The London Conference of the International Working Men's Association, September 1871

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The London Conference (September 17-23, 1871) marked an important stage in the struggle waged by Marx and Engels for establishing a proletarian party.

In conformity with a resolution of the Congress of Basle (1869), the next congress of the International Working Men’s Association was to be held in Paris. However, the persecution of the International’s sections by the police in France by orders of the Bonapartist government compelled the General Council to shift the next congress to Mayence (Germany) (see present edition, Vol. 21, p. 132). The outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war made the congress impossible; nor was it possible to hold it in the atmosphere of severe reprisals against the members of the International during the civil war in France, especially after the suppression of the Paris Commune. Under these conditions, the majority of national federations suggested that the congress be postponed and the General Council be empowered to convene it at its own discretion. At the same time, the need to take account of the experience of the Paris Commune and adopt collective decisions so as to strengthen the ideological unity and organization of the International, the urgent tasks of the struggle against the Bakuninists and other sectarian elements, who had stepped up their splitting activities, as well as other tasks, demanded the convocation of a conference of representatives of the International from all countries. At its meeting on July 25, 1871, the General Council, at Engels’ suggestion, resolved to convene a closed conference of the International Working Men’s Association in London on September 17. The majority of the federations agreed with this proposal. Marx and Engels carried out tremendous preparatory work. At the meetings of the General Council on August 15 and September 5, 12 and 16, the questions concerning the organization and the agenda were discussed and the draft resolutions were adopted.

Twenty-two delegates with votes and ten delegates with voice but no votes took part in the work of the Conference. The countries unable to send delegates were represented by the corresponding secretaries. Marx represented Germany, Engels, Italy. In all, there were nine closed sessions.

The minutes of the Conference and the other related material were first published, in Russian, in the book The London Conference of the First International, 17-23 September, 1871, Moscow, 1936.

In this volume, the Conference resolutions, along with the accounts of the statements by Marx and Engels, which have reached us as written down by Engels, are published in the main text. Marx’s speeches, recorded by Rochat and Martin, are published in Appendices (see pp.

Motions and resolutions

• Motions of the General Council Adopted by the Conference
• Resolution of the London Conference relating to the Split in Romance Switzerland (Marx)
• Resolutions of the Conference of Delegates of the International Working Men's Association
  • I. Composition of General Council
  • II. Designation of National Councils, etc.
  • III. Delegates of the General Council
  • IV. Contribution of 1D. per member to the General Council
  • V. Formation of working women branches
  • VI. General statistics of the working classe
  • VII. International relations of Trades' unions
  • VIII. Agricultural producers
  • IX. Political action of the working class
  • X. General resolution as to the countries where the regular organisation of the International is interfered with by the governments
  • XI. Resolutions related to France
  • XII. Resolutions related to England
  • XIII. Special votes of the conference
  • XIV. Instruction to citizen Outine
  • XV. Convocation of next congress
  • XVI. Alliance de la démocratie socialiste (The Alliance of Socialist Democracy)
  • XVII. Split in the French Speaking part of Switzerland

Speeches

• On the Political Action of the Working Class. Plan for speech (Engels)
• On the Political Action of the Working Class (Engels)

• On the Activity of the Alliance of Socialist Democracy. Record of the Speech at the Sitting of the Conference Commission of 18 September 1871
• Record of Engels' Speech on the Convocation of the London Conference of 1871
• Record of Marx's Speech in the Opening of the London Conference
• Records of Marx's Speeches on Trade Unions
• Record of Marx's Speech on the Political Action of the Working Class
• Record of Marx's Speech on the Position of the International Working Men's Association in Germany and England
• Record of Marx's Speech on Secret Societies

See also

• Jenny Marx's Letter to the Editor of Woodhull & Claflin's Weekly
• Record of Marx's Speech on the Seventh Anniversary of the International