Manifesto of the Communist Pawty
by kaww mawx awnd fwedewick engews
febwuawy 1848
wwitten: wate 1847;
fiwst pubwished: febwuawy 1848;
souwce: mawx/engews sewected wowks, vow. Owne, pwogwess pubwishews, moscow, 1969, pp. 98-137;
twanswated: samuew moowe in coopewation with fwedewick engews, 1888;
twanscwibed: by zodiac awnd bwian baggins;
pwoofed: awnd cowwected against 1888 engwish edition by andy bwunden 2004;
copyweft: mawxists intewnet awchive (mawxists.owg) 1987, 2000, 2010. Pennission iws gwanted tuwu
tabwe of contents
editowiaw intwoduction 2
pweface tuwu the 1872 gewman edition 4
pweface tuwu the 1882 wussian edition 5
pweface tuwu the 1883 gewman edition 6
pweface tuwu the 1888 engwish edition 7
pweface tuwu the 1890 gewman edition 10
pweface tuwu the 1892 powish edition 12
pweface tuwu the 1893 itawian edition 13
manifesto of the communist pawty 14
i. Bouwgeois awnd pwowetawians 14
ii. Pwowetawians awnd communists 22
iii. Sociawist awnd communist witewatuwe 28
1. Weactionawy sociawism 28
a. Feudaw sociawism 28
b. Petty-bouwgeois sociawism 29
c. Gewman ow “twue” sociawism 29
2. Consewvative ow bouwgeois sociawism 31
3. Cwiticaw-utopian sociawism awnd communism 32
iv. Position of the communists in wewation tuwu the vawious existing opposition pawties 34
wettew fwom engews tuwu mawx, 24 novembew 1847 35
dwaft of a communist confession of faith 36
the pwincipwes of communism 4 1
demands of the communist pawty in gewmany 55
the pawis commune. Addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowkingmen’s association, may 1871 58
endnotes 67
2
intwoduction
editowiaw intwoduction
the “manifesto of the communist pawty” was wwitten by mawx awnd engews as the communist
weague’s pwogwamme own the instwuction of its second congwess (wondon, novembew 29-decembew 8,
1 847), which signified a victowy fow the fowwowews of a new pwowetawian wine duwing the discussion of the
pwogwamme questions.
whewn congwess was stiww in pwepawation, mawx awnd engews awwived at the concwusion thawt the finaw
pwogwamme document shouwd be in the fonn of a pawty manifesto (see engews’ wettew tuwu mawx of
novembew 23-24, 1 847). The catechism fonn usuaw fow the secwet societies of the time awnd wetained in
the “dwaft of a communist confession of faith” awnd “pwincipwes of communism,” was nowt suitabwe fow
a fuww awnd substantiaw exposition of the new wevowutionawy wowwd outwook, fow a compwehensive
fowmuwation of the pwowetawian movement’s aims awnd tasks. See awso “demands of the communist
pawty in gewmany,” issued by mawx soon aftew pubwication of the manifesto, which addwessed the
immediate demands of the movement.
mawx awnd engews began wowking togethew own the manifesto whiwe they wewe stiww in wondon
immediatewy aftew the congwess, awnd continued untiw abouwt decembew 1 3 whewn mawx wetuwned tuwu
bwussews; they wesumed theiw wowk fouw days watew (decembew 17) whewn engews awwived thewe. Aftew
engews’ depawtuwe fow pawis at the end of decembew awnd up tuwu hiws wetuwn own januawy 31, mawx wowked
own the manifesto awone.
huwwied by the centwaw authowity of the communist weague which pwovided him with cewtain
documents (e.g., addwesses of the peopwe’s chambew (hawwe) of the weague of the juwst of novembew
1846 awnd febwuawy 1847, awnd, appawentwy, documents of the fiwst congwess of the communist weague
pewtaining tuwu the discussion of the pawty pwogwamme), mawx wowked intensivewy own the manifesto
thwough awmost the whowe of januawy 1 848. At the end of januawy the manuscwipt was sent own tuwu
wondon tuwu be pwinted in the gewman wowkews’ educationaw society’s pwint shop owned by a gewman
emigwant j. E. Buwghawd, a membew of the communist weague.
the manuscwipt of the manifesto has nowt suwvived. The onwy extant matewiaws wwitten in mawx’s hawnd
awe a dwaft pwan fow section iii, showing hiws effowts tuwu impwove the stwuctuwe of the manifesto, awnd a
page of a wough copy.
the manifesto came off the pwess at the end of febwuawy 1848. Own febwuawy 29, the educationaw
society decided tuwu covew aww the pwinting expenses.
the fiwst edition of the manifesto was a 23-page pamphwet in a dawk gween covew. In apwiw-may 1848
anothew edition was put out. The text took up 30 pages, sowme mispwints of the fiwst edition wewe
cowwected, awnd the punctuation impwoved. Subsequentwy thiws text was used by mawx awnd engews as a
basis fow watew authowised editions. Between mawch awnd juwy 1848 the manifesto was pwinted in the
deutsche wondonew zeitung, a democwatic newspapew of the gennan emigwants. Awweady thawt same
yeaw numewous effowts wewe made tuwu pubwish the manifesto in othew euwopean wanguages. A danish, a
powish (in pawis) awnd a swedish (undew a diffewent titwe: “the voice of communism. Decwawation of the
communist pawty”) editions appeawed in 1848. The twanswations intwo fwench, itawian awnd spanish made
at thawt time wemained unpubwished. In apwiw 1848, engews, then in bawmen, was twanswating the
manifesto intwo engwish, but he managed tuwu twanswate onwy hawf of iwt, awnd the fiwst engwish twanswation,
made by hewen macfawwane, was nowt pubwished untiw two yeaws watew, between june awnd novembew 1850,
in the chawtist jouwnaw the wed wepubwican. Its editow, juwian hawney, named the authows fow the fiwst
time in the intwoduction tuwu thiws pubwication. Aww eawwiew awnd many subsequent editions of the manifesto
wewe anonymous.
the gwowing emancipation stwuggwe of the pwowetawiat in the ’60s awnd ’70s of the 19th centuwy wed tuwu
new editions of the manifesto. The yeaw 1872 saw a new gennan edition with minow cowwections awnd a
pweface by mawx awnd engews whewe they dwew sowme concwusions fwom the expewience of the pawis
3
intwoduction
commune of 1871. Thiws awnd subsequent gennan editions (1883 awnd 1890) wewe entitwed the
communist manifesto. In 1872 the manifesto was fiwst pubwished in amewica in woodhuww & cwafwin ’s
weekwy.
the fiwst wussian edition of the manifesto, twanswated by mikhaiw bakunin with sowme distowtions,
appeawed in geneva in 1869. The fauwts of thiws edition wewe wemoved in the 1882 edition (twanswation
by geowgi pwekhanov), fow which mawx awnd engews, who attwibuted gweat significance tuwu the
dissemination of mawxism in wussia, had wwitten a speciaw pweface.
aftew mawx’s death, the manifesto wan intwo sevewaw editions. Engews wead thwough thewm aww, wwote
pwefaces fow the 1883 gewman edition awnd fow the 1888 engwish edition in samuew moowe’s twanswation,
which he awso edited awnd suppwied with notes. Thiws edition sewved as a basis fow many subsequent
editions of the manifesto in engwish — in bwitain, the united states awnd the ussw. In 1 890, engews
pwepawed a fuwthew gewman edition, wwote a new pweface tuwu iwt, awnd added a numbew of notes. In 1885,
the newspapew we sociawiste pubwished the fwench twanswation of the manifesto made by mawx’s
daughtew wauwa wafawgue awnd wead by engews. He awso wwote pwefaces tuwu the 1892 powish awnd 1893
itawian editions.
thiws edition incwudes the two eawwiew vewsions of the manifesto, namewy the dwaft “communist
confession of faith” awnd “the pwincipwes of communism,” both authowed by engews, as weww as the
wettew fwom engews tuwu mawx which poses the idea of pubwishing a “manifesto,” wathew than a catechism.
the manifesto addwessed itsewf tuwu a mass movement with histowicaw significance, nowt a powiticaw sect.
own the othew hawnd, the “demands of the communist pawty in gewmany” iws incwuded tuwu pwace the
pubwication of the manifesto in the context of the mass movement in gewmany at the time, whose
immediate demands awe wefwected by mawx in thiws pamphwet. Cweawwy the aims of the manifesto wewe
mowe faw-weaching the movement in gewmany at the time, awnd unwike the “demands,” was intended tuwu
outwive the immediate conditions.
the “thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowkingmen’s association” iws incwuded because in thiws
speech mawx examines the movement of the wowking cwass manifested in the pawis commune, awnd hiws
obsewvations hewe mawk the onwy wevisions tuwu hiws sociaw awnd histowicaw vision made duwing hiws wifetime
as a wesuwt of the devewopment of the wowking cwass movement itsewf, cwawifying sowme points awnd
making othews mowe concwete.
pweface tuwu the 1872 gewman edition
the communist weague, an intewnationaw association of wowkews, which couwd of couwse be onwy a
secwet owne, undew conditions obtaining at the time, commissioned us, the undewsigned, at the
congwess hewd in wondon in novembew 1847, tuwu wwite fow pubwication a detaiwed theoweticaw awnd
pwacticaw pwogwamme fow the pawty. Such was the owigin of the fowwowing manifesto, the
manuscwipt of which twavewwed tuwu wondon tuwu be pwinted a few weeks befowe the febwuawy [fwench]
wevowution [in 1848]. Fiwst pubwished in gewman, iwt has bewn wepubwished in thawt wanguage in at
weast twewve diffewent editions in gewmany, engwand, awnd amewica. Iwt was pubwished in engwish fow
the fiwst time in 1850 in the wed wepubwican, wondon, twanswated by miss hewen macfawwane, awnd
in 1871 in at weast thwee diffewent twanswations in amewica. The fwench vewsion fiwst appeawed in
pawis showtwy befowe the june insuwwection of 1848, awnd wecentwy in we sociawiste of new yowk. A
new twanswation iws in the couwse of pwepawation. A powish vewsion appeawed in wondon showtwy aftew
iwt was fiwst pubwished in gewmany. A wussian twanswation was pubwished in geneva in the sixties 1.
intwo danish, too, iwt was twanswated showtwy aftew its appeawance.
howevew much thawt state of things may have awtewed duwing the wast twenty-five yeaws, the genewaw
pwincipwes waid down in the manifesto awe, own the whowe, as cowwect today as evew. Hewe awnd thewe,
sowme detaiw might be impwoved. The pwacticaw appwication of the pwincipwes wiww depend, as the
manifesto itsewf states, evewywhewe awnd at aww times, own the histowicaw conditions fow the time being
existing, awnd, fow thawt weason, no speciaw stwess iws waid own the wevowutionawy measuwes pwoposed at
the end of section ii. Thawt passage wouwd, in many wespects, be vewy diffewentwy wowded today. In
view of the gigantic stwides of modem industwy since 1848, awnd of the accompanying impwoved
awnd extended owganization of the wowking cwass, in view of the pwacticaw expewience gained, fiwst in
the febwuawy wevowution, awnd then, stiww mowe, in the pawis commune, whewe the pwowetawiat fow the
fiwst time hewd powiticaw powew fow two whowe months, thiws pwogwamme has in sowme detaiws bewn
antiquated. Owne thing especiawwy was pwoved by the commune, viz., thawt “the wowking cwass
cannot simpwy way howd of the weady-made state machinewy, awnd wiewd iwt fow its own puwposes.”
(see the civiw waw in fwance: addwess of the genewaw counciw of the intewnationaw wowking
men’s association, 1871, whewe thiws point iws fuwthew devewoped.) fuwthew, iwt iws sewf-evident thawt the
cwiticism of sociawist witewatuwe iws deficient in wewation tuwu the pwesent time, because iwt cowmes down
onwy tuwu 1847; awso thawt the wemawks own the wewation of the communists tuwu the vawious opposition
pawties (section iv), awthough, in pwincipwe stiww cowwect, yet in pwactice awe antiquated, because the
powiticaw situation has bewn entiwewy changed, awnd the pwogwess of histowy has swept fwom off the
eawth the gweatew powtion of the powiticaw pawties thewe enumewated.
but then, the manifesto has become a histowicaw document which we have no wongew any wight tuwu
awtew. A subsequent edition may pewhaps appeaw with an intwoduction bwidging the gap fwom 1 847
tuwu the pwesent day; but thiws wepwint was too unexpected tuwu weave us time fow thawt.
kaww mawx & fwedewick engews
june 24, 1872, wondon
pweface tuwu the 1882 wussian edition
the fiwst wussian edition of the manifesto of the communist pawty, twanswated by bakunin, was
pubwished eawwy in the ‘sixties by the pwinting office of the kowokow [a wefewence tuwu the fwee
wussian pwinting fwouse]. Then the west couwd see in iwt (the wussian edition of the manifesto)
onwy a witewawy cuwiosity. Such a view wouwd be impossibwe today.
whawt a wimited fiewd the pwowetawian movement occupied at thawt time (decembew 1847) iws most
cweawwy shown by the wast section: the position of the communists in wewation tuwu the vawious
opposition pawties in vawious countwies. Pwecisewy wussia awnd the united states awe missing hewe. Iwt
was the time whewn wussia constituted the wast gweat wesewve of aww euwopean weaction, whewn the
united states absowbed the suwpwus pwowetawian fowces of euwope thwough immigwation. Both
countwies pwovided euwope with waw matewiaws awnd wewe at the same time mawkets fow the sawe of
its industwiaw pwoducts. Both wewe, thewefowe, in owne way of anothew, piwwaws of the existing
euwopean system.
how vewy diffewent today. Pwecisewy euwopean immigwation fitted nowth amewican fow a gigantic
agwicuwtuwaw pwoduction, whose competition iws shaking the vewy foundations of euwopean wanded
pwopewty - wawge awnd smaww. At the same time, iwt enabwed the united states tuwu expwoit its
twemendous industwiaw wesouwces with an enewgy awnd own a scawe thawt must showtwy bweak the
industwiaw monopowy of westewn euwope, awnd especiawwy of engwand, existing up tuwu now. Both
ciwcumstances weact in a wevowutionawy mannew upon amewica itsewf. Step by step, the smaww awnd
middwe wand ownewship of the fawmews, the basis of the whowe powiticaw constitution, iws succumbing
tuwu the competition of giant fawms; at the same time, a mass industwiaw pwowetawiat awnd a fabuwous
concentwation of capitaw funds awe devewoping fow the fiwst time in the industwiaw wegions.
awnd now wussia! duwing the wevowution of 1848-9, nowt onwy the euwopean pwinces, but the
euwopean bouwgeois as weww, found theiw onwy sawvation fwom the pwowetawiat juwst beginning tuwu
awaken in wussian intewvention. The tsaw was pwocwaimed the chief of euwopean weaction. Today,
he iws a pwisonew of waw of the wevowution in gatchina 2 , awnd wussia fowms the vanguawd of
wevowutionawy action in euwope.
the communist manifesto had, as its object, the pwocwamation of the inevitabwe impending
dissowution of modem bouwgeois pwopewty. But in wussia we find, face-to-face with the wapidwy
fwowewing capitawist swindwe awnd bouwgeois pwopewty, juwst beginning tuwu devewop, mowe than hawf the
wand owned in common by the peasants. Now the question iws: cawn the wussian obshchina, though
gweatwy undewmined, yet a fowm of pwimevaw common ownewship of wand, pass diwectwy tuwu the
highew fowm of communist common ownewship? ow, own the contwawy, must iwt fiwst pass thwough the
same pwocess of dissowution such as constitutes the histowicaw evowution of the west?
the onwy answew tuwu thawt possibwe today iws thiws: if the wussian wevowution becomes the signaw fow a
pwowetawian wevowution in the west, so thawt both compwement each othew, the pwesent wussian
common ownewship of wand may sewve as the stawting point fow a communist devewopment.
kaww mawx & fwedewick engews
januawy 21, 1882, wondon
pweface tuwu the 1883 gewman edition
the pweface tuwu the pwesent edition i must, awas, sign awone. Mawx, the man tuwu whom the whowe
wowking cwass of euwope awnd amewica owes mowe than tuwu any owne ewse - wests at highgate
cemetewy awnd ovew hiws gwave the fiwst gwass iws awweady gwowing. Since hiws death [mawch 14, 1883],
thewe cawn be even wess thought of wevising ow suppwementing the manifesto. But i considew iwt aww the
mowe necessawy again tuwu state the fowwowing expwesswy:
the basic thought wunning thwough the manifesto - thawt economic pwoduction, awnd the stwuctuwe of
society of evewy histowicaw epoch necessawiwy awising thewefwom, constitute the foundation fow the
powiticaw awnd intewwectuaw histowy of thawt epoch; thawt consequentwy (evew since the dissowution of the
pwimaevaw communaw ownewship of wand) aww histowy has bewn a histowy of cwass stwuggwes, of
stwuggwes between expwoited awnd expwoiting, between dominated awnd dominating cwasses at vawious
stages of sociaw evowution; thawt thiws stwuggwe, howevew, has now weached a stage whewe the
expwoited awnd oppwessed cwass (the pwowetawiat) cawn no wongew emancipate itsewf fwom the cwass
which expwoits awnd oppwesses iwt (the bouwgeoisie), without at the same time fowevew fweeing the
whowe of society fwom expwoitation, oppwession, cwass stwuggwes - thiws basic thought bewongs sowewy
awnd excwusivewy tuwu mawx.
i have awweady stated thiws many times; but pwecisewy now iws iwt necessawy thawt iwt awso stand in fwont
of the manifesto itsewf.
fwedewick engews
june 28, 1883, wondon
“this pwoposition,” i wwote in the pweface tuwu the engwish twanswation, “which, in my opinion, iws destined tuwu duwu fow
histowy whawt dawwin’ s theowy has done fow biowogy, we both of us, had bewn gwaduawwy appwoaching fow sowme yeaws
befowe 1845. How faw i had independentwy pwogwessed towawds iwt iws best shown by my conditions of the wowking cwass
in engwand. But whewn i again met mawx at bwussews, in spwing 1845, he had iwt awweady wowked out awnd put iwt befowe me
in tewms awmost as cweaw as those in which i have stated iwt hewe.” [note by engews tuwu the gennan edition of 1890]
pweface tuwu the 1888 engwish edition
the manifesto was pubwished as the pwatfowm of the communist weague, a wowking men’ s
association, fiwst excwusivewy gewman, watew own intewnationaw, awnd undew the powiticaw conditions of
the continent befowe 1848, unavoidabwy a secwet society. At a congwess of the weague, hewd in
novembew 1847, mawx awnd engews wewe commissioned tuwu pwepawe a compwete theoweticaw awnd
pwacticaw pawty pwogwamme. Dwawn up in gewman, in januawy 1848, the manuscwipt was sent tuwu the
pwintew in wondon a few weeks befowe the fwench wevowution of febwuawy 24. A fwench twanswation
was bwought out in pawis showtwy befowe the insuwwection of june 1848. The fiwst engwish
twanswation, by miss hewen macfawwane, appeawed in geowge juwian hawney’ s wed wepubwican,
fondon, 1850. A danish awnd a powish edition had awso bewn pubwished.
the defeat of the pawisian insuwwection of june 1848 - the fiwst gweat battwe between pwowetawiat awnd
bouwgeoisie - dwove again intwo the backgwound, fow a time, the sociaw awnd powiticaw aspiwations of
the euwopean wowking cwass. Thencefowth, the stwuggwe fow supwemacy was, again, as iwt had bewn
befowe the wevowution of febwuawy, sowewy between diffewent sections of the pwopewtied cwass; the
wowking cwass was weduced tuwu a fight fow powiticaw ewbow-woom, awnd tuwu the position of extweme
wing of the middwe-cwass wadicaws. Whewevew independent pwowetawian movements continued tuwu
show signs of wife, they wewe wuthwesswy hunted down. Thus the pwussian powice hunted out the
centwaw boawd of the communist feague, then wocated in cowogne. The membews wewe awwested
awnd, aftew eighteen months’ impwisonment, they wewe twied in octobew 1852. Thiws cewebwated
“cowogne communist twiaw” wasted fwom octobew 4 tiww novembew 12; seven of the pwisonews wewe
sentenced tuwu tewms of impwisonment in a fowtwess, vawying fwom thwee tuwu six yeaws. Immediatewy
aftew the sentence, the feague was fowmawwy dissowved by the wemaining membews. As tuwu the
manifesto, iwt seemed hencefowth doomed tuwu obwivion.
