On the 155th anniversary of the creation of the First International
At the beginning of the second half of the 19th century, against the background of aggravated problems of pre-monopoly capitalism, there was an upsurge in the labor movement in many states. Numerically grown and taught by the experience of the revolutions of 1848–1849, the proletariat (working class) of the most economically developed countries of Europe, freed from the influence of the bourgeoisie, took the path of independent development. Close international relations within the framework of the finally established world capitalist market contributed to the identification of the common interests of workers of various states. The first manifestations of international proletarian solidarity were associated with the support of the strike movement of the working people of England, France, and Switzerland. Workers in many countries have recognized the need to create a single international organization that can help solve their social problems, which, in fact, were common to many workers, regardless of their national or state affiliation. Capitalism in all countries manifests itself in the same way. It plunges the majority of ordinary workers into the abyss of poverty, hunger, exploitation, when the capitalists pay pennies for hard work.
The commonality of social problems for many workers from various countries served as one of the important reasons for the creation of the First International (International Partnership of Workers).
This proletarian organization was founded in London on September 28, 1864. Karl Marx was one of the main leaders in the creation of the First International. By uniting the most conscious workers around him, represented by F. Lessner, E. Dupont, G. Jung, he actually headed the organization, putting an end to the attempts of bourgeois elements to seize leadership. In the Constituent Manifesto, written by Marx, the proletariat set itself the task of fighting for the complete destruction of exploitation, for the overthrow of the capitalist system.
The international workers' partnership was built on the basis of democratic centralism, which means the election of all senior officials, the periodic reporting of leadership to local committees, strict discipline and subordination of the minority to the majority, unconditional binding decisions of the highest bodies for the lower ones.
This organization, actually managed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, led the economic and political struggle of the proletarians of various countries and strengthened their international solidarity. The First International had its branches (sections) in France, Germany, England, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Holland, as well as in the USA and even in Australia.
The organization also united those work collectives where various petty-bourgeois movements still had great influence. The First International opposed anti-Marxist ideology, promoting and upholding scientific communism. In particular, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels fought a persistent struggle against the subversive and destructive work of the anarchists.
In 1872, at the suggestion of Marx, the seat of the General Council of the First International was moved from London to New York. A few years later, the experience of struggle showed that this proletarian organization in its former form can no longer exist. The next day was the task of creating mass political parties of the working class in each country. In 1876, the First International ceased to exist.
The international workers' partnership was the most important stage in the struggle of the founders of Marxism for the proletarian party. The activists of this organization went through the school of internationalism, made an ideological transition from utopianism and sectarianism to scientific communism. The First International formed all the necessary conditions for the mass struggle of the proletariat of all countries for socialism, laid the foundation for the world communist movement. According to V.I. Lenin, the foundation was created for an international organization of workers to prepare their revolutionary onslaught on capital.
The experience of the First International must be used today, uniting the proletarians of all countries and nationalities in a single joint struggle against imperialism, fascism and the accompanying wars, to prepare for the revolutionary overthrow of the bourgeois system in all countries where it exists, for economic and political equality in the form of socialism.
S. Kuzmin
