next elections, and between thirty and forty will probably get in. In the municipal elections on 1 November the working men of the North began to take stock of themselves and scored a good many successes.
Regards from Louise and yours,
F. E.