Marx vs Bakunin: Ideological Conflicts in the First International

Proudhonism and the Labor Movement

Proudhonists favored private property and a peaceful, progressive evolution, distinct from the revolutionary concepts of Marxism. They rejected the use of strikes to achieve favorable labor laws for workers.

At the Basel Congress, Mikhail Bakunin made his appearance. Having founded the International Alliance of Socialist Democracy, he gained the support of numerous national sections and requested accession to the First International, which materialized that year.

Ideological Divergence

This triggered several debates between the two great theorists of the labor movement, revealing an unbridgeable gulf between their ideologies. Key differences include:

• State Conception: Marxists aimed for the conquest of the state by the proletariat, while Bakunin advocated for the destruction of the state and all institutions that sustain it.
• Dictatorship vs. Communes: Bakunin rejected the Marxist principle of a dictatorship of the proletariat or state communism based on a centralized party, instead advocating for the immediate abolition of the state and the establishment of freely federated, independent communes.
• Revolutionary Scope: Marx believed the revolution would benefit those currently exploited, whereas Bakunin believed it would benefit all of mankind.
• Organization: Bakunin favored a decentralized organization, opposing the dominance of the General Council over workers' sections.
• Political Participation: The two factions disagreed on whether the working class should participate in political processes, a concept Marxists supported and anarchists rejected.

The First International Workers' Association

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Following the revolution, there was a general decline in workers' rights. In 1863, a committee was formed to organize conferences, bringing together workers from all countries to form a common front against government policies and the practices of capitalism. In 1864, the first meeting took place at St. Martin's Hall, marking the birth of the First International.

Guiding Principles

Marx was responsible for drafting the constitution, which was clearly inspired by his own statutes and defense of Marxist principles. The numerical influence of the First International was modest, with recruitment coming primarily from former textile trades or metallurgy, as the introduction of industrial capitalism was still weak and limited the organizational capacity of the nascent labor movement.

Organizational Structure

The organization established two main bodies:

• General Council: An executive body acting between congresses, representing all national sections.
• Congress: The primary decision-making board.

Internal Conflicts

The organization suffered from internal ideological strife, specifically the conflict between the followers of Marx and Proudhon, and the long, bitter debate between Marx and Bakunin.