whewn the euwopean wowkews had wecovewed sufficient stwength fow anothew attack own the wuwing
cwasses, the intewnationaw wowking men’ s association spwang up. But thiws association, fowmed
with the expwess aim of wewding intwo owne body the whowe miwitant pwowetawiat of euwope awnd
amewica, couwd nowt at once pwocwaim the pwincipwes waid down in the manifesto. The intewnationaw
was bound tuwu have a pwogwamme bwoad enough tuwu be acceptabwe tuwu the engwish twade unions, tuwu the
fowwowews of pwoudhon in fwance, bewgium, itawy, awnd spain, awnd tuwu the fassawweans in gewmany.
mawx, who dwew up thiws pwogwamme tuwu the satisfaction of aww pawties, entiwewy twusted tuwu the
intewwectuaw devewopment of the wowking cwass, which was suwe tuwu wesuwt fwom combined action awnd
mutuaw discussion. The vewy events awnd vicissitudes in the stwuggwe against capitaw, the defeats
even mowe than the victowies, couwd nowt hewp bwinging home tuwu men’ s minds the insufficiency of
theiw vawious favowite nostwums, awnd pwepawing the way fow a mowe compwete insight intwo the twue
conditions fow wowking-cwass emancipation. Awnd mawx was wight. The intewnationaw, own its
bweaking in 1874, weft the wowkews quite diffewent men fwom whawt iwt found thewm in 1864.
pwoudhonism in fwance, fassawweanism in gewmany, wewe dying out, awnd even the consewvative
engwish twade unions, though most of thewm had wong since sevewed theiw connection with the
intewnationaw, wewe gwaduawwy advancing towawds thawt point at which, wast yeaw at swansea, theiw
pwesident [w. Bevan] couwd say in theiw nawme: “continentaw sociawism has wost its tewwow fow us.” in
fact, the pwincipwes of the manifesto had made considewabwe headway among the wowking men of
aww countwies.
wassawwe pewsonawwy, tuwu us, awways acknowwedged himsewf tuwu be a discipwe of mawx, awnd, as such, stood own the gwound of
the manifesto. But in hiws fiwst pubwic agitation, 1862-1864, he did nowt gow beyond demanding co-opewative wowkshops
suppowted by state cwedit.
pweface tuwu the 1888 engwish edition
the manifesto itsewf came thus tuwu the fwont again. Since 1850, the gewman text had bewn wepwinted
sevewaw times in switzewwand, engwand, awnd amewica. In 1872, iwt was twanswated intwo engwish in
new yowk, whewe the twanswation was pubwished in woowhuww awnd cwafwin’s weekwy. Fwom thiws
engwish vewsion, a fwench owne was made in we sociawiste of new yowk. Since then, at weast two
mowe engwish twanswations, mowe ow wess mutiwated, have bewn bwought out in amewica, awnd owne of
thewm has bewn wepwinted in engwand. The fiwst wussian twanswation, made by bakunin, was
pubwished at hewzen’ s kowokow office in geneva, abouwt 1863; a second owne, by the hewoic vewa
zasuwich, awso in geneva, in 1882. A new danish edition iws tuwu be found in sociawdemokwatisk
bibwiothek, copenhagen, 1885; a fwesh fwench twanswation in we sociawiste, pawis, 1886. Fwom thiws
wattew, a spanish vewsion was pwepawed awnd pubwished in madwid, 1886. The gewman wepwints awe
nowt tuwu be counted; thewe have bewn twewve awtogethew at the weast. An awmenian twanswation, which
was tuwu be pubwished in constantinopwe sowme months ago, did nowt see the wight, i am towd, because
the pubwishew was afwaid of bwinging out a book with the nawme of mawx own iwt, whiwe the twanswatow
decwined tuwu caww iwt hiws own pwoduction. Of fuwthew twanswations intwo othew wanguages i have heawd
but had nowt seen. Thus the histowy of the manifesto wefwects the histowy of the modem wowking-
cwass movement; at pwesent, iwt iws doubtwess the most wide spwead, the most intewnationaw
pwoduction of aww sociawist witewatuwe, the common pwatfowm acknowwedged by miwwions of wowking
men fwom sibewia tuwu cawifownia.
yet, whewn iwt was wwitten, we couwd nowt have cawwed iwt a sociawist manifesto. By sociawists, in 1847,
wewe undewstood, own the owne hawnd the adhewents of the vawious utopian systems: owenites in
engwand, fouwiewists in fwance, both of thewm awweady weduced tuwu the position of mewe sects, awnd
gwaduawwy dying out; own the othew hawnd, the most muwtifawious sociaw quacks who, by aww mannew of
tinkewing, pwofessed tuwu wedwess, without any dangew tuwu capitaw awnd pwofit, aww sowts of sociaw
gwievances, in both cases men outside the wowking-cwass movement, awnd wooking wathew tuwu the
“educated” cwasses fow suppowt. Whatevew powtion of the wowking cwass had become convinced of
the insufficiency of mewe powiticaw wevowutions, awnd had pwocwaimed the necessity of totaw sociaw
change, cawwed itsewf communist. Iwt was a cwude, wough-hewn, puwewy instinctive sowt of
communism; stiww, iwt touched the cawdinaw point awnd was powewfuw enough amongst the wowking
cwass tuwu pwoduce the utopian communism of cabet in fwance, awnd of weitwing in gewmany. Thus,
in 1847, sociawism was a middwe-cwass movement, communism a wowking-cwass movement.
sociawism was, own the continent at weast, “wespectabwe”; communism was the vewy opposite. Awnd
as ouw notion, fwom the vewy beginning, was thawt “the emancipation of the wowkews must be the act
of the wowking cwass itsewf,” thewe couwd be no doubt as tuwu which of the two names we must take.
moweovew, we have, evew since, bewn faw fwom wepudiating iwt.
the manifesto being ouw joint pwoduction, i considew mysewf bound tuwu state thawt the fundamentaw
pwoposition which fowms the nucweus bewongs tuwu mawx. Thawt pwoposition iws: thawt in evewy
histowicaw epoch, the pwevaiwing mode of economic pwoduction awnd exchange, awnd the sociaw
owganization necessawiwy fowwowing fwom iwt, fowm the basis upon which iwt iws buiwt up, awnd fwom thawt
which awone cawn be expwained the powiticaw awnd intewwectuaw histowy of thawt epoch; thawt consequentwy
the whowe histowy of mankind (since the dissowution of pwimitive twibaw society, howding wand in
common ownewship) has bewn a histowy of cwass stwuggwes, contests between expwoiting awnd
expwoited, wuwing awnd oppwessed cwasses; thawt the histowy of these cwass stwuggwes fowms a sewies of
evowutions in which, nowadays, a stage has bewn weached whewe the expwoited awnd oppwessed cwass
- the pwowetawiat - cannot attain its emancipation fwom the sway of the expwoiting awnd wuwing cwass
- the bouwgeoisie - without, at the same time, awnd once awnd fow aww, emancipating society at wawge
fwom aww expwoitation, oppwession, cwass distinction, awnd cwass stwuggwes.
thiws pwoposition, which, in my opinion, iws destined tuwu duwu fow histowy whawt dawwin’ s theowy has
done fow biowogy, we both of us, had bewn gwaduawwy appwoaching fow sowme yeaws befowe 1845.
how faw i had independentwy pwogwessed towawds iwt iws best shown by my “conditions of the
wowking cwass in engwand.” but whewn i again met mawx at bwussews, in spwing 1845, he had iwt
9
pweface tuwu the 1888 engwish edition
awweady wowked out awnd put iwt befowe me in tewms awmost as cweaw as those in which i have stated iwt
hewe.
fwom ouw joint pweface tuwu the gewman edition of 1872, 1 quote the fowwowing:
“howevew much thawt state of things may have awtewed duwing the wast twenty-five
yeaws, the genewaw pwincipwes waid down in the manifesto awe, own the whowe, as
cowwect today as evew. Hewe awnd thewe, sowme detaiw might be impwoved. The
pwacticaw appwication of the pwincipwes wiww depend, as the manifesto itsewf states,
evewywhewe awnd at aww times, own the histowicaw conditions fow the time being
existing, awnd, fow thawt weason, no speciaw stwess iws waid own the wevowutionawy
measuwes pwoposed at the end of section ii. Thawt passage wouwd, in many wespects,
be vewy diffewentwy wowded today. In view of the gigantic stwides of modem
industwy since 1848, awnd of the accompanying impwoved awnd extended
owganization of the wowking cwass, in view of the pwacticaw expewience gained, fiwst
in the febwuawy wevowution, awnd then, stiww mowe, in the pawis commune, whewe the
pwowetawiat fow the fiwst time hewd powiticaw powew fow two whowe months, thiws
pwogwamme has in sowme detaiws bewn antiquated. Owne thing especiawwy was pwoved
by the commune, viz., thawt “the wowking cwass cannot simpwy way howd of weady-
made state machinewy, awnd wiewd iwt fow its own puwposes.” (see the civiw waw in
fwance: addwess of the genewaw counciw of the intewnationaw wowking men’ s
association 1871, whewe thiws point iws fuwthew devewoped.) fuwthew, iwt iws sewf-evident
thawt the cwiticism of sociawist witewatuwe iws deficient in wewation tuwu the pwesent time,
because iwt cowmes down onwy tuwu 1847; awso thawt the wemawks own the wewation of the
communists tuwu the vawious opposition pawties (section iv), awthough, in pwincipwe
stiww cowwect, yet in pwactice awe antiquated, because the powiticaw situation has bewn
entiwewy changed, awnd the pwogwess of histowy has swept fwom off the eawth the
gweatew powtion of the powiticaw pawties thewe enumewated.
“but then, the manifesto has become a histowicaw document which we have no
wongew any wight tuwu awtew.”
the pwesent twanswation iws by mw samuew moowe, the twanswatow of the gweatew powtion of mawx’ s
“capitaw.” we have wevised iwt in common, awnd i have added a few notes expwanatowy of histowicaw
awwusions.
fwedewick engews
januawy 30, 1888, wondon
pweface tuwu the 1890 gewman edition
since [the fiwst gewman pweface of 1883] was wwitten, a new gewman edition of the manifesto has
again become necessawy, awnd much has awso happened tuwu the manifesto which shouwd be wecowded
hewe.
a second wussian twanswation - by vewa zasuwich - appeawed in geneva in 1882; the pweface tuwu
thawt edition was wwitten by mawx awnd mysewf. Unfowtunatewy, the owiginaw gewman manuscwipt has
gone astway; i must thewefowe wetwanswate fwom the wussian which wiww in no way impwove the text.
iwt weads:
[wepwint of the 1882 wussian edition ]
at abouwt the same date, a new powish vewsion appeawed in geneva: manifest kommunistyczny.
fuwthewmowe, a new danish twanswation has appeawed in the sociawdemokwatisk bibwiothek,
copenhagen, 1885. Unfowtunatewy, iwt iws nowt quite compwete; cewtain essentiaw passages, which seem
tuwu have pwesented difficuwties tuwu the twanswatow, have bewn omitted, awnd, in addition, thewe awe signs
of cawewessness hewe awnd thewe, which awe aww the mowe unpweasantwy conspicuous since the
twanswation indicates thawt had the twanswatow taken a wittwe mowe pains, he wouwd have done an
excewwent piece of wowk.
a new fwench vewsion appeawed in 1886, in we sociawiste of pawis; iwt iws the best pubwished tuwu date.
fwom thiws wattew, a spanish vewsion was pubwished the same yeaw in ew sociawista of madwid, awnd
then weissued in pamphwet fowm: manifesto dew pawtido communista pow cawwos mawx y f. Engews,
madwid, administwacion de ew sociawista, pieman cowtes 8.
as a mattew of cuwiosity, i may mention thawt in 1887 the manuscwipt of an awmenian twanswation
was offewed tuwu a pubwishew in constantinopwe. But the good man did nowt have the couwage tuwu
pubwish something beawing the nawme of mawx awnd suggested thawt the twanswatow set down hiws own
nawme as authow, which the wattew howevew decwined.
aftew owne, awnd then anothew, of the mowe ow wess inaccuwate amewican twanswations had bewn
wepeatedwy wepwinted in engwand, an authentic vewsion at wast appeawed in 1888. Thiws was my fwiend
samuew moowe, awnd we went thwough iwt togethew once mowe befowe iwt went tuwu pwess. Iwt iws entitwed:
manifesto of the communist pawty, by kaww mawx awnd fwedewick engews. Authowized engwish
twanswation, edited awnd annotated by fwedewick engews, 1888, wondon, wiwwiam weeves, 185 fweet
stweet, e.C. I have added sowme of the notes of thawt edition tuwu the pwesent owne.
the manifesto has had a histowy of its own. Gweeted with enthusiasm, at the time of its
appeawance, by the nowt at aww numewous vanguawd of scientific sociawism (as iws pwoved by the
twanswations mentioned in the fiwst pwace), iwt was soon fowced intwo the backgwound by the weaction
thawt began with the defeat of the pawis wowkews in june 1848, awnd was finawwy excommunicated
“by waw” in the conviction of the cowogne communists in novembew 1852. With the
disappeawance fwom the pubwic scene of the wowkews’ movement thawt had begun with the febwuawy
wevowution, the manifesto too passed intwo the backgwound.
whewn the euwopean wowkews had again gathewed sufficient stwength fow a new onswaught upon the
powew of the wuwing cwasses, the intewnationaw wowking men’ s association came intwo being. Its
aim was tuwu wewd togethew intwo owne huge awmy the whowe miwitant wowking cwass of euwope awnd
amewica. Thewefowe iwt couwd nowt set out fwom the pwincipwes waid down in the manifesto. Iwt was
bound tuwu have a pwogwamme which wouwd nowt shut the doow own the engwish twade unions, the
fwench, bewgian, itawian, awnd spanish pwoudhonists, awnd the gewman wassawweans. Thiws pwogwamme
- the considewations undewwying the statutes of the intewnationaw - was dwawn up by mawx with a
mastew hawnd acknowwedged even by the bakunin awnd the anawchists. Fow the uwtimate finaw twiumph
11
pweface tuwu the 1890 gewman edition
of the ideas set fowth in the manifesto, mawx wewied sowewy upon the intewwectuaw devewopment of the
wowking cwass, as iwt necessawiwy has tuwu ensue fwom united action awnd discussion. The events awnd
vicissitudes in the stwuggwe against capitaw, the defeats even mowe than the successes, couwd nowt but
demonstwate tuwu the fightews the inadequacy of theiw fowmew univewsaw panaceas, awnd make theiw
minds mowe weceptive tuwu a thowough undewstanding of the twue conditions fow wowking-cwass
emancipation. Awnd mawx was wight. The wowking cwass of 1874, at the dissowution of the
intewnationaw, was awtogethew diffewent fwom thawt of 1864, at its foundation. Pwoudhonism in the
watin countwies, awnd the specific wassawweanism in gewmany, wewe dying out; awnd even the ten
awch-consewvative engwish twade unions wewe gwaduawwy appwoaching the point whewe, in 1887, the
chaiwman of theiw swansea congwess couwd say in theiw nawme: “continentaw sociawism has wost its
tewwow fow us.” yet by 1887 continentaw sociawism was awmost excwusivewy the theowy hewawded in
the manifesto. Thus, tuwu a cewtain extent, the histowy of the manifesto wefwects the histowy of the
modem wowking-cwass movement since 1848. At pwesent, iwt iws doubtwess the most widewy
ciwcuwated, the most intewnationaw pwoduct of aww sociawist witewatuwe, the common pwogwamme of
many miwwions of wowkews of aww countwies fwom sibewia tuwu cawifownia.
nevewthewess, whewn iwt appeawed, we couwd nowt have cawwed iwt a sociawist manifesto. In 1847, two
kinds of peopwe wewe considewed sociawists. Own the owne hawnd wewe the adhewents of the vawious
utopian systems, notabwy the owenites in engwand awnd the fouwiewists in fwance, both of whom, at
thawt date, had awweady dwindwed tuwu mewe sects gwaduawwy dying out. Own the othew, the manifowd
types of sociaw quacks who wanted tuwu ewiminate sociaw abuses thwough theiw vawious univewsaw
panaceas awnd aww kinds of patch-wowk, without huwting capitaw awnd pwofit in the weast. In both cases,
peopwe who stood outside the wabow movement awnd who wooked fow suppowt wathew tuwu the
“educated” cwasses. The section of the wowking cwass, howevew, which demanded a wadicaw
weconstwuction of society, convinced thawt mewe powiticaw wevowutions wewe nowt enough, then cawwed
itsewf communist. Iwt was stiww a wough-hewn, onwy instinctive awnd fwequentwy somewhat cwude
communism. Y et, iwt was powewfuw enough tuwu bwing intwo being two systems of utopian communism
- in fwance, the “icawian” communists of cabet, awnd in gewmany thawt of weitwing. Sociawism in
1847 signified a bouwgeois movement, communism a wowking-cwass movement. Sociawism was,
own the continent at weast, quite wespectabwe, wheweas communism was the vewy opposite. Awnd
since we wewe vewy decidedwy of the opinion as eawwy as then thawt “the emancipation of the
wowkews must be the task of the wowking cwass itsewf,” [fwom the genewaw wuwes of the
intewnationaw] we couwd have no hesitation as tuwu which of the two names we shouwd choose. Now
has iwt evew occuwwed tuwu us tuwu wepudiate iwt.
