International Socialist Congress (1904)
The VI. International Socialist Congress of the Second International took place from August 14th to 20th, 1904 in Amsterdam .
organization
476 delegates from 24 countries were represented at the congress. For the first time an envoy from Japan was also present. Germany provided 67 delegates, 25 of whom were trade unionists.
Agenda
- International rules of socialist policy, resolution on the party's tactics (Rapporteur: Émile Vandervelde )
- Colonial Policy (Rapporteur: Henri van Kol )
- General strike (Rapporteur: Henriette Roland Holst )
- Trusts and unemployment; Social policy and workers' insurance (Rapporteur: Hermann Molkenbuhr ).
Revisionism debate
Central to the Congress were the discussions on the tactics of the socialist parties. The question was whether the International should also adopt the resolution of the SPD's Dresden party congress of 1903, which opposed revisionism . There was a duel between August Bebel and Jean Jaurès . Bebel, supported by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Kautsky , accused Jaurès of representing reformist positions. For his part, Jaurès pointed out that the SPD's impressive size contrasted with its actual political impotence. Ultimately, Bebel prevailed against Jaurès in this speech duel and the Dresden decision was also accepted for the International.
General strike
On the general strike question, as it was discussed in Germany in the mass strike debate, the assembly came to the conclusion that a full general strike was not feasible. However, the political mass strike is considered possible. This should be used as a last resort to enforce central societal demands or fend off serious attacks on workers' rights.
Colonial question
On the colonial question , the assembly agreed that the socialist parties should reject all imperialist and protectionist bills. They should oppose wars of colonial conquest and military expenditure for the rule of the colonies. The governments should be worked to achieve protective measures for the benefit of the indigenous population. The aim of colonial reforms should be to enable the peoples to self- govern.
Further demands
Another demand from Congress was that the affiliated parties should forcefully demand women's suffrage . Furthermore, the parties would have to push for the implementation of health, accident and disability insurance. In particular, taxes on assets, income and inheritance should be used progressively for financing. The congress obliged the affiliated parties to also aim for a break from work on May 1st . Wherever possible without prejudice to workers' interests, work should rest on that day. Concerned about reprisals, such as lockouts, the German general commission of the trade unions has spoken out against this decision. The workers should contrast the growing influence of the trusts with their organized power. Since the assembly could not agree on the problem of immigration or emigration, this topic was postponed to the next congress in Stuttgart.
Foundation of the SFIO
On the fringes of the congress, two previously competing French parties came together. One was the Marxist Socialist Party of France under Jules Guesde . The other was the French Socialist Party under the revisionist Jean Jaurès . These merged to form the Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière (SFIO).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Udo Scholze: Jean Jaures: United again the capital. In: Günther Fuchs u. a .: Becoming and decaying a democracy. France's Third Republic in nine portraits. Berlin, 2004 p. 72
literature
- Franz Osterroth ; Dieter Schuster : Chronicle of the German Social Democracy. Until the end of the First World War. 2. edit again and exp. Berlin, 1975 digitized version
- Dieter Schuster: Chronology of the German trade union movement from its beginnings to 1918 . Bonn, 2000 digitized