Socialism in Germany

An article by Engels elaborating on what stance German socialists should take in dealing with the danger of the outbreak of war in Europe. Written October 13–22, 1891. The first draft appeared in the 1892 Almanach du Parti Ouvrier (Workers’ Party Annals). Then, Engels translated it into German and wrote a preface and a conclusion in January 1892, which were published in the journal Die Neue Zeit, 10th Year, Vol. 1, No. 19, between 1891 and 1892.

At the end of the 19th century, as the contradictions between the major capitalist countries in Europe deepened, the dark clouds of war began to loom over Europe. Since the summer of 1891, Engels had been pondering the question: if war broke out in Europe with Russia and France on the one side and Germany on the other, what kind of change would take place in the position of the Social Democratic Party of Germany? On September 23, 1891, Paul Lafargue was commissioned by the leadership of the French Workers’ Party to ask Engels to write an article on German socialism for the Almanach du Parti Ouvrier. In response to this request, Engels wrote this article which included his own reflections. In Socialism in Germany, Engels first briefly introduced the history and current situation of the development of socialism in Germany, affirming the great achievements made by the Social Democratic Party of Germany through legal struggle. He pointed out that “German socialism made its appearance well before 1848”, that it was initially divided into two independent tendencies, a workers’ movement, a theoretical movement dominated by Marxism, which achieved a fusion with the publication of The Communist Manifesto in 1848. After the defeat of the European revolution in 1849, socialism was reduced in Germany to a secret existence. During this period, it was split into the Eisenachers and the Lassalleans. After the publication of Capital, as its theories became the common property of all the German socialists, the two factions eventually achieved a unification in 1875. Moreover, after the harsh years of the Anti-Socialist Laws, the Social Democratic Party of Germany, with 35 deputies and 1.5 million voters in the elections of 1890, became the most powerful party in Germany. Engels then clarified the tactics of struggle that the Party should adopt under the then conditions. He held that legality was serving the Social Democrats and therefore could not be spurned. Even if one day the German government “turn their back on the law in order to crush us by violence”, it will only make the victory of the future revolution more radical and more consolidated. Finally, Engels concretely elaborated on the attitude that German socialists should take towards the war. Engels pointed out that if Russia and France jointly defeated Germany and “crushed socialism in this country”, then German socialists must resolutely oppose the war in the interests of the European revolution. Meanwhile, Engels also called on socialists of all countries to unite against their common enemy and fight for peace.