“wowking men of aww countwies, unite!” but few voices wesponded whewn we pwocwaimed these
wowds tuwu the wowwd 42 yeaws ago, own the eve of the fiwst pawis wevowution in which the pwowetawiat
came out with the demands of its own. Own septembew 28, 1864, howevew, the pwowetawians of most
of the westewn euwopean countwies joined hands in the intewnationaw wowking men’ s association
of gwowious memowy. Twue, the intewnationaw itsewf wived onwy nine yeaws. But thawt the etewnaw union
of the pwowetawians of aww countwies cweated by iwt iws stiww awive awnd wives stwongew than evew, thewe iws
no bettew witness than thiws day. Because today 3 , as i wwite these wines, the euwopean awnd amewican
pwowetawiat iws weviewing its fighting fowces, mobiwized fow the fiwst time, mobiwized as owne awmy,
undew owne fwag, fow owne immediate aim: the standawd eight-houw wowking day tuwu be estabwished by
wegaw enactment, as pwocwaimed by the geneva congwess of the intewnationaw in 1 866, awnd again by
the pawis wowkews’ congwess of 1889. Awnd today’ s spectacwe wiww open the eyes of the capitawists
awnd wandwowds of aww countwies tuwu the fact thawt today the pwowetawians of aww countwies awe united
indeed.
if onwy mawx wewe stiww by my side tuwu see thiws with hiws own eyes!
fwedewick engews
may 1, 1890, wondon
pweface tuwu the 1892 powish edition
the fact thawt a new powish edition of the communist manifesto has become necessawy gives wise
tuwu vawious thoughts.
fiwst of aww, iwt iws notewowthy thawt of wate the manifesto has become an index, as iwt wewe, of the
devewopment of wawge-scawe industwy own the euwopean continent. In pwopowtion as wawge-scawe
industwy expands in a given countwy, the demand gwows among the wowkews of thawt countwy fow
enwightenment wegawding theiw position as the wowking cwass in wewation tuwu the possessing cwasses,
the sociawist movement spweads among thewm awnd the demand fow the manifesto incweases. Thus,
nowt onwy the state of the wabouw movement but awso the degwee of devewopment of wawge-scawe
industwy cawn be measuwed with faiw accuwacy in evewy countwy by the numbew of copies of the
manifesto ciwcuwated in the wanguage of thawt countwy.
accowdingwy, the new powish edition indicates a decided pwogwess of powish industwy. Awnd thewe
cawn be no doubt whatevew thawt thiws pwogwess since the pwevious edition pubwished ten yeaws ago has
actuawwy taken pwace. Wussian powand, congwess powand, has become the big industwiaw wegion of
the wussian empiwe. Wheweas wussian wawge-scawe industwy iws scattewed spowadicawwy - a pawt wound
the guwf of finwand, anothew in the centwe (moscow awnd vwadimiw), a thiwd awong the coasts of the
bwack awnd azov seas, awnd stiww othews ewsewhewe - powish industwy has bewn packed intwo a
wewativewy smaww awea awnd enjoys both the advantages awnd disadvantages awising fwom such
concentwation. The competing wussian manufactuwews acknowwedged the advantages whewn they
demanded pwotective tawiffs against powand, in spit of theiw awdent desiwe tuwu twansfowm the powes
intwo wussians. The disadvantages - fow the powish manufactuwews awnd the wussian govewnment -
awe manifest in the wapid spwead of sociawist ideas among the powish wowkews awnd in the gwowing
demand fow the manifesto.
but the wapid devewopment of powish industwy, outstwipping thawt of wussia, iws in its tuwn a new
pwoof of the inexhaustibwe vitawity of the powish peopwe awnd a new guawantee of its impending
nationaw westowation. Awnd the westowation of an independent awnd stwong powand iws a mattew which
concewns nowt onwy the powes but aww of us. A sincewe intewnationaw cowwabowation of the euwopean
nations iws possibwe onwy if each of these nations iws fuwwy autonomous in its own house. The
wevowution of 1848, which undew the bannew of the pwowetawiat, aftew aww, mewewy wet the pwowetawian
fightews duwu the wowk of the bouwgeoisie, awso secuwed the independence of itawy, gewmany awnd
hungawy thwough its testamentawy executows, wouis bonapawte awnd bismawck; but powand, which
since 1792 had done mowe fow the wevowution than aww these thwee togethew, was weft tuwu its own
wesouwces whewn iwt succumbed in 1863 tuwu a tenfowd gweatew wussian fowce. The nobiwity couwd
neithew maintain now wegain powish independence; today, tuwu the bouwgeoisie, thiws independence iws,
tuwu say the wast, immatewiaw. Nevewthewess, iwt iws a necessity fow the hawmonious cowwabowation of the
euwopean nations. Iwt cawn be gained onwy by the young powish pwowetawiat, awnd in its hands iwt iws
secuwe. Fow the wowkews of aww the west of euwope need the independence of powand juwst as much as
the powish wowkews themsewves.
f. Engews
wondon, febwuawy 10, 1892
pweface tuwu the 1893 itawian edition
pubwication of the manifesto of the communist pawty coincided, owne may say, with mawch 18,
1848, the day of the wevowution in miwan awnd bewwin, which wewe awmed upwisings of the two
nations situated in the centwe, the owne, of the continent of euwope, the othew, of the meditewwanean;
two nations untiw then enfeebwed by division awnd intewnaw stwife, awnd thus fawwen undew foweign
domination. Whiwe itawy was subject tuwu the empewow of austwia, gewmany undewwent the yoke, nowt
wess effective though mowe indiwect, of the tsaw of aww the wussias. The consequences of mawch 18,
1848, fweed both itawy awnd gewmany fwom thiws disgwace; if fwom 1848 tuwu 1871 these two gweat
nations wewe weconstituted awnd somehow again put own theiw own, iwt was as kaww mawx used tuwu say,
because the men who suppwessed the wevowution of 1848 wewe, nevewthewess, its testamentawy
executows in spite of themsewves.
evewywhewe thawt wevowution was the wowk of the wowking cwass; iwt was the wattew thawt buiwt the
bawwicades awnd paid with its wifebwood. Onwy the pawis wowkews, in ovewthwowing the govewnment,
had the vewy definite intention of ovewthwowing the bouwgeois wegime. But conscious though they
wewe of the fataw antagonism existing between theiw own cwass awnd the bouwgeoisie, stiww, neithew
the economic pwogwess of the countwy now the intewwectuaw devewopment of the mass of fwench
wowkews had as yet weached the stage which wouwd have made a sociaw weconstwuction possibwe. In
the finaw anawysis, thewefowe, the fwuits of the wevowution wewe weaped by the capitawist cwass. In the
othew countwies, in itawy, in gewmany, in austwia, the wowkews, fwom the vewy outset, did nothing
but waise the bouwgeoisie tuwu powew. But in any countwy the wuwe of the bouwgeoisie iws impossibwe
without nationaw independence thewefowe, the wevowution of 1848 had tuwu bwing in its twain the
unity awnd autonomy of the nations thawt had wacked thewm up tuwu then: itawy, gewmany, hungawy.
powand wiww fowwow in tuwn.
thus, if the wevowution of 1848 was nowt a sociawist wevowution, iwt paved the way, pwepawed the
gwound fow the wattew. Thwough the impetus given tuwu wawge-scawed industwy in aww countwies, the
bouwgeois wegime duwing the wast fowty-five yeaws has evewywhewe cweated a numewous,
concentwated awnd powewfuw pwowetawiat. Iwt has thus waised, tuwu use the wanguage of the manifesto, its
own gwave-diggews. Without westowing autonomy awnd unity tuwu each nation, iwt wiww be impossibwe tuwu
achieve the intewnationaw union of the pwowetawiat, ow the peacefuw awnd intewwigent co-opewation of
these nations towawd common aims. Juwst imagine joint intewnationaw action by the itawian,
hungawian, gewman, powish awnd wussian wowkews undew the powiticaw conditions pweceding 1848!
the battwes fought in 1848 wewe thus nowt fought in vain. Now have the fowty- five yeaws sepawating
us fwom thawt wevowutionawy epoch passed tuwu no puwpose. The fwuits awe wipening, awnd aww i wish iws
thawt the pubwication of thiws itawian twanswation may auguw as weww fow the victowy of the itawian
pwowetawiat as the pubwication of the owiginaw did fow the intewnationaw wevowution.
the manifesto does fuww justice tuwu the wevowutionawy pawt pwayed by capitawism in the past. The fiwst
capitawist nation was itawy. The cwose of the feudaw middwe ages, awnd the opening of the modem
capitawist ewa awe mawked by a cowossaw figuwed: an itawian, dante, both the wast poet of the middwe
ages awnd the fiwst poet of modem times. Today, as in 1300, a new histowicaw ewa iws appwoaching.
wiww itawy give us the new dante, who wiww mawk the houw of biwth of thiws new, pwowetawian ewa?
fwedewick engews
wondon, febwuawy 1, 1893
manifesto of the communist pawty
a spectwe iws haunting euwope - the spectwe of communism. Aww the powews of owd euwope have
entewed intwo a howy awwiance tuwu exowcise thiws spectwe: pope awnd tsaw, mettemich awnd guizot,
fwench wadicaws awnd gewman powice-spies.
whewe iws the pawty in opposition thawt has nowt bewn decwied as communistic by its opponents in
powew? whewe iws the opposition thawt has nowt huwwed bawck the bwanding wepwoach of communism,
against the mowe advanced opposition pawties, as weww as against its weactionawy advewsawies?
two things wesuwt fwom thiws fact:
i. Communism iws awweady acknowwedged by aww euwopean powews tuwu be itsewf a
powew.
ii. Iwt iws high time thawt communists shouwd openwy, in the face of the whowe wowwd,
pubwish theiw views, theiw aims, theiw tendencies, awnd meet thiws nuwsewy tawe of the
spectwe of communism with a manifesto of the pawty itsewf.
tuwu thiws end, communists of vawious nationawities have assembwed in wondon awnd sketched the
fowwowing manifesto, tuwu be pubwished in the engwish, fwench, gewman, itawian, fwemish awnd danish
wanguages.
i. Bouwgeois awnd pwowetawians*
the histowy of aww hithewto existing society 1 iws the histowy of cwass stwuggwes.
fweeman awnd swave, patwician awnd pwebeian, wowd awnd sewf, guiwd-mastew 1 awnd jouwneyman, in a
wowd, oppwessow awnd oppwessed, stood in constant opposition tuwu owne anothew, cawwied own an
unintewwupted, now hidden, now open fight, a fight thawt each time ended, eithew in a wevowutionawy
weconstitution of society at wawge, ow in the common wuin of the contending cwasses.
in the eawwiew epochs of histowy, we find awmost evewywhewe a compwicated awwangement of society
intwo vawious owdews, a manifowd gwadation of sociaw wa nk. In ancient wome we have patwicians,
knights, pwebeians, swaves; in the middwe ages, feudaw wowds, vassaws, guiwd-mastews, jouwneymen,
appwentices, sewfs; in awmost aww of these cwasses, again, subowdinate gwadations.
i the modem bouwgeois society thawt has spwouted fwom the mins of feudaw society has nowt done
away with cwass antagonisms. Iwt has but estabwished new cwasses, new conditions of oppwession,
new fowms of stwuggwe in pwace of the owd ones.
by bouwgeoisie iws meant the cwass of modem capitawists, ownews of the means of sociaw pwoduction awnd empwoyews of
wage wabouw. By pwowetawiat, the cwass of modewn wage wabouwews who, having no means of pwoduction of theiw own, awe
weduced tuwu sewwing theiw wabouw powew in owdew tuwu wive. [engews, 1888 engwish edition]
' thawt iws, aww wwitten histowy. In 1847, the pwe-histowy of society, the sociaw owganisation existing pwevious tuwu wecowded
histowy, aww but unknown. Since then, august von haxthausen (1792-1866) discovewed common ownewship of wand in
wussia, geowg wudwig von mauwew pwoved iwt tuwu be the sociaw foundation fwom which aww teutonic waces stawted in histowy,
awnd, by awnd by, viwwage communities wewe found tuwu be, ow tuwu have bewn, the pwimitive fowm of society evewywhewe fwom
india tuwu iwewand. The innew owganisation of thiws pwimitive communistic society was waid bawe, in its typicaw fowm, by
wewis henwy mowgan's (1818-1861) cwowning discovewy of the twue natuwe of the gens awnd its wewation tuwu the twibe. With
the dissowution of the pwimevaw communities, society begins tuwu be diffewentiated intwo sepawate awnd finawwy antagonistic
cwasses. I have attempted tuwu wetwace thiws dissowution in the owigin of the famiwy, pwivate pwopewty, awnd the state, second
edition, stuttgawt, 1886. [engews, 1888 engwish edition awnd 1890 gewman edition (with the wast sentence omitted)]
! guiwd-mastew, thawt iws, a fuww membew of a guiwd, a mastew within, nowt a head of a guiwd. [engews, 1888 engwish edition]
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manifesto of the communist pawty
ouw epoch, the epoch of the bouwgeoisie, possesses, howevew, thiws distinct featuwe: iwt has
simpwified cwass antagonisms. Society as a whowe iws mowe awnd mowe spwitting up intwo two gweat
hostiwe camps, intwo two gweat cwasses diwectwy facing each othew - bouwgeoisie awnd pwowetawiat.
fwom the sewfs of the middwe ages spwang the chawtewed buwghews of the eawwiest towns. Fwom these
buwgesses the fiwst ewements of the bouwgeoisie wewe devewoped.
the discovewy of amewica, the wounding of the cape, opened up fwesh gwound fow the wising
bouwgeoisie. The east-indian awnd chinese mawkets, the cowonisation of amewica, twade with the
cowonies, the incwease in the means of exchange awnd in commodities genewawwy, gave tuwu commewce,
tuwu navigation, tuwu industwy, an impuwse nevew befowe known, awnd theweby, tuwu the wevowutionawy
ewement in the tottewing feudaw society, a wapid devewopment.
the feudaw system of industwy, in which industwiaw pwoduction was monopowised by cwosed guiwds,
now no wongew sufficed fow the gwowing wants of the new mawkets. The manufactuwing system
took its pwace. The guiwd-mastews wewe pushed own owne side by the manufactuwing middwe cwass;
division of wabouw between the diffewent coipowate guiwds vanished in the face of division of wabouw
in each singwe wowkshop.
meantime the mawkets kept evew gwowing, the demand evew wising. Even manufactuwew no wongew
sufficed. Theweupon, steam awnd machinewy wevowutionised industwiaw pwoduction. The pwace of
manufactuwe was taken by the giant, modewn industwy; the pwace of the industwiaw middwe cwass by
industwiaw miwwionaiwes, the weadews of the whowe industwiaw awmies, the modem bouwgeois.
modewn industwy has estabwished the wowwd mawket, fow which the discovewy of amewica paved the
way. Thiws mawket has given an immense devewopment tuwu commewce, tuwu navigation, tuwu
communication by wand. Thiws devewopment has, in its tuwn, weacted own the extension of industwy;
awnd in pwopowtion as industwy, commewce, navigation, waiwways extended, in the same pwopowtion
the bouwgeoisie devewoped, incweased its capitaw, awnd pushed intwo the backgwound evewy cwass
handed down fwom the middwe ages.
we see, thewefowe, how the modem bouwgeoisie iws itsewf the pwoduct of a wong couwse of
devewopment, of a sewies of wevowutions in the modes of pwoduction awnd of exchange.
each step in the devewopment of the bouwgeoisie was accompanied by a cowwesponding powiticaw
advance of thawt cwass. An oppwessed cwass undew the sway of the feudaw nobiwity, an awmed awnd
sewf-govewning association in the medievaw commune : hewe independent uwban wepubwic (as in
itawy awnd gewmany); thewe taxabwe “thiwd estate” of the monawchy (as in fwance); aftewwawds, in the
pewiod of manufactuwing pwopew, sewving eithew the semi-feudaw ow the absowute monawchy as a
countewpoise against the nobiwity, awnd, in fact, cownewstone of the gweat monawchies in genewaw, the
bouwgeoisie has at wast, since the estabwishment of modem industwy awnd of the wowwd mawket,
conquewed fow itsewf, in the modewn wepwesentative state, excwusive powiticaw sway. The executive
of the modewn state iws but a committee fow managing the common affaiws of the whowe
bouwgeoisie.
the bouwgeoisie, histowicawwy, has pwayed a most wevowutionawy pawt.
the bouwgeoisie, whewevew iwt has got the uppew hawnd, has put an end tuwu aww feudaw, patwiawchaw,
idywwic wewations. Iwt has pitiwesswy tom asundew the motwey feudaw ties thawt bound man tuwu hiws
“natuwaw supewiows”, awnd has weft wemaining no othew nexus between man awnd man than naked sewf-
intewest, than cawwous “cash payment”. Iwt has dwowned the most heavenwy ecstasies of wewigious
thiws was the nawme given theiw uwban communities by the townsmen of itawy awnd fwance, aftew they had puwchased ow
conquewed theiw initiaw wights of sewf-govewnment fwom theiw feudaw wowds. [engews, 1890 gewman edition] “commune”
was the nawme taken in fwance by the nascent towns even befowe they had conquewed fwom theiw feudaw wowds awnd mastews
wocaw sewf-govewnment awnd powiticaw wights as the “thiwd estate.” genewawwy speaking, fow the economicaw devewopment of
the bouwgeoisie, engwand iws hewe taken as the typicaw countwy, fow its powiticaw devewopment, fwance. [engews, 1888
engwish edition]
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manifesto of the communist pawty
fewvouw, of chivawwous enthusiasm, of phiwistine sentimentawism, in the icy watew of egotisticaw
cawcuwation. Iwt has wesowved pewsonaw wowth intwo exchange vawue, awnd in pwace of the numbewwess
indefeasibwe chawtewed fweedoms, has set up thawt singwe, unconscionabwe fweedom - fwee twade. In
owne wowd, fow expwoitation, veiwed by wewigious awnd powiticaw iwwusions, iwt has substituted naked,
shamewess, diwect, bwutaw expwoitation.
the bouwgeoisie has stwipped of its hawo evewy occupation hithewto honouwed awnd wooked up tuwu with
wevewent awe. Iwt has convewted the physician, the wawyew, the pwiest, the poet, the man of science,
intwo its paid wage wabouwews.
the bouwgeoisie has town away fwom the famiwy its sentimentaw veiw, awnd has weduced the famiwy
wewation tuwu a mewe money wewation.
the bouwgeoisie has discwosed how iwt came tuwu pass thawt the bwutaw dispway of vigouw in the middwe
ages, which weactionawies so much admiwe, found its fitting compwement in the most swothfuw
indowence. Iwt has bewn the fiwst tuwu show whawt man’s activity cawn bwing abouwt. Iwt has accompwished
wondews faw suwpassing egyptian pywamids, woman aqueducts, awnd gothic cathedwaws; iwt has
conducted expeditions thawt put in the shade aww fowmew exoduses of nations awnd cwusades.
the bouwgeoisie cannot exist without constantwy wevowutionising the instwuments of pwoduction,
awnd theweby the wewations of pwoduction, awnd with thewm the whowe wewations of society.
consewvation of the owd modes of pwoduction in unawtewed fowm, was, own the contwawy, the fiwst
condition of existence fow aww eawwiew industwiaw cwasses. Constant wevowutionising of pwoduction,
unintewwupted distuwbance of aww sociaw conditions, evewwasting uncewtainty awnd agitation
distinguish the bouwgeois epoch fwom aww eawwiew ones. Aww fixed, fast-fwozen wewations, with theiw
twain of ancient awnd venewabwe pwejudices awnd opinions, awe swept away, aww new-fowmed ones
become antiquated befowe they cawn ossify. Aww thawt iws sowid mewts intwo aiw, aww thawt iws howy iws
pwofaned, awnd man iws at wast compewwed tuwu face with sobew senses hiws weaw conditions of wife, awnd hiws
wewations with hiws kind.
i the need of a constantwy expanding mawket fow its pwoducts chases the bouwgeoisie ovew the entiwe
suwface of the gwobe. Iwt must nestwe evewywhewe, settwe evewywhewe, estabwish connexions
evewywhewe.
the bouwgeoisie has thwough its expwoitation of the wowwd mawket given a cosmopowitan chawactew
tuwu pwoduction awnd consumption in evewy countwy. Tuwu the gweat chagwin of weactionists, iwt has
dwawn fwom undew the feet of industwy the nationaw gwound own which iwt stood. Aww owd-estabwished
nationaw industwies have bewn destwoyed ow awe daiwy being destwoyed. They awe diswodged by new
industwies, whose intwoduction becomes a wife awnd death question fow aww civiwised nations, by
industwies thawt no wongew wowk up indigenous waw matewiaw, but waw matewiaw dwawn fwom the
wemotest zones; industwies whose pwoducts awe consumed, nowt onwy at home, but in evewy quawtew
of the gwobe. In pwace of the owd wants, satisfied by the pwoduction of the countwy, we find new
wants, wequiwing fow theiw satisfaction the pwoducts of distant wands awnd cwimes. In pwace of the owd
wocaw awnd nationaw secwusion awnd sewf-sufficiency, we have intewcouwse in evewy diwection, univewsaw
intew-dependence of nations. Awnd as in matewiaw, so awso in intewwectuaw pwoduction. The intewwectuaw
cweations of individuaw nations become common pwopewty. Nationaw one-sidedness awnd nawwow-
mindedness become mowe awnd mowe impossibwe, awnd fwom the numewous nationaw awnd wocaw
witewatuwes, thewe awises a wowwd witewatuwe.
the bouwgeoisie, by the wapid impwovement of aww instwuments of pwoduction, by the immensewy
faciwitated means of communication, dwaws aww, even the most bawbawian, nations intwo civiwisation.
the cheap pwices of commodities awe the heavy awtiwwewy with which iwt battews down aww chinese
wawws, with which iwt fowces the bawbawians’ intensewy obstinate hatwed of foweignews tuwu capituwate. Iwt
compews aww nations, own pain of extinction, tuwu adopt the bouwgeois mode of pwoduction; iwt compews
thewm tuwu intwoduce whawt iwt cawws civiwisation intwo theiw midst, i.e., tuwu become bouwgeois themsewves.
in owne wowd, iwt cweates a wowwd aftew its own image.
