Looking thru History

In talking with a friend yesterday about the historical significance of my political views, I decided it might be a good idea to write a little bit about the events that I see as having the greatest effect on my view points. I will touch upon 3 points in history: The Enlightenment of 1848; The First International Haymarket Riot of 1886 Eugene Debs and American Socialism 1- The First International Europe in the 1840's was full of upheaval. The Imperial system, first challenged in France in 1789, was falling apart all over the continent. Revolutions in France, Germany, Italy, and Poland in 1848 created great political unrest. This, coupled with various agricultural disasters (such as the Irish Potato Famine), left many inhabitants in poor, rural areas of various countries without a means of sustenance. Industrialization was moving into countries such as Germany, and the textile industry was taking hold of vast numbers of people, forever changing the relationships of the various classes within the continent. It was in this time of radical change that the International Workingmen's Association, or the "First International", brought together some of the greatest thinkers in Europe in 1864. Karl Marx, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, and Mikhail Bakunin were among the leading figures. All agreed that the governmental system must change, but few could agree on how this was to be done. Karl Marx put forth his ideal of State Socialism, whereby the means of all production is the property of the State. In this world, the state would control all production, employment, and compensation, therefore creating a Utopian society where everything was "fair". This would involve a Socialist Revolution to end the evils of Capitalism, and allow for the conversion to this Vocalist State. In order to make this transition possible after the Revolution, Marx introduced to idea of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat, where absolute power by the people would replace the current government of the existing leadership. Proudhon and his Mutualists rejected Marxist thinking, instead supporting a labor-value economic system that they said would self-regulate. They point to the writings of Adam Smith for the "labor theory of value", saying it is unethical to charge more for a product than the value of the labor that was used to produce it. Proudhon is also famous for his stance on property ownership, saying that "Property is Theft". "The peasant who hires land, the manufacturer who borrows capital, the tax-payer who pays tolls, duties, patent and license fees, personal and property taxes, &c., and the deputy who votes for them, — all act neither intelligently nor freely. Their enemies are the proprietors, the capitalists, the government." Bakunin enters as a primary figure in 1868. He preaches a society of Libertarian Socialism or Collectivist Anarchism, where workers would directly manage the means of production though their own associations. In this model, the Sate is eliminated completely. He rejected the ideas of Marx, saying: "...we shall always protest against anything that may in any way resemble communism or state socialism," (which Bakunin regarded as fundamentally authoritarian) In this, the First International was polarized, with Marx and Bakunin being the heads of opposites. Ultimately, in 1872 at the Hague Congress, Marx was able to have Bakinun removed from the International, thereby taking control of leftist European thought. Marx's teachings would be the impetus for revolutions in Europe; the most important of which was the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917. The Bolsheviks use the teachings of Karl Marx to advance their cause, ultimately falling into the trap that Bakunin predicted in Statism and Anarchy; that, if a Marxist party came to power, its leaders would simply take the place of the ruling class they had fought against. At the beginning of the Revolution, however, it was hailed in Europe and by the American Socialists, fathered by Eugene Debs. This will be Part 3 of my discussion. Bakunin's removal from the International did nothing to silence him. He, in parallel with Peter Kropotkin continue to develop their ideas into the basic framework for Anarchist Communism and Anarchism. This influence will spread into America through Anarchists Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman. These leaders Would develop Anarchism in America, of which the Haymarket Riot of 1886 is an essential part. This will be Part 2 of my discussion. So, what did I learn from the First International? I obviously learned all of the different ideologies that were represented among the members of the First International. I was able to examine each one of them, and to try to determine for myself what I agreed with and what I didn't. I also learned some ancillary, broader points that were in themselves very important. 1. There are people around the world who see the need for change. With all of the pseudo-politics in the United States and the lack of independent thought to be found there, we sometimes forget that there are many groups of people with similar thoughts. Seek them out. The Internet is an excellent medium to find these groups and to review their ideas. Use it. 2. Most people will not work for change unless there is a great need. The 1840's, with all of its upheaval, made a perfect breeding ground for new ideas, and created a platform to publicize them. The Proverbial "fat, dumb, and happy" individual, for whom ignorance is bliss, has no particular desire to work for change. In order to see the need for change, we must look to those with the greatest need: the poor, indigent, sick, spurned, and outcast. 3. Politics is everywhere. Even in the First International, where the greatest thinkers in all of Europe discussed the changes needed, politics reared its head. When Marx saw Bakunin begin to grow in influence, he made sure that Bakunin was expelled from the international. Marx made himself the unquestioned leader with this motion, and the ideas and legacy of Bakunin are, for the most part, relegated to obscure history.