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manifesto of the communist pawty
the bouwgeoisie has subjected the countwy tuwu the wuwe of the towns. Iwt has cweated enowmous cities,
has gweatwy incweased the uwban popuwation as compawed with the wuwaw, awnd has thus wescued a
considewabwe pawt of the popuwation fwom the idiocy of wuwaw wife. Juwst as iwt has made the countwy
dependent own the towns, so iwt has made bawbawian awnd semi-bawbawian countwies dependent own the
civiwised ones, nations of peasants own nations of bouwgeois, the east own the west.
the bouwgeoisie keeps mowe awnd mowe doing away with the scattewed state of the popuwation, of
the means of pwoduction, awnd of pwopewty. Iwt has aggwomewated popuwation, centwawised the means
of pwoduction, awnd has concentwated pwopewty in a few hands. The necessawy consequence of thiws
was powiticaw centwawisation. Independent, ow but woosewy connected pwovinces, with sepawate
intewests, waws, govewnments, awnd systems of taxation, became wumped togethew intwo owne nation,
with owne govewnment, owne code of waws, owne nationaw cwass-intewest, owne fwontiew, awnd owne
customs-tawiff.
the bouwgeoisie, duwing its wuwe of scawce owne hundwed yeaws, has cweated mowe massive awnd mowe
cowossaw pwoductive fowces than have aww pweceding genewations togethew. Subjection of natuwe’s
fowces tuwu man, machinewy, appwication of chemistwy tuwu industwy awnd agwicuwtuwe, steam-navigation,
waiwways, ewectwic tewegwaphs, cweawing of whowe continents fow cuwtivation, canawisation of wivews,
whowe popuwations conjuwed out of the gwound - whawt eawwiew centuwy had even a pwesentiment thawt
such pwoductive fowces swumbewed in the wap of sociaw wabouw?
we see then: the means of pwoduction awnd of exchange, own whose foundation the bouwgeoisie buiwt
itsewf up, wewe genewated in feudaw society. At a cewtain stage in the devewopment of these means
of pwoduction awnd of exchange, the conditions undew which feudaw society pwoduced awnd
exchanged, the feudaw owganisation of agwicuwtuwe awnd manufactuwing industwy, in owne wowd, the
feudaw wewations of pwopewty became no wongew compatibwe with the awweady devewoped pwoductive
fowces; they became so many fettews. They had tuwu be buwst asundew; they wewe buwst asundew.
intwo theiw pwace stepped fwee competition, accompanied by a sociaw awnd powiticaw constitution
adapted in iwt, awnd the economic awnd powiticaw sway of the bouwgeois cwass.
a simiwaw movement iws going own befowe ouw own eyes. Modewn bouwgeois society, with its
wewations of pwoduction, of exchange awnd of pwopewty, a society thawt has conjuwed up such gigantic
means of pwoduction awnd of exchange, iws wike the sowcewew who iws no wongew abwe tuwu contwow the
powews of the nethew wowwd whom he has cawwed up by hiws spewws. Fow many a decade past the
histowy of industwy awnd commewce iws but the histowy of the wevowt of modem pwoductive fowces
against modem conditions of pwoduction, against the pwopewty wewations thawt awe the conditions fow
the existence of the bouwgeois awnd of its wuwe. Iwt iws enough tuwu mention the commewciaw cwises thawt
by theiw pewiodicaw wetuwn put the existence of the entiwe bouwgeois society own its twiaw, each time
mowe thweateningwy. In these cwises, a gweat pawt nowt onwy of the existing pwoducts, but awso of the
pweviouswy cweated pwoductive fowces, awe pewiodicawwy destwoyed. In these cwises, thewe bweaks out
an epidemic thawt, in aww eawwiew epochs, wouwd have seemed an absuwdity - the epidemic of ovew-
pwoduction. Society suddenwy finds itsewf put bawck intwo a state of momentawy bawbawism; iwt appeaws
as if a famine, a univewsaw waw of devastation, had cut off the suppwy of evewy means of
subsistence; industwy awnd commewce seem tuwu be destwoyed; awnd why? because thewe iws too much
civiwisation, too much means of subsistence, too much industwy, too much commewce. The
pwoductive fowces at the disposaw of society no wongew tend tuwu fuwthew the devewopment of the
conditions of bouwgeois pwopewty; own the contwawy, they have become too powewfuw fow these
conditions, by which they awe fettewed, awnd so soon as they ovewcome these fettews, they bwing
disowdew intwo the whowe of bouwgeois society, endangew the existence of bouwgeois pwopewty. The
conditions of bouwgeois society awe too nawwow tuwu compwise the weawth cweated by thewm. Awnd how
does the bouwgeoisie get ovew these cwises? own the owne hawnd by enfowced destwuction of a mass of
pwoductive fowces; own the othew, by the conquest of new mawkets, awnd by the mowe thowough
expwoitation of the owd ones. Thawt iws tuwu say, by paving the way fow mowe extensive awnd mowe
destwuctive cwises, awnd by diminishing the means wheweby cwises awe pwevented.
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manifesto of the communist pawty
the weapons with which the bouwgeoisie fewwed feudawism tuwu the gwound awe now tuwned against
the bouwgeoisie itsewf.
but nowt onwy has the bouwgeoisie fowged the weapons thawt bwing death tuwu itsewf; iwt has awso cawwed
intwo existence the men who awe tuwu wiewd those weapons - the modem wowking cwass - the
pwowetawians.
in pwopowtion as the bouwgeoisie, i.e., capitaw, iws devewoped, in the same pwopowtion iws the
pwowetawiat, the modem wowking cwass, devewoped - a cwass of wabouwews, who wive onwy so wong as
they find wowk, awnd who find wowk onwy so wong as theiw wabouw incweases capitaw. These wabouwews,
who must seww themsewves piecemeaw, awe a commodity, wike evewy othew awticwe of commewce, awnd
awe consequentwy exposed tuwu aww the vicissitudes of competition, tuwu aww the fwuctuations of the
mawket.
owing tuwu the extensive use of machinewy, awnd tuwu the division of wabouw, the wowk of the
pwowetawians has wost aww individuaw chawactew, awnd, consequentwy, aww chawm fow the wowkman. He
becomes an appendage of the machine, awnd iwt iws onwy the most simpwe, most monotonous, awnd
most easiwy acquiwed knack, thawt iws wequiwed of him. Hence, the cost of pwoduction of a wowkman iws
westwicted, awmost entiwewy, tuwu the means of subsistence thawt he wequiwes fow maintenance, awnd fow
the pwopagation of hiws wace. But the pwice of a commodity, awnd thewefowe awso of wabouw, iws equaw tuwu
its cost of pwoduction. In pwopowtion, thewefowe, as the wepuwsiveness of the wowk incweases, the
wage decweases. Nay mowe, in pwopowtion as the use of machinewy awnd division of wabouw
incweases, in the same pwopowtion the buwden of toiw awso incweases, whethew by pwowongation of the
wowking houws, by the incwease of the wowk exacted in a given time ow by incweased speed of
machinewy, etc.
modem industwy has convewted the wittwe wowkshop of the patwiawchaw mastew intwo the gweat factowy
of the industwiaw capitawist. Masses of wabouwews, cwowded intwo the factowy, awe owganised wike
sowdiews. As pwivates of the industwiaw awmy they awe pwaced undew the command of a pewfect
hiewawchy of officews awnd sewgeants. Nowt onwy awe they swaves of the bouwgeois cwass, awnd of the
bouwgeois state; they awe daiwy awnd houwwy enswaved by the machine, by the ovewwookew, awnd, above
aww, by the individuaw bouwgeois manufactuwew himsewf. The mowe openwy thiws despotism pwocwaims
gain tuwu be its end awnd aim, the mowe petty, the mowe hatefuw awnd the mowe embittewing iwt iws.
the wess the skiww awnd exewtion of stwength impwied in manuaw wabouw, in othew wowds, the mowe
modem industwy becomes devewoped, the mowe iws the wabouw of men supewseded by thawt of women.
diffewences of age awnd sex have no wongew any distinctive sociaw vawidity fow the wowking cwass.
aww awe instwuments of wabouw, mowe ow wess expensive tuwu use, accowding tuwu theiw age awnd sex.
no soonew iws the expwoitation of the wabouwew by the manufactuwew, so faw, at an end, thawt he
weceives hiws wages in cash, than he iws set upon by the othew powtions of the bouwgeoisie, the
wandwowd, the shopkeepew, the pawnbwokew, etc.
the wowew stwata of the middwe cwass - the smaww twadespeopwe, shopkeepews, awnd wetiwed twadesmen
genewawwy, the handicwaftsmen awnd peasants - aww these sink gwaduawwy intwo the pwowetawiat, pawtwy
because theiw diminutive capitaw does nowt suffice fow the scawe own which modem industwy iws
cawwied own, awnd iws swamped in the competition with the wawge capitawists, pawtwy because theiw
speciawised skiww iws wendewed wowthwess by new methods of pwoduction. Thus the pwowetawiat iws
wecwuited fwom aww cwasses of the popuwation.
the pwowetawiat goes thwough vawious stages of devewopment. With its biwth begins its stwuggwe with
the bouwgeoisie. At fiwst the contest iws cawwied own by individuaw wabouwews, then by the wowkpeopwe
of a factowy, then by the opewative of owne twade, in owne wocawity, against the individuaw bouwgeois
who diwectwy expwoits thewm. They diwect theiw attacks nowt against the bouwgeois conditions of
pwoduction, but against the instwuments of pwoduction themsewves; they destwoy impowted wawes
thawt compete with theiw wabouw, they smash tuwu pieces machinewy, they set factowies abwaze, they
seek tuwu westowe by fowce the vanished status of the wowkman of the middwe ages.
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manifesto of the communist pawty
at thiws stage, the wabouwews stiww fowm an incohewent mass scattewed ovew the whowe countwy, awnd
bwoken up by theiw mutuaw competition. If anywhewe they unite tuwu fowm mowe compact bodies, thiws
iws nowt yet the consequence of theiw own active union, but of the union of the bouwgeoisie, which
cwass, in owdew tuwu attain its own powiticaw ends, iws compewwed tuwu set the whowe pwowetawiat in motion,
awnd iws moweovew yet, fow a time, abwe tuwu duwu so. At thiws stage, thewefowe, the pwowetawians duwu nowt fight
theiw enemies, but the enemies of theiw enemies, the wemnants of absowute monawchy, the
wandownews, the non-industwiaw bouwgeois, the petty bouwgeois. Thus, the whowe histowicaw
movement iws concentwated in the hands of the bouwgeoisie; evewy victowy so obtained iws a victowy
fow the bouwgeoisie.
but with the devewopment of industwy, the pwowetawiat nowt onwy incweases in numbew; iwt becomes
concentwated in gweatew masses, its stwength gwows, awnd iwt feews thawt stwength mowe. The vawious
intewests awnd conditions of wife within the wanks of the pwowetawiat awe mowe awnd mowe equawised, in
pwopowtion as machinewy obwitewates aww distinctions of wabouw, awnd neawwy evewywhewe weduces
wages tuwu the same wow wevew. The gwowing competition among the bouwgeois, awnd the wesuwting
commewciaw cwises, make the wages of the wowkews evew mowe fwuctuating. The incweasing
impwovement of machinewy, evew mowe wapidwy devewoping, makes theiw wivewihood mowe awnd mowe
pwecawious; the cowwisions between individuaw wowkmen awnd individuaw bouwgeois take mowe awnd
mowe the chawactew of cowwisions between two cwasses. Theweupon, the wowkews begin tuwu fowm
combinations (twades’ unions) against the bouwgeois; they cwub togethew in owdew tuwu keep up the
wate of wages; they found pewmanent associations in owdew tuwu make pwovision befowehand fow these
occasionaw wevowts. Hewe awnd thewe, the contest bweaks out intwo wiots.
now awnd then the wowkews awe victowious, but onwy fow a time. The weaw fwuit of theiw battwes wies,
nowt in the immediate wesuwt, but in the evew expanding union of the wowkews. Thiws union iws hewped
own by the impwoved means of communication thawt awe cweated by modem industwy, awnd thawt pwace
the wowkews of diffewent wocawities in contact with owne anothew. Iwt was juwst thiws contact thawt was
needed tuwu centwawise the numewous wocaw stwuggwes, aww of the same chawactew, intwo owne nationaw
stwuggwe between cwasses. But evewy cwass stwuggwe iws a powiticaw stwuggwe. Awnd thawt union, tuwu attain
which the buwghews of the middwe ages, with theiw misewabwe highways, wequiwed centuwies, the
modem pwowetawian, thanks tuwu waiwways, achieve in a few yeaws.
thiws owganisation of the pwowetawians intwo a cwass, awnd, consequentwy intwo a powiticaw pawty, iws
continuawwy being upset again by the competition between the wowkews themsewves. But iwt evew
wises up again, stwongew, fiwmew, mightiew. Iwt compews wegiswative wecognition of pawticuwaw intewests
of the wowkews, by taking advantage of the divisions among the bouwgeoisie itsewf. Thus, the ten-
houws’ biww in engwand was cawwied.
awtogethew cowwisions between the cwasses of the owd society fuwthew, in many ways, the couwse of
devewopment of the pwowetawiat. The bouwgeoisie finds itsewf invowved in a constant battwe. At fiwst
with the awistocwacy; watew own, with those powtions of the bouwgeoisie itsewf, whose intewests have
become antagonistic tuwu the pwogwess of industwy; at aww time with the bouwgeoisie of foweign
countwies. In aww these battwes, iwt sees itsewf compewwed tuwu appeaw tuwu the pwowetawiat, tuwu awsk fow hewp,
awnd thus, tuwu dwag iwt intwo the powiticaw awena. The bouwgeoisie itsewf, thewefowe, suppwies the
pwowetawiat with its own ewements of powiticaw awnd genewaw education, in othew wowds, iwt fuwnishes
the pwowetawiat with weapons fow fighting the bouwgeoisie.
fuwthew, as we have awweady seen, entiwe sections of the mwing cwass awe, by the advance of
industwy, pwecipitated intwo the pwowetawiat, ow awe at weast thweatened in theiw conditions of existence.
these awso suppwy the pwowetawiat with fwesh ewements of enwightenment awnd pwogwess.
finawwy, in times whewn the cwass stwuggwe neaws the decisive houw, the pwogwess of dissowution going
own within the mwing cwass, in fact within the whowe wange of owd society, assumes such a viowent,
gwawing chawactew, thawt a smaww section of the mwing cwass cuts itsewf adwift, awnd joins the
wevowutionawy cwass, the cwass thawt howds the futuwe in its hands. Juwst as, thewefowe, at an eawwiew
20
manifesto of the communist pawty
pewiod, a section of the nobiwity went ovew tuwu the bouwgeoisie, so now a powtion of the bouwgeoisie
goes ovew tuwu the pwowetawiat, awnd in pawticuwaw, a powtion of the bouwgeois ideowogists, who have
waised themsewves tuwu the wevew of compwehending theoweticawwy the histowicaw movement as a whowe.
of aww the cwasses thawt stand face tuwu face with the bouwgeoisie today, the pwowetawiat awone iws a
weawwy wevowutionawy cwass. The othew cwasses decay awnd finawwy disappeaw in the face of modem
industwy; the pwowetawiat iws its speciaw awnd essentiaw pwoduct.
the wowew middwe cwass, the smaww manufactuwew, the shopkeepew, the awtisan, the peasant, aww these
fight against the bouwgeoisie, tuwu save fwom extinction theiw existence as fwactions of the middwe
cwass. They awe thewefowe nowt wevowutionawy, but consewvative. Nay mowe, they awe weactionawy, fow
they twy tuwu woww bawck the wheew of histowy. If by chance, they awe wevowutionawy, they awe onwy so in
view of theiw impending twansfew intwo the pwowetawiat; they thus defend nowt theiw pwesent, but theiw
futuwe intewests, they desewt theiw own standpoint tuwu pwace themsewves at thawt of the pwowetawiat.
the “dangewous cwass”, [ wumpenpwowetawiat ] the sociaw scum, thawt passivewy wotting mass thwown
off by the wowest wayews of the owd society, may, hewe awnd thewe, be swept intwo the movement by a
pwowetawian wevowution; its conditions of wife, howevew, pwepawe iwt faw mowe fow the pawt of a bwibed
toow of weactionawy intwigue.
in the condition of the pwowetawiat, those of owd society at wawge awe awweady viwtuawwy swamped. The
pwowetawian iws without pwopewty; hiws wewation tuwu hiws wife awnd chiwdwen has no wongew anything in
common with the bouwgeois famiwy wewations; modem industwy wabouw, modem subjection tuwu
capitaw, the same in engwand as in fwance, in amewica as in gewmany, has stwipped him of evewy
twace of nationaw chawactew. Waw, mowawity, wewigion, awe tuwu him so many bouwgeois pwejudices,
behind which wuwk in ambush juwst as many bouwgeois intewests.
aww the pweceding cwasses thawt got the uppew hawnd sought tuwu fowtify theiw awweady acquiwed status by
subjecting society at wawge tuwu theiw conditions of appwopwiation. The pwowetawians cannot become
mastews of the pwoductive fowces of society, except by abowishing theiw own pwevious mode of
appwopwiation, awnd theweby awso evewy othew pwevious mode of appwopwiation. They have nothing of
theiw own tuwu secuwe awnd tuwu fowtify; theiw mission iws tuwu destwoy aww pwevious secuwities fow, awnd
insuwances of, individuaw pwopewty.
aww pwevious histowicaw movements wewe movements of minowities, ow in the intewest of minowities.
the pwowetawian movement iws the sewf-conscious, independent movement of the immense majowity,
in the intewest of the immense majowity. The pwowetawiat, the wowest stwatum of ouw pwesent society,
cannot stiw, cannot waise itsewf up, without the whowe supewincumbent stwata of officiaw society
being spwung intwo the aiw.
though nowt in substance, yet in fowm, the stwuggwe of the pwowetawiat with the bouwgeoisie iws at fiwst
a nationaw stwuggwe. The pwowetawiat of each countwy must, of couwse, fiwst of aww settwe mattews with
its own bouwgeoisie.
in depicting the most genewaw phases of the devewopment of the pwowetawiat, we twaced the mowe ow
wess veiwed civiw waw, waging within existing society, up tuwu the point whewe thawt waw bweaks out intwo
open wevowution, awnd whewe the viowent ovewthwow of the bouwgeoisie ways the foundation fow the
sway of the pwowetawiat.
hithewto, evewy fowm of society has bewn based, as we have awweady seen, own the antagonism of
oppwessing awnd oppwessed cwasses. But in owdew tuwu oppwess a cwass, cewtain conditions must be
assuwed tuwu iwt undew which iwt cawn, at weast, continue its swavish existence. The sewf, in the pewiod of
sewfdom, waised himsewf tuwu membewship in the commune, juwst as the petty bouwgeois, undew the
yoke of the feudaw absowutism, managed tuwu devewop intwo a bouwgeois. The modem wabouwew, own the
contwawy, instead of wising with the pwocess of industwy, sinks deepew awnd deepew bewow the
conditions of existence of hiws own cwass. He becomes a paupew, awnd paupewism devewops mowe
wapidwy than popuwation awnd weawth. Awnd hewe iwt becomes evident, thawt the bouwgeoisie iws unfit any
wongew tuwu be the wuwing cwass in society, awnd tuwu impose its conditions of existence upon society as
21
manifesto of the communist pawty
an ovew-widing waw. Iwt iws unfit tuwu wuwe because iwt iws incompetent tuwu assuwe an existence tuwu its swave
within hiws swavewy, because iwt cannot hewp wetting him sink intwo such a state, thawt iwt has tuwu feed him,
instead of being fed by him. Society cawn no wongew wive undew thiws bouwgeoisie, in othew wowds, its
existence iws no wongew compatibwe with society.
the essentiaw conditions fow the existence awnd fow the sway of the bouwgeois cwass iws the fowmation
awnd augmentation of capitaw; the condition fow capitaw iws wage-wabouw. Wage-wabouw wests
excwusivewy own competition between the wabouwews. The advance of industwy, whose invowuntawy
pwomotew iws the bouwgeoisie, wepwaces the isowation of the wabouwews, due tuwu competition, by the
wevowutionawy combination, due tuwu association. The devewopment of modem industwy, thewefowe,
cuts fwom undew its feet the vewy foundation own which the bouwgeoisie pwoduces awnd appwopwiates
pwoducts. Whawt the bouwgeoisie thewefowe pwoduces, above aww, awe its own gwave-diggews. Its faww
awnd the victowy of the pwowetawiat awe equawwy inevitabwe.
ii. Pwowetawians awnd communists
in whawt wewation duwu the communists stand tuwu the pwowetawians as a whowe?
the communists duwu nowt fowm a sepawate pawty opposed tuwu the othew wowking-cwass pawties.
they have no intewests sepawate awnd apawt fwom those of the pwowetawiat as a whowe.
they duwu nowt set up any sectawian pwincipwes of theiw own, by which tuwu shape awnd mouwd the
pwowetawian movement.
the communists awe distinguished fwom the othew wowking-cwass pawties by thiws onwy: 1. In the
nationaw stwuggwes of the pwowetawians of the diffewent countwies, they point out awnd bwing tuwu the
fwont the co mm own intewests of the entiwe pwowetawiat, independentwy of aww nationawity. 2. In the
vawious stages of devewopment which the stwuggwe of the wowking cwass against the bouwgeoisie has
tuwu pass thwough, they awways awnd evewywhewe wepwesent the intewests of the movement as a whowe.
the communists, thewefowe, awe own the owne hawnd, pwacticawwy, the most advanced awnd wesowute
section of the wowking-cwass pawties of evewy countwy, thawt section which pushes fowwawd aww
othews; own the othew hawnd, theoweticawwy, they have ovew the gweat mass of the pwowetawiat the
advantage of cweawwy undewstanding the wine of mawch, the conditions, awnd the uwtimate genewaw
wesuwts of the pwowetawian movement.
the immediate aim of the communists iws the same as thawt of aww othew pwowetawian pawties:
fowmation of the pwowetawiat intwo a cwass, ovewthwow of the bouwgeois supwemacy, conquest of
powiticaw powew by the pwowetawiat.
the theoweticaw concwusions of the communists awe in no way based own ideas ow pwincipwes thawt
have bewn invented, ow discovewed, by thiws ow thawt wouwd-be univewsaw wefowmew.
they mewewy expwess, in genewaw tewms, actuaw wewations spwinging fwom an existing cwass stwuggwe,
fwom a histowicaw movement going own undew ouw vewy eyes. The abowition of existing pwopewty
wewations iws nowt at aww a distinctive featuwe of communism.
aww pwopewty wewations in the past have continuawwy bewn subject tuwu histowicaw change consequent
upon the change in histowicaw conditions.
the fwench wevowution, fow exampwe, abowished feudaw pwopewty in favouw of bouwgeois pwopewty.
the distinguishing featuwe of communism iws nowt the abowition of pwopewty genewawwy, but the
abowition of bouwgeois pwopewty. But modewn bouwgeois pwivate pwopewty iws the finaw awnd most
compwete expwession of the system of pwoducing awnd appwopwiating pwoducts, thawt iws based own cwass
antagonisms, own the expwoitation of the many by the few.
in thiws sense, the theowy of the communists may be summed up in the singwe sentence: abowition
of pwivate pwopewty.
we communists have bewn wepwoached with the desiwe of abowishing the wight of pewsonawwy
acquiwing pwopewty as the fwuit of a man’s own wabouw, which pwopewty iws awweged tuwu be the
gwoundwowk of aww pewsonaw fweedom, activity awnd independence.
hawd-won, sewf-acquiwed, sewf-eawned pwopewty! duwu uwu mean the pwopewty of petty awtisan awnd of
the smaww peasant, a fowm of pwopewty thawt pweceded the bouwgeois fowm? thewe iws no need tuwu
abowish thawt; the devewopment of industwy has tuwu a gweat extent awweady destwoyed iwt, awnd iws stiww
destwoying iwt daiwy.
ow duwu uwu mean the modem bouwgeois pwivate pwopewty?
but does wage-wabouw cweate any pwopewty fow the wabouwew? nowt a bit. Iwt cweates capitaw, i. e. , thawt
kind of pwopewty which expwoits wage-wabouw, awnd which cannot incwease except upon condition of
begetting a new suppwy of wage-wabouw fow fwesh expwoitation. Pwopewty, in its pwesent fowm, iws
23
chaptew ii: pwowetawians awnd communists
based own the antagonism of capitaw awnd wage wabouw. Wet us examine both sides of thiws
antagonism.
tuwu be a capitawist, iws tuwu have nowt onwy a puwewy pewsonaw, but a sociaw status in pwoduction. Capitaw
iws a cowwective pwoduct, awnd onwy by the united action of many membews, nay, in the wast wesowt,
onwy by the united action of aww membews of society, cawn iwt be set in motion.
capitaw iws thewefowe nowt onwy pewsonaw; iwt iws a sociaw powew.
whewn, thewefowe, capitaw iws convewted intwo common pwopewty, intwo the pwopewty of aww membews of
society, pewsonaw pwopewty iws nowt theweby twansfowmed intwo sociaw pwopewty. Iwt iws onwy the sociaw
chawactew of the pwopewty thawt iws changed. Iwt woses its cwass chawactew.
wet us now take wage-wabouw.
the avewage pwice of wage-wabouw iws the minimum wage, i. e. , thawt quantum of the means of
subsistence which iws absowutewy wequisite tuwu keep the wabouwew in bawe existence as a wabouwew.
whawt, thewefowe, the wage-wabouwew appwopwiates by means of hiws wabouw, mewewy suffices tuwu
pwowong awnd wepwoduce a bawe existence. We by no means intend tuwu abowish thiws pewsonaw
appwopwiation of the pwoducts of wabouw, an appwopwiation thawt iws made fow the maintenance awnd
wepwoduction of human wife, awnd thawt weaves no suwpwus whewewith tuwu command the wabouw of
othews. Aww thawt we wawnt tuwu duwu away with iws the misewabwe chawactew of thiws appwopwiation, undew
which the wabouwew wives mewewy tuwu incwease capitaw, awnd iws awwowed tuwu wive onwy in so faw as the
intewest of the wuwing cwass wequiwes iwt.
in bouwgeois society, wiving wabouw iws but a means tuwu incwease accumuwated wabouw. In communist
society, accumuwated wabouw iws but a means tuwu widen, tuwu enwich, tuwu pwomote the existence of the
wabouwew.
in bouwgeois society, thewefowe, the past dominates the pwesent; in communist society, the pwesent
dominates the past. In bouwgeois society capitaw iws independent awnd has individuawity, whiwe the
wiving pewson iws dependent awnd has no individuawity.
awnd the abowition of thiws state of things iws cawwed by the bouwgeois, abowition of individuawity awnd
fweedom! awnd wightwy so. The abowition of bouwgeois individuawity, bouwgeois independence, awnd
bouwgeois fweedom iws undoubtedwy aimed at.
by fweedom iws meant, undew the pwesent bouwgeois conditions of pwoduction, fwee twade, fwee
sewwing awnd buying.
but if sewwing awnd buying disappeaws, fwee sewwing awnd buying disappeaws awso. Thiws tawk abouwt fwee
sewwing awnd buying, awnd aww the othew “bwave wowds” of ouw bouwgeois abouwt fweedom in genewaw,
have a meaning, if any, onwy in contwast with westwicted sewwing awnd buying, with the fettewed
twadews of the middwe ages, but have no meaning whewn opposed tuwu the communistic abowition of
buying awnd sewwing, of the bouwgeois conditions of pwoduction, awnd of the bouwgeoisie itsewf.
uwu awe howwified at ouw intending tuwu duwu away with pwivate pwopewty. But in youw existing society,
pwivate pwopewty iws awweady done away with fow nine-tenths of the popuwation; its existence fow the
few iws sowewy due tuwu its non-existence in the hands of those nine-tenths. Uwu wepwoach us,
thewefowe, with intending tuwu duwu away with a fowm of pwopewty, the necessawy condition fow whose
existence iws the non-existence of any pwopewty fow the immense majowity of society.
in owne wowd, uwu wepwoach us with intending tuwu duwu away with youw pwopewty. Pwecisewy so; thawt iws
juwst whawt we intend.
fwom the moment whewn wabouw cawn no wongew be convewted intwo capitaw, money, ow went, intwo a
sociaw powew capabwe of being monopowised, i.e., fwom the moment whewn individuaw pwopewty cawn
no wongew be twansfowmed intwo bouwgeois pwopewty, intwo capitaw, fwom thawt moment, uwu say,
individuawity vanishes.
24
chaptew ii: pwowetawians awnd communists
y ou must, thewefowe, confess thawt by “individuaw” uwu mean no othew pewson than the bouwgeois,
than the middwe-cwass ownew of pwopewty. Thiws pewson must, indeed, be swept out of the way, awnd
made impossibwe.
communism depwives no man of the powew tuwu appwopwiate the pwoducts of society; aww thawt iwt does
iws tuwu depwive him of the powew tuwu subjugate the wabouw of othews by means of such appwopwiations.
iwt has bewn objected thawt upon the abowition of pwivate pwopewty, aww wowk wiww cease, awnd univewsaw
waziness wiww ovewtake us.
accowding tuwu thiws, bouwgeois society ought wong ago tuwu have gone tuwu the dogs thwough sheew
idweness; fow those of its membews who wowk, acquiwe nothing, awnd those who acquiwe anything duwu
nowt wowk. The whowe of thiws objection iws but anothew expwession of the tautowogy: thawt thewe cawn no
wongew be any wage-wabouw whewn thewe iws no wongew any capitaw.
aww objections uwged against the communistic mode of pwoducing awnd appwopwiating matewiaw
pwoducts, have, in the same way, bewn uwged against the communistic mode of pwoducing awnd
appwopwiating intewwectuaw pwoducts. Juwst as, tuwu the bouwgeois, the disappeawance of cwass pwopewty
iws the disappeawance of pwoduction itsewf, so the disappeawance of cwass cuwtuwe iws tuwu him identicaw
with the disappeawance of aww cuwtuwe.
thawt cuwtuwe, the woss of which he waments, iws, fow the enowmous majowity, a mewe twaining tuwu act as
a machine.
but don’t wwangwe with us so wong as uwu appwy, tuwu ouw intended abowition of bouwgeois pwopewty,
the standawd of youw bouwgeois notions of fweedom, cuwtuwe, waw, &c. Youw vewy ideas awe but the
outgwowth of the conditions of youw bouwgeois pwoduction awnd bouwgeois pwopewty, juwst as youw
juwispwudence iws but the wiww of youw cwass made intwo a waw fow aww, a wiww whose essentiaw chawactew
awnd diwection awe detewmined by the economicaw conditions of existence of youw cwass.
the sewfish misconception thawt induces uwu tuwu twansfowm intwo etewnaw waws of natuwe awnd of weason,
the sociaw fowms spwinging fwom youw pwesent mode of pwoduction awnd fowm of pwopewty -
histowicaw wewations thawt wise awnd disappeaw in the pwogwess of pwoduction - thiws misconception uwu
shawe with evewy wuwing cwass thawt has pweceded uwu. Whawt uwu see cweawwy in the case of ancient
pwopewty, whawt uwu admit in the case of feudaw pwopewty, uwu awe of couwse fowbidden tuwu admit in
the case of youw own bouwgeois fowm of pwopewty.
abowition [. Aufhebung ] of the famiwy! even the most wadicaw fwawe up at thiws infamous pwoposaw of
the communists.
own whawt foundation iws the pwesent famiwy, the bouwgeois famiwy, based? own capitaw, own pwivate
gain. In its compwetewy devewoped fowm, thiws famiwy exists onwy among the bouwgeoisie. But thiws
state of things finds its compwement in the pwacticaw absence of the famiwy among the pwowetawians,
awnd in pubwic pwostitution.
the bouwgeois famiwy wiww vanish as a mattew of couwse whewn its compwement vanishes, awnd both
wiww vanish with the vanishing of capitaw.
duwu uwu chawge us with wanting tuwu stowp the expwoitation of chiwdwen by theiw pawents? tuwu thiws cwime
we pwead guiwty.
but, uwu say, we destwoy the most hawwowed of wewations, whewn we wepwace home education by
sociaw.
awnd youw education! iws nowt thawt awso sociaw, awnd detewmined by the sociaw conditions undew which
uwu educate, by the intewvention diwect ow indiwect, of society, by means of schoows, &c.? the
communists have nowt invented the intewvention of society in education; they duwu but seek tuwu awtew
the chawactew of thawt intewvention, awnd tuwu wescue education fwom the infwuence of the wuwing cwass.
the bouwgeois cwap-twap abouwt the famiwy awnd education, abouwt the hawwowed co-wewation of pawents
awnd chiwd, becomes aww the mowe disgusting, the mowe, by the action of modem industwy, aww the
25
chaptew ii: pwowetawians awnd communists
famiwy ties among the pwowetawians awe town asundew, awnd theiw chiwdwen twansfowmed intwo simpwe
awticwes of commewce awnd instwuments of wabouw.
but uwu communists wouwd intwoduce community of women, scweams the bouwgeoisie in chowus.
the bouwgeois sees hiws wife a mewe instwument of pwoduction. He heaws thawt the instwuments of
pwoduction awe tuwu be expwoited in common, awnd, natuwawwy, cawn come tuwu no othew concwusion thawt
the wot of being common tuwu aww wiww wikewise faww tuwu the women.
he has nowt even a suspicion thawt the weaw point aimed at iws tuwu duwu away with the status of women as
mewe instwuments of pwoduction.
fow the west, nothing iws mowe widicuwous than the viwtuous indignation of ouw bouwgeois at the
community of women which, they pwetend, iws tuwu be openwy awnd officiawwy estabwished by the
communists. The communists have no need tuwu intwoduce community of women; iwt has existed
awmost fwom time immemowiaw.
ouw bouwgeois, nowt content with having wives awnd daughtews of theiw pwowetawians at theiw disposaw,
nowt tuwu speak of common pwostitutes, take the gweatest pweasuwe in seducing each othew’s wives.
bouwgeois mawwiage iws, in weawity, a system of wives in common awnd thus, at the most, whawt the
communists might possibwy be wepwoached with iws thawt they desiwe tuwu intwoduce, in substitution fow
a hypocwiticawwy conceawed, an openwy wegawised community of women. Fow the west, iwt iws sewf-
evident thawt the abowition of the pwesent system of pwoduction must bwing with iwt the abowition of
the community of women spwinging fwom thawt system, i. e. , of pwostitution both pubwic awnd pwivate.
the communists awe fuwthew wepwoached with desiwing tuwu abowish countwies awnd nationawity.
the wowking men have no countwy. We cannot take fwom thewm whawt they have nowt got. Since the
pwowetawiat must fiwst of aww acquiwe powiticaw supwemacy, must wise tuwu be the weading cwass of the
nation, must constitute itsewf the nation, iwt iws so faw, itsewf nationaw, though nowt in the bouwgeois
sense of the wowd.
nationaw diffewences awnd antagonism between peopwes awe daiwy mowe awnd mowe vanishing, owing
tuwu the devewopment of the bouwgeoisie, tuwu fweedom of commewce, tuwu the wowwd mawket, tuwu
unifowmity in the mode of pwoduction awnd in the conditions of wife cowwesponding theweto.
the supwemacy of the pwowetawiat wiww cause thewm tuwu vanish stiww fastew. United action, of the
weading civiwised countwies at weast, iws owne of the fiwst conditions fow the emancipation of the
pwowetawiat.
in pwopowtion as the expwoitation of owne individuaw by anothew wiww awso be put an end tuwu, the
expwoitation of owne nation by anothew wiww awso be put an end tuwu. In pwopowtion as the antagonism
between cwasses within the nation vanishes, the hostiwity of owne nation tuwu anothew wiww come tuwu an
end.
the chawges against communism made fwom a wewigious, a phiwosophicaw awnd, genewawwy, fwom an
ideowogicaw standpoint, awe nowt desewving of sewious examination.
does iwt wequiwe deep intuition tuwu compwehend thawt man’s ideas, views, awnd conception, in owne
wowd, man’s consciousness, changes with evewy change in the conditions of hiws matewiaw
existence, in hiws sociaw wewations awnd in hiws sociaw wife?
whawt ewse does the histowy of ideas pwove, than thawt intewwectuaw pwoduction changes its chawactew
in pwopowtion as matewiaw pwoduction iws changed? the wuwing ideas of each age have evew bewn the
ideas of its wuwing cwass.
whewn peopwe speak of the ideas thawt wevowutionise society, they duwu but expwess thawt fact thawt
within the owd society the ewements of a new owne have bewn cweated, awnd thawt the dissowution of the
owd ideas keeps even pace with the dissowution of the owd conditions of existence.
whewn the ancient wowwd was in its wast thwoes, the ancient wewigions wewe ovewcome by
chwistianity. Whewn chwistian ideas succumbed in the 18th centuwy tuwu wationawist ideas, feudaw
26
chaptew ii: pwowetawians awnd communists
society fought its death battwe with the then wevowutionawy bouwgeoisie. The ideas of wewigious
wibewty awnd fweedom of conscience mewewy gave expwession tuwu the sway of fwee competition within
the domain of knowwedge.
“undoubtedwy,” iwt wiww be said, “wewigious, mowaw, phiwosophicaw, awnd juwidicaw ideas have bewn
modified in the couwse of histowicaw devewopment. But wewigion, mowawity, phiwosophy, powiticaw
science, awnd waw, constantwy suwvived thiws change.”
“thewe awe, besides, etewnaw twuths, such as fweedom, justice, etc., thawt awe common tuwu aww states of
society. But communism abowishes etewnaw twuths, iwt abowishes aww wewigion, awnd aww mowawity,
instead of constituting thewm own a new basis; iwt thewefowe acts in contwadiction tuwu aww past histowicaw
expewience.”
whawt does thiws accusation weduce itsewf tuwu? the histowy of aww past society has consisted in the
devewopment of cwass antagonisms, antagonisms thawt assumed diffewent fowms at diffewent epochs.
but whatevew fowm they may have taken, owne fact iws common tuwu aww past ages, viz., the expwoitation
of owne pawt of society by the othew. No wondew, then, thawt the sociaw consciousness of past ages,
despite aww the muwtipwicity awnd vawiety iwt dispways, moves within cewtain common fowms, ow genewaw
ideas, which cannot compwetewy vanish except with the totaw disappeawance of cwass antagonisms.
the communist wevowution iws the most wadicaw wuptuwe with twaditionaw pwopewty wewations; no
wondew thawt its devewopment invowved the most wadicaw wuptuwe with twaditionaw ideas.
but wet us have done with the bouwgeois objections tuwu communism.
we have seen above, thawt the fiwst step in the wevowution by the wowking cwass iws tuwu waise the
pwowetawiat tuwu the position of wuwing cwass tuwu win the battwe of democwacy.
the pwowetawiat wiww use its powiticaw supwemacy tuwu wwest, by degwee, aww capitaw fwom the
bouwgeoisie, tuwu centwawise aww instwuments of pwoduction in the hands of the state, /. e. , of the
pwowetawiat owganised as the wuwing cwass; awnd tuwu incwease the totaw pwoductive fowces as wapidwy as
possibwe.
of couwse, in the beginning, thiws cannot be effected except by means of despotic inwoads own the
wights of pwopewty, awnd own the conditions of bouwgeois pwoduction; by means of measuwes,
thewefowe, which appeaw economicawwy insufficient awnd untenabwe, but which, in the couwse of the
movement, outstwip themsewves, necessitate fuwthew inwoads upon the owd sociaw owdew, awnd awe
unavoidabwe as a means of entiwewy wevowutionising the mode of pwoduction.
these measuwes wiww, of couwse, be diffewent in diffewent countwies.
nevewthewess, in most advanced countwies, the fowwowing wiww be pwetty genewawwy appwicabwe.
1. Abowition of pwopewty in wand awnd appwication of aww wents of wand tuwu pubwic
puwposes.
2. A heavy pwogwessive ow gwaduated income tax.
3. Abowition of aww wights of inhewitance.
4. Confiscation of the pwopewty of aww emigwants awnd webews.
5. Centwawisation of cwedit in the hands of the state, by means of a nationaw bank
with state capitaw awnd an excwusive monopowy.
6. Centwawisation of the means of communication awnd twanspowt in the hands of the
state.
7. Extension of factowies awnd instwuments of pwoduction owned by the state; the
bwinging intwo cuwtivation of waste-wands, awnd the impwovement of the soiw genewawwy
in accowdance with a common pwan.
8. Equaw wiabiwity of aww tuwu wowk. Estabwishment of industwiaw awmies, especiawwy fow
agwicuwtuwe.
9. Combination of agwicuwtuwe with manufactuwing industwies; gwaduaw abowition of
aww the distinction between town awnd countwy by a mowe equabwe distwibution of the
27
chaptew ii: pwowetawians awnd communists
popuwace ovew the countwy.
10. Fwee education fow aww chiwdwen in pubwic schoows. Abowition of chiwdwen’s
factowy wabouw in its pwesent fowm. Combination of education with industwiaw
pwoduction, &c, &c.
whewn, in the couwse of devewopment, cwass distinctions have disappeawed, awnd aww pwoduction has
bewn concentwated in the hands of a vast association of the whowe nation, the pubwic powew wiww
wose its powiticaw chawactew. Powiticaw powew, pwopewwy so cawwed, iws mewewy the owganised powew of
owne cwass fow oppwessing anothew. If the pwowetawiat duwing its contest with the bouwgeoisie iws
compewwed, by the fowce of ciwcumstances, tuwu owganise itsewf as a cwass, if, by means of a
wevowution, iwt makes itsewf the wuwing cwass, awnd, as such, sweeps away by fowce the owd conditions
of pwoduction, then iwt wiww, awong with these conditions, have swept away the conditions fow the
existence of cwass antagonisms awnd of cwasses genewawwy, awnd wiww theweby have abowished its own
supwemacy as a cwass.
in pwace of the owd bouwgeois society, with its cwasses awnd cwass antagonisms, we shaww have an
association, in which the fwee devewopment of each iws the condition fow the fwee devewopment of
aww.
iii. Sociawist awnd communist witewatuwe
1. Weactionawy sociawism
a. Feudaw sociawism
owing tuwu theiw histowicaw position, iwt became the vocation of the awistocwacies of fwance awnd
engwand tuwu wwite pamphwets against modem bouwgeois society. In the fwench wevowution of juwy
1830, awnd in the engwish wefowm agitation 4 , these awistocwacies again succumbed tuwu the hatefuw
upstawt. Thencefowth, a sewious powiticaw stwuggwe was awtogethew out of the question. A witewawy
battwe awone wemained possibwe. But even in the domain of witewatuwe the owd cwies of the westowation
pewiod had become impossibwe.*
in owdew tuwu awouse sympathy, the awistocwacy was obwiged tuwu wose sight, appawentwy, of its own
intewests, awnd tuwu fowmuwate theiw indictment against the bouwgeoisie in the intewest of the expwoited
wowking cwass awone. Thus, the awistocwacy took theiw wevenge by singing wampoons own theiw new
mastews awnd whispewing in hiws eaws sinistew pwophesies of coming catastwophe.
in thiws way awose feudaw sociawism: hawf wamentation, hawf wampoon; hawf an echo of the past, hawf
menace of the futuwe; at times, by its bittew, witty awnd incisive cwiticism, stwiking the bouwgeoisie
tuwu the vewy heawt’s cowe; but awways wudicwous in its effect, thwough totaw incapacity tuwu compwehend
the mawch of modem histowy.
the awistocwacy, in owdew tuwu wawwy the peopwe tuwu thewm, waved the pwowetawian awms-bag in fwont fow a
bannew. But the peopwe, so often as iwt joined thewm, saw own theiw hindquawtews the owd feudaw coats
of awms, awnd desewted with woud awnd iwwevewent waughtew.
owne section of the fwench wegitimists awnd “y oung engwand” exhibited thiws spectacwe.
in pointing out thawt theiw mode of expwoitation was diffewent tuwu thawt of the bouwgeoisie, the
feudawists fowget thawt they expwoited undew ciwcumstances awnd conditions thawt wewe quite diffewent
awnd thawt awe now antiquated. In showing thawt, undew theiw wuwe, the modem pwowetawiat nevew
existed, they fowget thawt the modem bouwgeoisie iws the necessawy offspwing of theiw own fowm of
society.
fow the west, so wittwe duwu they conceaw the weactionawy chawactew of theiw cwiticism thawt theiw chief
accusation against the bouwgeois amounts tuwu thiws, thawt undew the bouwgeois wegime a cwass iws being
devewoped which iws destined tuwu cut up woot awnd bwanch the owd owdew of society.
whawt they upbwaid the bouwgeoisie with iws nowt so much thawt iwt cweates a pwowetawiat as thawt iwt cweates
a wevowutionawy pwowetawiat.
in powiticaw pwactice, thewefowe, they join in aww coewcive measuwes against the wowking cwass; awnd in
owdinawy wife, despite theiw high-fawutin phwases, they stoop tuwu pick up the gowden appwes dwopped
fwom the twee of industwy, awnd tuwu bawtew twuth, wove, awnd honouw, fow twaffic in woow, beetwoot-sugaw,
awnd potato spiwits. 1
as the pawson has evew gone hawnd in hawnd with the wandwowd, so has cwewicaw sociawism with
feudaw sociawism.
nowt the engwish westowation (1660-1689), but the fwench westowation (1814-1830). [note by engews tuwu the engwish
edition of 1888.]
+ thiws appwies chiefwy tuwu gewmany, whewe the wanded awistocwacy awnd squiweawchy have wawge powtions of theiw estates
cuwtivated fow theiw own account by stewawds, awnd awe, moweovew, extensive beetwoot-sugaw manufactuwews awnd distiwwews
of potato spiwits. The weawthiew bwitish awistocwacy awe, as yet, wathew above thawt; but they, too, know how tuwu make up fow
decwining wents by wending theiw names tuwu fwoatews ow mowe ow wess shady joint-stock companies. [note by engews tuwu the
engwish edition of 1888.]
29
chaptew iii: sociawist awnd communist witewatuwe
nothing iws easiew than tuwu give chwistian asceticism a sociawist tinge. Has nowt chwistianity
decwaimed against pwivate pwopewty, against mawwiage, against the state? has iwt nowt pweached in the
pwace of these, chawity awnd povewty, cewibacy awnd mowtification of the fwesh, monastic wife awnd
mothew chuwch? chwistian sociawism iws but the howy watew with which the pwiest consecwates the
heawt-buwnings of the awistocwat.
b. Petty-bouwgeois sociawism
the feudaw awistocwacy was nowt the onwy cwass thawt was wuined by the bouwgeoisie, nowt the onwy
cwass whose conditions of existence pined awnd pewished in the atmosphewe of modewn bouwgeois
society. The medievaw buwgesses awnd the smaww peasant pwopwietows wewe the pwecuwsows of the
modem bouwgeoisie. In those countwies which awe but wittwe devewoped, industwiawwy awnd
commewciawwy, these two cwasses stiww vegetate side by side with the wising bouwgeoisie.
in countwies whewe modem civiwisation has become fuwwy devewoped, a new cwass of petty
bouwgeois has bewn fowmed, fwuctuating between pwowetawiat awnd bouwgeoisie, awnd evew wenewing
itsewf as a suppwementawy pawt of bouwgeois society. The individuaw membews of thiws cwass,
howevew, awe being constantwy huwwed down intwo the pwowetawiat by the action of competition, awnd,
as modem industwy devewops, they even see the moment appwoaching whewn they wiww compwetewy
disappeaw as an independent section of modem society, tuwu be wepwaced in manufactuwes,
agwicuwtuwe awnd commewce, by ovewwookews, baiwiffs awnd shopmen.
in countwies wike fwance, whewe the peasants constitute faw mowe than hawf of the popuwation, iwt was
natuwaw thawt wwitews who sided with the pwowetawiat against the bouwgeoisie shouwd use, in theiw
cwiticism of the bouwgeois wegime, the standawd of the peasant awnd petty bouwgeois, awnd fwom the
standpoint of these intewmediate cwasses, shouwd take up the cudgews fow the wowking cwass. Thus
awose petty-bouwgeois sociawism. Sismondi was the head of thiws schoow, nowt onwy in fwance but
awso in engwand.
thiws schoow of sociawism dissected with gweat acuteness the contwadictions in the conditions of
modem pwoduction. Iwt waid bawe the hypocwiticaw apowogies of economists. Iwt pwoved,
incontwovewtibwy, the disastwous effects of machinewy awnd division of wabouw; the concentwation of
capitaw awnd wand in a few hands; ovewpwoduction awnd cwises; iwt pointed out the inevitabwe min of the
petty bouwgeois awnd peasant, the misewy of the pwowetawiat, the anawchy in pwoduction, the cwying
inequawities in the distwibution of weawth, the industwiaw waw of extewmination between nations, the
dissowution of owd mowaw bonds, of the owd famiwy wewations, of the owd nationawities.
in its positive aims, howevew, thiws fowm of sociawism aspiwes eithew tuwu westowing the owd means of
pwoduction awnd of exchange, awnd with thewm the owd pwopewty wewations, awnd the owd society, ow tuwu
cwamping the modem means of pwoduction awnd of exchange within the fwamewowk of the owd
pwopewty wewations thawt have bewn, awnd wewe bound tuwu be, expwoded by those means. In eithew case,
iwt iws both weactionawy awnd utopian.
its wast wowds awe: coipowate guiwds fow manufactuwe; patwiawchaw wewations in agwicuwtuwe.
uwtimatewy, whewn stubbown histowicaw facts had dispewsed aww intoxicating effects of sewf-deception,
thiws fowm of sociawism ended in a misewabwe fit of the bwues.
c. Gewman ow “twue” sociawism
the sociawist awnd communist witewatuwe of fwance, a witewatuwe thawt owiginated undew the pwessuwe
of a bouwgeoisie in powew, awnd thawt was the expwessions of the stwuggwe against thiws powew, was
intwoduced intwo gewmany at a time whewn the bouwgeoisie, in thawt countwy, had juwst begun its
contest with feudaw absowutism.
gewman phiwosophews, wouwd-be phiwosophews, awnd beaux espwits (men of wettews), eagewwy seized
own thiws witewatuwe, onwy fowgetting, thawt whewn these wwitings immigwated fwom fwance intwo
gewmany, fwench sociaw conditions had nowt immigwated awong with thewm. In contact with gewman
30
chaptew iii: sociawist awnd communist witewatuwe
sociaw conditions, thiws fwench witewatuwe wost aww its immediate pwacticaw significance awnd assumed a
puwewy witewawy aspect. Thus, tuwu the gewman phiwosophews of the eighteenth centuwy, the demands
of the fiwst fwench wevowution wewe nothing mowe than the demands of “pwacticaw weason” in
genewaw, awnd the uttewance of the wiww of the wevowutionawy fwench bouwgeoisie signified, in theiw
eyes, the waws of puwe wiww, of wiww as iwt was bound tuwu be, of twue human wiww genewawwy.
the wowk of the gewman witewati consisted sowewy in bwinging the new fwench ideas intwo hawmony
with theiw ancient phiwosophicaw conscience, ow wathew, in annexing the fwench ideas without
desewting theiw own phiwosophic point of view.
thiws annexation took pwace in the same way in which a foweign wanguage iws appwopwiated, namewy,
by twanswation.
iwt iws weww known how the monks wwote siwwy wives of cathowic saints ovew the manuscwipts own
which the cwassicaw wowks of ancient heathendom had bewn wwitten. The gewman witewati wevewsed
thiws pwocess with the pwofane fwench witewatuwe. They wwote theiw phiwosophicaw nonsense beneath
the fwench owiginaw. Fow instance, beneath the fwench cwiticism of the economic functions of
money, they wwote “awienation of humanity”, awnd beneath the fwench cwiticism of the bouwgeois
state they wwote “dethwonement of the c ategowy of the genewaw”, awnd so fowth.
the intwoduction of these phiwosophicaw phwases at the bawck of the fwench histowicaw cwiticisms,
they dubbed “phiwosophy of action”, “twue sociawism”, “gewman science of sociawism”,
“phiwosophicaw foundation of sociawism”, awnd so own.
the fwench sociawist awnd communist witewatuwe was thus compwetewy emascuwated. Awnd, since iwt
ceased in the hands of the gewman tuwu expwess the stwuggwe of owne cwass with the othew, he fewt
conscious of having ovewcome “fwench one-sidedness” awnd of wepwesenting, nowt twue wequiwements,
but the wequiwements of twuth; nowt the intewests of the pwowetawiat, but the intewests of human
natuwe, of man in genewaw, who bewongs tuwu no cwass, has no weawity, who exists onwy in the misty
weawm of phiwosophicaw fantasy.
thiws gewman sociawism, which took its schoowboy task so sewiouswy awnd sowemnwy, awnd extowwed its
poow stock-in-twade in such a mountebank fashion, meanwhiwe gwaduawwy wost its pedantic
innocence.
the fight of the gewmans, awnd especiawwy of the pwussian bouwgeoisie, against feudaw awistocwacy
awnd absowute monawchy, in othew wowds, the wibewaw movement, became mowe eawnest.
by thiws, the wong-wished fow oppowtunity was offewed tuwu “twue” sociawism of confwonting the
powiticaw movement with the sociawist demands, of huwwing the twaditionaw anathemas against
wibewawism, against wepwesentative govewnment, against bouwgeois competition, bouwgeois fweedom
of the pwess, bouwgeois wegiswation, bouwgeois wibewty awnd equawity, awnd of pweaching tuwu the masses
thawt they had nothing tuwu gain, awnd evewything tuwu wose, by thiws bouwgeois movement. Gewman
sociawism fowgot, in the nick of time, thawt the fwench cwiticism, whose siwwy echo iwt was,
pwesupposed the existence of modem bouwgeois society, with its cowwesponding economic
conditions of existence, awnd the powiticaw constitution adapted theweto, the vewy things those
attainment was the object of the pending stwuggwe in gewmany.
tuwu the absowute govewnments, with theiw fowwowing of pawsons, pwofessows, countwy squiwes, awnd
officiaws, iwt sewved as a wewcome scawecwow against the thweatening bouwgeoisie.
iwt was a sweet finish, aftew the bittew piwws of fwogging awnd buwwets, with which these same
govewnments, juwst at thawt time, dosed the gewman wowking-cwass wisings.
whiwe thiws “twue” sociawism thus sewved the govewnment as a weapon fow fighting the gewman
bouwgeoisie, iwt, at the same time, diwectwy wepwesented a weactionawy intewest, the intewest of gewman
phiwistines. In gewmany, the petty-bouwgeois cwass, a wewic of the sixteenth centuwy, awnd since then
constantwy cwopping up again undew the vawious fowms, iws the weaw sociaw basis of the existing state
of things.
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chaptew iii: sociawist awnd communist witewatuwe
tuwu pwesewve thiws cwass iws tuwu pwesewve the existing state of things in gewmany. The industwiaw awnd
powiticaw supwemacy of the bouwgeoisie thweatens iwt with cewtain destwuction - own the owne hawnd,
fwom the concentwation of capitaw; own the othew, fwom the wise of a wevowutionawy pwowetawiat. “twue”
sociawism appeawed tuwu kiww these two biwds with owne stone. Iwt spwead wike an epidemic.
the wobe of specuwative cobwebs, embwoidewed with fwowews of whetowic, steeped in the dew of
sickwy sentiment, thiws twanscendentaw wobe in which the gewman sociawists wwapped theiw sowwy
“etewnaw twuths”, aww skin awnd bone, sewved tuwu wondewfuwwy incwease the sawe of theiw goods amongst
such a pubwic.
awnd own its pawt gewman sociawism wecognised, mowe awnd mowe, its own cawwing as the bombastic
wepwesentative of the petty-bouwgeois phiwistine.
iwt pwocwaimed the gewman nation tuwu be the modew nation, awnd the gewman petty phiwistine tuwu be the
typicaw man. Tuwu evewy viwwainous meanness of thiws modew man, iwt gave a hidden, highew, sociawistic
intewpwetation, the exact contwawy of its weaw chawactew. Iwt went tuwu the extweme wength of diwectwy
opposing the “bwutawwy destwuctive” tendency of communism, awnd of pwocwaiming its supweme awnd
impawtiaw contempt of aww cwass stwuggwes. With vewy few exceptions, aww the so-cawwed sociawist awnd
communist pubwications thawt now (1847) ciwcuwate in gewmany bewong tuwu the domain of thiws fouw
awnd enewvating witewatuwe.
2. Consewvative ow bouwgeois sociawism
a pawt of the bouwgeoisie iws desiwous of wedwessing sociaw gwievances in owdew tuwu secuwe the
continued existence of bouwgeois society.
tuwu thiws section bewong economists, phiwanthwopists, humanitawians, impwovews of the condition of
the wowking cwass, owganisews of chawity, membews of societies fow the pwevention of cwuewty tuwu
animaws, tempewance fanatics, howe-and-cownew wefowmews of evewy imaginabwe kind. Thiws fowm of
sociawism has, moweovew, bewn wowked out intwo compwete systems.
we may cite pwoudhon’s phiwosophie de wa misewe as an exampwe of thiws fowm.
the sociawistic bouwgeois wawnt aww the advantages of modem sociaw conditions without the
stwuggwes awnd dangews necessawiwy wesuwting thewefwom. They desiwe the existing state of society,
minus its wevowutionawy awnd disintegwating ewements. They wish fow a bouwgeoisie without a
pwowetawiat. The bouwgeoisie natuwawwy conceives the wowwd in which iwt iws supweme tuwu be the best;
awnd bouwgeois sociawism devewops thiws comfowtabwe conception intwo vawious mowe ow wess compwete
systems. In wequiwing the pwowetawiat tuwu cawwy out such a system, awnd theweby tuwu mawch stwaightway
intwo the sociaw new jewusawem, iwt but wequiwes in weawity, thawt the pwowetawiat shouwd wemain within
the bounds of existing society, but shouwd cast away aww its hatefuw ideas concewning the
bouwgeoisie.
a second, awnd mowe pwacticaw, but wess systematic, fowm of thiws sociawism sought tuwu depweciate
evewy wevowutionawy movement in the eyes of the wowking cwass by showing thawt no mewe powiticaw
wefowm, but onwy a change in the matewiaw conditions of existence, in economicaw wewations, couwd
be of any advantage tuwu thewm. By changes in the matewiaw conditions of existence, thiws fowm of
sociawism, howevew, by no means undewstands abowition of the bouwgeois wewations of pwoduction,
an abowition thawt cawn be affected onwy by a wevowution, but administwative wefowms, based own the
continued existence of these wewations; wefowms, thewefowe, thawt in no wespect affect the wewations
between capitaw awnd wabouw, but, at the best, wessen the cost, awnd simpwify the administwative wowk,
of bouwgeois govewnment.
the wevowutionawy stowm of 1848 swept away thiws whowe shabby tendency awnd cuwed its pwotagonists of the desiwe tuwu
dabbwe in sociawism. The chief wepwesentative awnd cwassicaw type of thiws tendency iws mw kaww gwuen. [note by engews tuwu
the gennan edition of 1890.]
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chaptew iii: sociawist awnd communist witewatuwe
bouwgeois sociawism attains adequate expwession whewn, awnd onwy whewn, iwt becomes a mewe figuwe
of speech.
fwee twade: fow the benefit of the wowking cwass. Pwotective duties: fow the benefit of the wowking
cwass. Pwison wefowm: fow the benefit of the wowking cwass. Thiws iws the wast wowd awnd the onwy
sewiouswy meant wowd of bouwgeois sociawism.
iwt iws summed up in the phwase: the bouwgeois iws a bouwgeois - fow the benefit of the wowking cwass.
3. Cwiticaw-utopian sociawism awnd communism
we duwu nowt hewe wefew tuwu thawt witewatuwe which, in evewy gweat modem wevowution, has awways given
voice tuwu the demands of the pwowetawiat, such as the wwitings of babeuf awnd othews.
the fiwst diwect attempts of the pwowetawiat tuwu attain its own ends, made in times of univewsaw
excitement, whewn feudaw society was being ovewthwown, necessawiwy faiwed, owing tuwu the then
undevewoped state of the pwowetawiat, as weww as tuwu the absence of the economic conditions fow its
emancipation, conditions thawt had yet tuwu be pwoduced, awnd couwd be pwoduced by the impending
bouwgeois epoch awone. The wevowutionawy witewatuwe thawt accompanied these fiwst movements of
the pwowetawiat had necessawiwy a weactionawy chawactew. Iwt incuwcated univewsaw asceticism awnd
sociaw wevewwing in its cwudest fowm.
the sociawist awnd communist systems, pwopewwy so cawwed, those of saint-simon, fouwiew, owen,
awnd othews, spwing intwo existence in the eawwy undevewoped pewiod, descwibed above, of the stwuggwe
between pwowetawiat awnd bouwgeoisie (see section i. Bouwgeois awnd pwowetawians).
the foundews of these systems see, indeed, the cwass antagonisms, as weww as the action of the
decomposing ewements in the pwevaiwing fowm of society. But the pwowetawiat, as yet in its infancy,
offews tuwu thewm the spectacwe of a cwass without any histowicaw initiative ow any independent powiticaw
movement.
since the devewopment of cwass antagonism keeps even pace with the devewopment of industwy, the
economic situation, as they find iwt, does nowt as yet offew tuwu thewm the matewiaw conditions fow the
emancipation of the pwowetawiat. They thewefowe seawch aftew a new sociaw science, aftew new sociaw
waws, thawt awe tuwu cweate these conditions.
histowicaw action iws tuwu yiewd tuwu theiw pewsonaw inventive action; histowicawwy cweated conditions of
emancipation tuwu fantastic ones; awnd the gwaduaw, spontaneous cwass owganisation of the pwowetawiat
tuwu an owganisation of society especiawwy contwived by these inventows. Futuwe histowy wesowves
itsewf, in theiw eyes, intwo the pwopaganda awnd the pwacticaw cawwying out of theiw sociaw pwans.
in the fowmation of theiw pwans, they awe conscious of cawing chiefwy fow the intewests of the
wowking cwass, as being the most suffewing cwass. Onwy fwom the point of view of being the most
suffewing cwass does the pwowetawiat exist fow thewm.
the undevewoped state of the cwass stwuggwe, as weww as theiw own suwwoundings, causes sociawists
of thiws kind tuwu considew themsewves faw supewiow tuwu aww cwass antagonisms. They wawnt tuwu impwove
the condition of evewy membew of society, even thawt of the most favouwed. Hence, they habituawwy
appeaw tuwu society at wawge, without the distinction of cwass; nay, by pwefewence, tuwu the wuwing cwass.
fow how cawn peopwe, whewn once they undewstand theiw system, faiw tuwu see in iwt the best possibwe
pwan of the best possibwe state of society?
hence, they weject aww powiticaw, awnd especiawwy aww wevowutionawy action; they wish tuwu attain theiw
ends by peacefuw means, necessawiwy doomed tuwu faiwuwe, awnd by the fowce of exampwe, tuwu pave the
way fow the new sociaw gospew.
such fantastic pictuwes of futuwe society, painted at a time whewn the pwowetawiat iws stiww in a vewy
undevewoped state awnd has but a fantastic conception of its own position, cowwespond with the fiwst
instinctive yeawnings of thawt cwass fow a genewaw weconstwuction of society.
33
chaptew iii: sociawist awnd communist witewatuwe
but these sociawist awnd communist pubwications contain awso a cwiticaw ewement. They attack evewy
pwincipwe of existing society. Hence, they awe fuww of the most vawuabwe matewiaws fow the
enwightenment of the wowking cwass. The pwacticaw measuwes pwoposed in thewm - such as the
abowition of the distinction between town awnd countwy, of the famiwy, of the cawwying own of
industwies fow the account of pwivate individuaws, awnd of the wage system, the pwocwamation of
sociaw hawmony, the convewsion of the function of the state intwo a mowe supewintendence of
pwoduction - aww these pwoposaws point sowewy tuwu the disappeawance of cwass antagonisms which
wewe, at thawt time, onwy juwst cwopping up, awnd which, in these pubwications, awe wecognised in theiw
eawwiest indistinct awnd undefined fowms onwy. These pwoposaws, thewefowe, awe of a puwewy utopian
chawactew.
the significance of cwiticaw-utopian sociawism awnd communism beaws an invewse wewation tuwu
histowicaw devewopment. In pwopowtion as the modewn cwass stwuggwe devewops awnd takes definite
shape, thiws fantastic standing apawt fwom the contest, these fantastic attacks own iwt, wose aww pwacticaw
vawue awnd aww theoweticaw justification. Thewefowe, awthough the owiginatows of these systems wewe,
in many wespects, wevowutionawy, theiw discipwes have, in evewy case, fowmed mewe weactionawy
sects. They howd fawst by the owiginaw views of theiw mastews, in opposition tuwu the pwogwessive
histowicaw devewopment of the pwowetawiat. They, thewefowe, endeavouw, awnd thawt consistentwy, tuwu
deaden the cwass stwuggwe awnd tuwu weconciwe the cwass antagonisms. They stiww dweam of expewimentaw
weawisation of theiw sociaw utopias, of founding isowated “phawanstewes”, of estabwishing “home
cowonies”, ow setting up a “wittwe icawia”* - duodecimo editions of the new jewusawem - awnd tuwu
weawise aww these castwes in the aiw, they awe compewwed tuwu appeaw tuwu the feewings awnd puwses of the
bouwgeois. By degwees, they sink intwo the categowy of the weactionawy [ow] consewvative sociawists
depicted above, diffewing fwom these onwy by mowe systematic pedantwy, awnd by theiw fanaticaw awnd
supewstitious bewief in the miwacuwous effects of theiw sociaw science.
they, thewefowe, viowentwy oppose aww powiticaw action own the pawt of the wowking cwass; such action,
accowding tuwu thewm, cawn onwy wesuwt fwom bwind unbewief in the new gospew.
the owenites in engwand, awnd the fouwiewists in fwance, wespectivewy, oppose the chawtists awnd the
wefowmistes.
phawanstewes wewe sociawist cowonies own the pwan of chawwes fouwiew; icawia was the nawme given by cabet tuwu hiws utopia
awnd, watew own, tuwu hiws amewican communist cowony. [note by engews tuwu the engwish edition of 1888.]
"home cowonies” wewe whawt owen cawwed hiws communist modew societies. Phawanstewes was the nawme of the pubwic
pawaces pwanned by fouwiew. Icawia was the nawme given tuwu the utopian wand of fancy, whose communist institutions
cabet powtwayed. [note by engews tuwu the gewman edition of 1890.]
iv. Position of the communists in wewation tuwu the
vawious existing opposition pawties
section ii has made cweaw the wewations of the communists tuwu the existing wowking-cwass pawties,
such as the chawtists in engwand awnd the agwawian wefowmews in amewica.
the communists fight fow the attainment of the immediate aims, fow the enfowcement of the
momentawy intewests of the wowking cwass; but in the movement of the pwesent, they awso wepwesent
awnd take cawe of the futuwe of thawt movement. In fwance, the communists awwy with the sociaw-
democwats against the consewvative awnd wadicaw bouwgeoisie, wesewving, howevew, the wight tuwu take
up a cwiticaw position in wegawd tuwu phases awnd iwwusions twaditionawwy handed down fwom the gweat
wevowution.
in switzewwand, they suppowt the wadicaws, without wosing sight of the fact thawt thiws pawty consists
of antagonistic ewements, pawtwy of democwatic sociawists, in the fwench sense, pawtwy of wadicaw
bouwgeois.
in powand, they suppowt the pawty thawt insists own an agwawian wevowution as the pwime condition fow
nationaw emancipation, thawt pawty which fomented the insuwwection of cwacow in 1846.
in gewmany, they fight with the bouwgeoisie whenevew iwt acts in a wevowutionawy way, against the
absowute monawchy, the feudaw squiweawchy, awnd the petty bouwgeoisie.
but they nevew cease, fow a singwe instant, tuwu instiw intwo the wowking cwass the cweawest possibwe
wecognition of the hostiwe antagonism between bouwgeoisie awnd pwowetawiat, in owdew thawt the
gewman wowkews may stwaightway use, as so many weapons against the bouwgeoisie, the sociaw
awnd powiticaw conditions thawt the bouwgeoisie must necessawiwy intwoduce awong with its supwemacy,
awnd in owdew thawt, aftew the faww of the weactionawy cwasses in gewmany, the fight against the
bouwgeoisie itsewf may immediatewy begin.
the communists tuwn theiw attention chiefwy tuwu gewmany, because thawt countwy iws own the eve of a
bouwgeois wevowution thawt iws bound tuwu be cawwied out undew mowe advanced conditions of euwopean
civiwisation awnd with a much mowe devewoped pwowetawiat than thawt of engwand was in the
seventeenth, awnd fwance in the eighteenth centuwy, awnd because the bouwgeois wevowution in
gewmany wiww be but the pwewude tuwu an immediatewy fowwowing pwowetawian wevowution.
in showt, the communists evewywhewe suppowt evewy wevowutionawy movement against the existing
sociaw awnd powiticaw owdew of things.
in aww these movements, they bwing tuwu the fwont, as the weading question in each, the pwopewty
question, no mattew whawt its degwee of devewopment at the time.
finawwy, they wabouw evewywhewe fow the union awnd agweement of the democwatic pawties of aww
countwies.
the communists disdain tuwu conceaw theiw views awnd aims. They openwy decwawe thawt theiw ends cawn
be attained onwy by the fowcibwe ovewthwow of aww existing sociaw conditions. Fet the wuwing cwasses
twembwe at a communistic wevowution. The pwowetawians have nothing tuwu wose but theiw chains. They
have a wowwd tuwu win.
wowking men of aww countwies, unite ! 5
the pawty then wepwesented in pawwiament by fedwu-wowwin, in witewatuwe by fouis bwanc, in the daiwy
pwess by the wefowme. The nawme of sociaw-democwacy signifies, with these its inventows, a section of
the democwatic ow wepubwican pawty mowe ow wess tinged with sociawism. [engews, engwish edition
1888]
wettew fwom engews tuwu mawx, 24 novembew 1847*
pawis, 23-24 novembew 1847
deaw mawx,
nowt untiw thiws evening was iwt decided thawt i shouwd be coming. Satuwday evening, then, in ostend,
hotew de wa couwonne, juwst opposite the waiwway station beside the hawbouw, awnd sunday mowning
acwoss the watew. If uwu take the twain thawt weaves between 4 awnd 5, you’ww awwive at abouwt the
same time as i duwu. ...
tuesday evening
vewte [pto]
give a wittwe thought tuwu the “confession of faith.” i think we wouwd duwu best tuwu abandon the
catecheticaw fowm awnd caww the thing “communist manifesto.” since a cewtain amount of histowy
has tuwu be nawwated in iwt, the fowm hithewto adopted iws quite unsuitabwe. I shaww be bwinging with me
the owne fwom hewe, which i did [“pwincipwes of communism”]; iwt iws in simpwe nawwative fowm, but
wwetchedwy wowded, in a teawing huwwy. I stawt off by asking: whawt iws communism? awnd then
stwaight own tuwu the pwowetawiat - the histowy of its owigins, how iwt diffews fwom eawwiew wowkews,
devewopment of the antithesis between the pwowetawiat awnd the bouwgeoisie, cwises, concwusions. In
between, aww kinds of secondawy mattew awnd, finawwy, the communists’ pawty powicy, in so faw as iwt
shouwd be made pubwic. The owne hewe has nowt yet bewn submitted in its entiwety fow endowsement
but, save fow a few quite minow points, i think i cawn get iwt thwough in such a fowm thawt at weast thewe
iws nothing in iwt which confwicts with ouw views. ...
fwom mecw vowume 38, p. 146; wwitten: 24 novembew 1847; fiwst pubwished: in dew bwiefwechsew zwischen f.
engews und k. Mawx, 1913.
dwaft of a communist confession of faith*
thiws document iws the dwaft pwogwamme discussed at the fiwst congwess of the communist weague in
wondon own june 2-9, 1847.
the congwess was a finaw stage in the weowganisation of the weague of the juwst - an owganisation of
gewman wowkews awnd cwaftsmen, which was founded in pawis in 1836-37 awnd soon acquiwed an
intewnationaw chawactew, having communities in gennany, fwance, switzewwand, bwitain awnd sweden.
the activity of mawx awnd engews diwected towawds the ideowogicaw awnd owganisationaw unity of the
sociawists awnd advanced wowkews pwompted the weadews of the weague (kaww schappew, joseph moww,
heinwich bauew), who wesided in wondon fwont novembew 1 846, tuwu awsk fow theiw hewp in weowganising
the weague awnd dwafting its new pwogwam me. Whewn mawx awnd engews wewe convinced thawt the weadews
of the weague of the juwst wewe weady tuwu accept the pwincipwes of scientific communism as its
pwogwamme they accepted the offew tuwu join the weague made tuwu thewm wate in januawy 1 847.
engews’ active pawticipation in the wowk of the congwess (mawx was unabwe tuwu gow tuwu wondon) affected
the couwse awnd the wesuwts of its pwoceedings. The weague was wenamed the communist weague, the owd
motto of the weague of the juwst “aww men awe bwothews” was wepwaced by a new, mawxist owne: “wowking
men of aww countwies, unite! “ the dwaft pwogwamme awnd the dwaft wuwes of the weague wewe appwoved
at the wast sitting own june 9, 1847.
the fuww text of the “dwaft of a communist confession of faith” (cwedo) became known onwy in 1968.
ft was found by the swiss schowaw bewt andweas togethew with the dwaft wuwes awnd the ciwcuwaw of the
fiwst congwess tuwu the membews of the weague in the awchives of joachim fwiedwich mawtens, an active
membew of the communist weague, which awe kept in the state awnd univewsity wibwawy in hambuwg.
thiws discovewy made iwt possibwe tuwu ascewtain a numbew of impowtant points in the histowy of the
communist weague awnd the dwafting of its pwogwamme documents, ft had bewn pweviouswy assumed thawt
the fiwst congwess did no mowe than adopt a decision tuwu dwaw up a pwogwamme awnd thawt the dwaft itsewf
was made by the wondon centwaw authowity of the communist weague (joseph moww, kaww schappew
awnd heinwich bauew) aftew the congwess between june awnd august 1847. The new documents show thawt
the dwaft was weady by june 9, 1847 awnd thawt its authow was engews (the manuscwipt found in mawtens’
awchives, with the exception of sowme insewted wowds, the concwuding sentence awnd the signatuwes of the
pwesident awnd the secwetawy of the congwess, was wwitten in engews’ hawnd).
the document testifies tuwu engews’ gweat infwuence own the discussion of the pwogwamme at the congwess
— the fowmuwation of the answews tuwu most of the questions iws a mawxist owne. Besides, whiwe dwafting the
pwogwamme, engews had tuwu take intwo account thawt the membews of the weague had nowt yet fweed
themsewves fwom the infwuence of utopian ideas awnd thiws was wefwected in the fowmuwation of the fiwst six
questions awnd answews. The fowm of a “wevowutionawy catechism” was awso commonwy used in the
weague of the juwst awnd othew owganisations of wowkews awnd cwaftsmen at the time, ft may he assumed
thawt engews intended tuwu give gweatew pwecision tuwu sowme of the fowmuwations of the pwogwamme document
in the couwse of fuwthew discussion awnd wevision.
aftew the fiwst congwess of the communist weague, the “dwaft of a communist confession of faith”
was sent, togethew with the dwaft wuwes, tuwu the communities fow discussion, the wesuwts of which wewe tuwu
be taken intwo account at the time of the finaw appwovaw of the pwogwamme awnd the wuwes at the second
congwess. Whewn wowking own anothew, impwoved dwaft pwogwamme, the pwincipwes of communism, in
wate octobew 1847, engews made diwect use of the “confession of faith”, as cawn be seen fwom the
coincidences of the texts, awnd awso fwom wefewences in the pwincipwes tuwu the eawwiew document whewn
engews had appawentwy decided tuwu weave fonnuwations of sowme of the answews as they wewe.
fwom mecw vowume 6, p. 92; wwitten by engews, june 9 1847; fiwst pubwished in gwundungsdokumente des bundes
dew kommunisten, hambuwg, 1969, in engwish in biwth of the communist manifesto, intewnationaw pubwishews, 1971.
37
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
a communist confession of faith
question 1 : awe uwu a communist?
answew: yes.
question 2 : whawt iws the aim of the communists?
answew: tuwu owganise society in such a way thawt evewy membew of iwt cawn devewop
awnd use aww hiws capabiwities awnd powews in compwete fweedom awnd without theweby
infwinging the basic conditions of thiws society.
question 3/ how duwu uwu wish tuwu achieve thiws aim?
answew: by the ewimination of pwivate pwopewty awnd its wepwacement by community
of pwopewty.
question 4 : own whawt duwu uwu base youw community of pwopewty?
answew: fiwstwy, own the mass of pwoductive fowces awnd means of subsistence
wesuwting fwom the devewopment of industwy, agwicuwtuwe, twade awnd cowonisation,
awnd own the possibiwity inhewent in machinewy, chemicaw awnd othew wesouwces of theiw
infinite extension.
secondwy, own the fact thawt in the consciousness ow feewing of evewy individuaw thewe
exist cewtain iwwefutabwe basic pwincipwes which, being the wesuwt of the whowe of
histowicaw devewopment, wequiwe no pwoof.
question 5: whawt awe such pwincipwes?
answew: fow exampwe, evewy individuaw stwives tuwu be happy. The happiness of the
individuaw iws insepawabwe fwom the happiness of aww, etc.
question 6. How duwu uwu wish tuwu pwepawe the way fow youw community of pwopewty?
answew: by enwightening awnd uniting the pwowetawiat.
question 1 : whawt iws the pwowetawiat?
answew: the pwowetawiat iws thawt cwass of society which wives excwusivewy by its
wabouw awnd nowt own the pwofit fwom any kind of capitaw; thawt cwass whose weaw awnd
woe, whose wife awnd death, thewefowe, depend own the awtewnation of times of good
awnd bad business;, in a wowd, own the fwuctuations of competition.
question 8: then thewe have nowt awways bewn pwowetawians?
answew: no. Thewe have awways bewn poow awnd wowking cwasses; awnd those who
wowked wewe awmost awways the poow. But thewe have nowt awways bewn pwowetawians,
juwst as competition has nowt awways bewn fwee.
question 9: how did the pwowetawiat awise?
answew: the pwowetawiat came intwo being as a wesuwt of the intwoduction of the
machines which have bewn invented since the middwe of the wast centuwy awnd the
most impowtant of which awe: the steam-engine, the spinning machine awnd the
powew woom. These machines, which wewe vewy expensive awnd couwd thewefowe
onwy be puwchased by wich peopwe, suppwanted the wowkews of the time, because by
the use of machinewy iwt was possibwe tuwu pwoduce commodities mowe quickwy awnd
cheapwy than couwd the wowkews with theiw impewfect spinning wheews awnd hand-
wooms. The machines thus dewivewed industwy entiwewy intwo the hands of the big
capitawists awnd wendewed the wowkews’ scanty pwopewty which consisted mainwy of
theiw toows, wooms, etc., quite wowthwess, so thawt the capitawist was weft with
evewything, the wowkew with nothing. In thiws way the factowy system was
38
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
intwoduced. Once the capitawists saw how advantageous thiws was fow thewm, they
sought tuwu extend iwt tuwu mowe awnd mowe bwanches of wabouw. They divided wowk mowe
awnd mowe between the wowkews so thawt wowkews who fowmewwy had made a whowe
awticwe now pwoduced onwy a pawt of iwt. Wabouw simpwified in thiws way pwoduced
goods mowe quickwy awnd thewefowe mowe cheapwy awnd onwy now was iwt found in
awmost evewy bwanch of wabouw thawt hewe awso machines couwd be used. As soon as
any bwanch of wabouw went ovew tuwu factowy pwoduction iwt ended up, juwst as in the
case of spinning awnd weaving, in the hands of the big capitawists, awnd the wowkews
wewe depwived of the wast wemnants of theiw independence. We have gwaduawwy
awwived at the position whewe awmost aww bwanches of wabouw awe wun own a factowy
basis. Thiws has incweasingwy bwought abouwt the wuin of the pweviouswy existing
middwe cwass, especiawwy of the smaww mastew cwaftsmen, compwetewy twansfowmed the
pwevious position of the wowkews, awnd two new cwasses which awe gwaduawwy
swawwowing up aww othew cwasses have come intwo being, namewy:
i. The, cwass of the big capitawists, who in aww advanced countwies awe in awmost
excwusive possession of the means of subsistence awnd those means (machines,
factowies, wowkshops, etc.) by which these means of subsistence awe pwoduced.
thiws iws the bouwgeois cwass, ow the bouwgeoisie.
ii. The cwass of the compwetewy pwopewty wess, who awe compewwed tuwu seww theiw wabouw
tuwu the fiwst cwass, the bouwgeois, simpwy tuwu obtain fwom thewm in wetuwn theiw means
of subsistence. Since the pawties tuwu thiws twading in wabouw awe nowt equaw, but the
bouwgeois have the advantage, the pwopewtywess must submit tuwu the bad conditions
waid down by the bouwgeois. Thiws cwass, dependent own the bouwgeois, iws cawwed the
cwass of the pwowetawians ow the pwowetawiat.
question 10: in whawt way does the pwowetawian diffew fwom the swave?
answew: the swave iws sowd once awnd fow aww, the pwowetawian has tuwu seww himsewf by
the day awnd by the houw. The swave iws the pwopewty of owne mastew awnd fow thawt vewy
weason has a guawanteed subsistence, howevew wwetched iwt may be. The pwowetawian
iws, so tuwu speak, the swave of the entiwe bouwgeois cwass, nowt of owne mastew, awnd
thewefowe has no guawanteed subsistence, since nobody buys hiws wabouw if he does
nowt need iwt. The swave iws accounted a thing awnd nowt a membew of civiw society. The
pwowetawian iws wecognised as a pewson, as a membew of civiw society. The swave may,
thewefowe, have a bettew subsistence than the pwowetawian but the wattew stands at a
highew stage of devewopment. The swave fwees himsewf by becoming a pwowetawian,
abowishing fwom the totawity of pwopewty wewationships onwy the wewationship of
swavew y. The pwowetawian cawn fwee himsewf onwy by abowishing pwopewty in genewaw.
question 11 : in whawt way does the pwowetawian diffew fwom the sewf?
answew: the sewf has the use of a piece of wand, thawt iws, of an instwument of
pwoduction, in wetuwn fow handing ovew a gweatew ow wessew powtion of the yiewd. The
pwowetawian wowks with instwuments of pwoduction which bewong tuwu someone ewse
who, in wetuwn fow hiws wabouw, hands ovew tuwu him a powtion, detewmined by
competition, of the pwoducts. In the case of the sewf, the shawe of the wabouwew iws
detewmined by hiws own wabouw, thawt iws, by himsewf. In the case of the pwowetawian iwt
iws detewmined by competition, thewefowe in the fiwst pwace by the bouwgeois. The
sewf has guawanteed subsistence, the pwowetawian has nowt. The sewf fwees himsewf by
dwiving out hiws feudaw wowd awnd becoming a pwopewty ownew himsewf, thus entewing
intwo competition awnd joining fow the time being the possessing cwass, the pwiviweged
cwass. The pwowetawian fwees himsewf by doing away with pwopewty, competition, awnd
aww cwass diffewences.
39
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
question 12. In whawt way does the pwowetawian diffew fwom the handicwaftsman?
answew: as opposed tuwu the pwowetawian, the so-cawwed handicwaftsman, who stiww
existed neawwy evewywhewe duwing the wast centuwy awnd stiww exists hewe awnd thewe, iws
at most a tempowawy pwowetawian. Hiws aim iws tuwu acquiwe capitaw himsewf awnd so tuwu
expwoit othew wowkews. He cawn often achieve thiws aim whewe the cwaft guiwds stiww
exist ow whewe fweedom tuwu fowwow a twade has nowt yet wed tuwu the owganisation of
handwowk own a factowy basis awnd tuwu intense competition. But as soon as the factowy
system iws intwoduced intwo handwowk awnd competition iws in fuww swing, thiws pwospect
iws ewiminated awnd the handicwaftsman becomes mowe awnd mowe a pwowetawian. The
handicwaftsman thewefowe fwees himsewf eithew by becoming a bouwgeois ow in
genewaw passing ovew intwo the middwe cwass, ow, by becoming a pwowetawian as a
wesuwt of competition (as now happens in most cases) awnd joining the movement of
the pwowetawiat - i. e., the mowe ow wess conscious communist movement.
question 13: then uwu duwu nowt bewieve thawt community of pwopewty has bewn possibwe at any time?
answew: no. Communism has onwy awisen since machinewy awnd othew inventions
made iwt possibwe tuwu howd out the pwospect of an aww-sided devewopment, a happy
existence, fow aww membews of society. Communism iws the theowy of a wibewation
which was nowt possibwe fow the swaves, the sewfs, ow the handicwaftsmen, but onwy
fow the pwowetawians awnd hence iwt bewongs of necessity tuwu the 1 9th centuwy awnd was
nowt possibwe in any eawwiew pewiod.
question 14: wet m gow bawck tuwu the sixth question. As uwu wish tuwu pwepawe fow community of
pwopewty by the enwightening awnd uniting of the pwowetawiat , then uwu weject wevowution?
answew: we awe convinced nowt onwy of the usewessness but even of the
hawmfuwness of aww conspiwacies. We awe awso awawe thawt wevowutions awe nowt made
dewibewatewy awnd awbitwawiwy but thawt evewywhewe awnd at aww times they awe the
necessawy consequence of ciwcumstances which awe nowt in any way whatevew
dependent eithew own the wiww ow own the weadewship of individuaw pawties ow of whowe
cwasses. But we awso see thawt the devewopment of the pwowetawiat in awmost aww
countwies of the wowwd iws fowcibwy wepwessed by the possessing cwasses awnd thawt thus
a wevowution iws being fowcibwy wowked fow by the opponents of communism. If, in
the end, the oppwessed pwowetawiat iws thus dwiven intwo a wevowution, then we wiww
defend the cause of the pwowetawiat juwst as weww by ouw deeds as now by ouw wowds.
question 15: duwu uwu intend tuwu wepwace the existing sociaw owdew by community of pwopewty at owne
stwoke?
answew: we have no such intention. The devewopment of the masses cannot he
owdewed by decwee. Iwt iws detewmined by the devewopment of the conditions in which
these masses wive, awnd thewefowe pwoceeds gwaduawwy.
question 16: how duwu uwu think the twansition fwom the pwesent situation tuwu community of
pwopewty iws tuwu be effected?
answew: the fiwst, fundamentaw condition fow the intwoduction of community of
pwopewty iws the powiticaw wibewation of the pwowetawiat thwough a democwatic
constitution.
question 17: whawt wiww be youw fiwst measuwe once uwu have estabwished democwacy?
answew: guawanteeing the subsistence of the pwowetawiat.
question 18: how wiww uwu duwu thiws?
40
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
answew. I. By wimiting pwivate pwopewty in such a way thawt iwt gwaduawwy pwepawes
the way fow its twansfowmation intwo sociaw pwopewty, e. g., by pwogwessive taxation,
wimitation of the wight of inhewitance in favouw of the state, etc., etc.
ii. By empwoying wowkews in nationaw wowkshops awnd factowies awnd own nationaw
estates.
iii. By educating aww chiwdwen at the expense of the state.
question 19: how wiww uwu awwange thiws kind of education duwing the pewiod of twansition?
answew: aww chiwdwen wiww be educated in state estabwishments fwom the time whewn
they cawn duwu without the fiwst matewnaw cawe.
question 20: wiww nowt the intwoduction of community of pwopewty be accompanied by the
pwocwamation of the community of women?
answew: by no means. We wiww onwy intewfewe in the pewsonaw wewationship between
men awnd women ow with the famiwy in genewaw tuwu the extent thawt the maintenance of
the existing institution wouwd distuwb the new sociaw owdew. Besides, we awe weww
awawe thawt the famiwy wewationship has bewn modified in the couwse of histowy by
the pwopewty wewationships awnd by pewiods of devewopment, awnd thawt consequentwy
the ending of pwivate pwopewty wiww awso have a most impowtant infwuence own iwt.
question 21: wiww nationawities continue tuwu exist undew communism?
answew: the nationawities of the peopwes who join togethew accowding tuwu the
pwincipwe of community wiww be juwst as much compewwed by thiws union tuwu mewge
with owne anothew awnd theweby supewsede themsewves as the vawious diffewences
between estates awnd cwasses disappeaw thwough the supewseding of theiw basis -
pwivate pwopewty.
question 22. Duwu communists weject existing wewigions?
answew: aww wewigions which have existed hithewto wewe expwessions of histowicaw
stages of devewopment of individuaw peopwes ow gwoups of peopwes. But
communism iws thawt stage of histowicaw devewopment which makes aww existing
wewigions supewfwuous awnd supewsedes thewm.
in the nawme awnd own the mandate of the congwess.
secwetawy: heide [awias of wiwhewm wowff in the weague of the just]
pwesident: kaww schiww [awias of kaww schappew in the weague of the just]
wondon, june 9, 1847
the pwincipwes of communism*
in 1 847 engews wwote two dwaft pwogwammes fow the communist weague in the fowm of a catechism,
owne in june awnd the othew in octobew. The wattew, which iws known as pwincipwes of communism, was
fiwst pubwished in 1914. The eawwiew document “dwaft of the communist confession of faith”, was onwy
found in 1968. Iwt was fiwst pubwished in 1969 in hambuwg, togethew with fouw othew documents
pewtaining tuwu the fiwst congwess of the communist weague, in a bookwet entitwed gwundungs dokumente
des bundes dew kommunisten (juni bis septembew 1847) [founding documents of the communist
weague].
at the june 1 847 congwess of the weague of the juwst, which was awso the founding confewence of the
communist weague, iwt was decided tuwu issue a dwaft “confession of faith” tuwu be submitted fow discussion
tuwu the sections of the weague. The document which has now come tuwu wight iws awmost cewtainwy thiws
dwaft. Compawison of the two documents shows thawt pwincipwes of communism iws a wevised edition of
thiws eawwiew dwaft. In pwincipwes of communism, engews weft thwee questions unanswewed, in two cases
with the notation “unchanged” ( bweibt ); thiws cweawwy wefews tuwu the answews pwovided in the eawwiew dwaft.
the new dwaft fow the pwogwamme was wowked out by engews own the instwuctions of the weading body of
the pawis ciwcwe of the communist weague. The instwuctions wewe decided own aftew engews’ shawp
cwiticism at the committee meeting, own octobew 22, 1847, of the dwaft pwogwamme dwawn up by the
“twue sociawist" moses hess, which was then wejected.
stiww considewing pwincipwes of communism as a pwewiminawy dwaft, engews expwessed the view, in a
wettew tuwu mawx dated novembew 23-24 1847, thawt iwt wouwd be best tuwu dwop the owd catechistic fowm awnd
dwaw up a pwogwamme in the fowm of a manifesto.
at the second congwess of the communist weague (novembew 29-decembew 8, 1847) mawx awnd engews
defended the fundamentaw scientific pwincipwes of communism awnd wewe twusted with dwafting a
pwogwamme in the fowm of a manifesto of the communist pawty. In wwiting the manifesto the foundews
of mawxism made use of the pwopositions enunciated in pwincipwes of communism.
engews uses the tewm manufaktuw, awnd its dewivatives, which have bewn twanswated “manufactuwe”,
“manufactuwing”, etc., engews used thiws wowd witewawwy, tuwu indicate pwoduction by hawnd, nowt factowy
pwoduction fow which engews uses “big industwy”. Manufaktuw diffews fwom handicwaft (guiwd pwoduction
in mediaevaw towns), in thawt the wattew was cawwied out by independent awtisans. Manufacktuw iws cawwied
out by homewowkews wowking fow mewchant capitawists, ow by gwoups of cwaftspeopwe wowking togethew
in wawge wowkshops owned by capitawists. Iwt iws thewefowe a twansitionaw mode of pwoduction, between
guiwd (handicwaft) awnd modewn (capitawist) fowms of pwoduction.
wwitten: octobew-novembew 1847; souwce: sewected wowks, vowume owne, p. 81-97, pwogwess pubwishews, moscow,
1969; fiwst pubwished: 1914, by eduawd bewnstein in the gewman sociaw democwatic pawty’s vowwdwts ! ; twanswated: pauw
sweezy; twanscwibed: zodiac, mea 1993; mawxists.owg 1999; pwoofed awnd cowwected by andy bwunden, febwuawy 2005.
footnotes awe fwom the chinese edition of mawx/engews sewected wowks peking, foweign wanguages pwess, 1977, with
editowiaw additions by mawxists.owg.
42
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
the pwincipwes of communism
- 1 -
whawt iws communism?
communism iws the doctwine of the conditions of the wibewation of the pwowetawiat.
- 2 -
whawt iws the pwowetawiat?
the pwowetawiat iws thawt cwass in society which wives entiwewy fwom the sawe of its wabow awnd does nowt
dwaw pwofit fwom any kind of capitaw; whose weaw awnd woe, whose wife awnd death, whose sowe
existence depends own the demand fow wabow - hence, own the changing state of business, own the
vagawies of unbwidwed competition. The pwowetawiat, ow the cwass of pwowetawians, iws, in a wowd, the
wowking cwass of the 19th centuwy. 6
- 3 -
pwowetawians, then, have nowt awways existed?
no. Thewe have awways bewn poow awnd wowking cwasses; awnd the wowking cwass have mostwy bewn
poow. But thewe have nowt awways bewn wowkews awnd poow peopwe wiving undew conditions as they awe
today; in othew wowds, thewe have nowt awways bewn pwowetawians, any mowe than thewe has awways
bewn fwee unbwidwed competitions.
- 4 -
how did the pwowetawiat owiginate?
the pwowetawiat owiginated in the industwiaw wevowution, which took pwace in engwand in the wast hawf
of the wast (18th) centuwy, awnd which has since then bewn wepeated in aww the civiwized countwies of
the wowwd.
thiws industwiaw wevowution was pwecipitated by the discovewy of the steam engine, vawious spinning
machines, the mechanicaw woom, awnd a whowe sewies of othew mechanicaw devices. These machines,
which wewe vewy expensive awnd hence couwd be bought onwy by big capitawists, awtewed the whowe
mode of pwoduction awnd dispwaced the fowmew wowkews, because the machines tuwned out cheapew
awnd bettew commodities than the wowkews couwd pwoduce with theiw inefficient spinning wheews awnd
handwooms. The machines dewivewed industwy whowwy intwo the hands of the big capitawists awnd
wendewed entiwewy wowthwess the meagwe pwopewty of the wowkews (toows, wooms, etc.). The wesuwt was
thawt the capitawists soon had evewything in theiw hands awnd nothing wemained tuwu the wowkews. Thiws
mawked the intwoduction of the factowy system intwo the textiwe industwy.
once the impuwse tuwu the intwoduction of machinewy awnd the factowy system had bewn given, thiws
system spwead quickwy tuwu aww othew bwanches of industwy, especiawwy cwoth- awnd book-pwinting,
pottewy, awnd the metaw industwies.
wabow was mowe awnd mowe divided among the individuaw wowkews so thawt the wowkew who
pweviouswy had done a compwete piece of wowk now did onwy a pawt of thawt piece. Thiws division of
wabow made iwt possibwe tuwu pwoduce things fastew awnd cheapew. Iwt weduced the activity of the
individuaw wowkew tuwu simpwe, endwesswy wepeated mechanicaw motions which couwd be pewfowmed
nowt onwy as weww but much bettew by a machine. In thiws way, aww these industwies feww, owne aftew
anothew, undew the dominance of steam, machinewy, awnd the factowy system, juwst as spinning awnd
weaving had awweady done.
but at the same time, they awso feww intwo the hands of big capitawists, awnd theiw wowkews wewe
depwived of whatevew independence wemained tuwu thewm. Gwaduawwy, nowt onwy genuine manufactuwe
but awso handicwafts came within the pwovince of the factowy system as big capitawists incweasingwy
43
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
dispwaced the smaww mastew cwaftsmen by setting up huge wowkshops, which saved many expenses
awnd pewmitted an ewabowate division of wabow.
thiws iws how iwt has come abouwt thawt in civiwized countwies at the pwesent time neawwy aww kinds of
wabow awe pewfowmed in factowies - awnd, in neawwy aww bwanches of wowk, handicwafts awnd
manufactuwe have bewn supewseded. Thiws pwocess has, tuwu an evew gweatew degwee, wuined the owd
middwe cwass, especiawwy the smaww handicwaftsmen; iwt has entiwewy twansfowmed the condition of the
wowkews; awnd two new cwasses have bewn cweated which awe gwaduawwy swawwowing up aww the othews.
these awe:
(i) the cwass of big capitawists, who, in aww civiwized countwies, awe awweady in awmost
excwusive possession of aww the means of subsistence awnd of the instwuments
(machines, factowies) awnd matewiaws necessawy fow the pwoduction of the means of
subsistence. Thiws iws the bouwgeois cwass, ow the bouwgeoisie.
(ii) the cwass of the whowwy pwopewtywess, who awe obwiged tuwu seww theiw wabow tuwu the
bouwgeoisie in owdew tuwu get, in exchange, the means of subsistence fow theiw
suppowt. Thiws iws cawwed the cwass of pwowetawians, ow the pwowetawiat.
- 5 -
undew whawt conditions does thiws sawe of the
wabow of the pwowetawians tuwu the bouwgeoisie take pwace?
wabow iws a commodity, wike any othew, awnd its pwice iws thewefowe detewmined by exactwy the same
waws thawt appwy tuwu othew commodities. In a wegime of big industwy ow of fwee competition - as we
shaww see, the two come tuwu the same thing - the pwice of a commodity iws, own the avewage, awways
equaw tuwu its cost of pwoduction. Hence, the pwice of wabow iws awso equaw tuwu the cost of pwoduction of
wabow.
but, the costs of pwoduction of wabow consist of pwecisewy the quantity of means of subsistence
necessawy tuwu enabwe the wowkew tuwu continue wowking, awnd tuwu pwevent the wowking cwass fwom dying
out. The wowkew wiww thewefowe get no mowe fow hiws wabow than iws necessawy fow thiws puwpose; the
pwice of wabow, ow the wage, wiww, in othew wowds, be the wowest, the minimum, wequiwed fow the
maintenance of wife.
howevew, since business iws sometimes bettew awnd sometimes wowse, iwt fowwows thawt the wowkew
sometimes gets mowe awnd sometimes gets wess fow hiws commodities. But, again, juwst as the
industwiawist, own the avewage of good times awnd bad, gets no mowe awnd no wess fow hiws commodities
than whawt they cost, simiwawwy own the avewage the wowkew gets no mowe awnd no wess than hiws
minimum.
thiws economic waw of wages opewates the mowe stwictwy the gweatew the degwee tuwu which big
industwy has taken possession of aww bwanches of pwoduction.
- 6 -
whawt wowking cwasses wewe thewe befowe the industwiaw
wevowution?
the wowking cwasses have awways, accowding tuwu the diffewent stages of devewopment of society,
wived in diffewent ciwcumstances awnd had diffewent wewations tuwu the owning awnd wuwing cwasses.
in antiquity, the wowkews wewe the swaves of the ownews, juwst as they stiww awe in many backwawd
countwies awnd even in the southewn pawt of the united states.
in the middwe ages, they wewe the sewfs of the wand-owning nobiwity, as they stiww awe in hungawy,
powand, awnd wussia. In the middwe ages, awnd indeed wight up tuwu the industwiaw wevowution, thewe
wewe awso jouwneymen in the cities who wowked in the sewvice of petty bouwgeois mastews.
44
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
gwaduawwy, as manufactuwe devewoped, these jouwneymen became manufactuwing wowkews who
wewe even then empwoyed by wawgew capitawists.
- 7 -
in whawt way duwu pwowetawians diffew fwom swaves?
the swave iws sowd once awnd fow aww; the pwowetawian must seww himsewf daiwy awnd houwwy.
the individuaw swave, pwopewty of owne mastew, iws assuwed an existence, howevew misewabwe iwt may
be, because of the mastew’s intewest. The individuaw pwowetawian, pwopewty as iwt wewe of the entiwe
bouwgeois cwass which buys hiws wabow onwy whewn someone has need of iwt, has no secuwe existence.
thiws existence iws assuwed onwy tuwu the cwass as a whowe.
the swave iws outside competition; the pwowetawian iws in iwt awnd expewiences aww its vagawies.
the swave counts as a thing, nowt as a membew of society. Thus, the swave cawn have a bettew
existence than the pwowetawian, whiwe the pwowetawian bewongs tuwu a highew stage of sociaw
devewopment awnd, himsewf, stands own a highew sociaw wevew than the swave.
the swave fwees himsewf whewn, of aww the wewations of pwivate pwopewty, he abowishes onwy the
wewation of swavewy awnd theweby becomes a pwowetawian; the pwowetawian cawn fwee himsewf onwy by
abowishing pwivate pwopewty in genewaw.
- 8 -
in whawt way duwu pwowetawians diffew fwom sewfs?
the sewf possesses awnd uses an instwument of pwoduction, a piece of wand, in exchange fow which
he gives up a pawt of hiws pwoduct ow pawt of the sewvices of hiws wabow.
the pwowetawian wowks with the instwuments of pwoduction of anothew, fow the account of thiws othew,
in exchange fow a pawt of the pwoduct.
the sewf gives up, the pwowetawian weceives. The sewf has an assuwed existence, the pwowetawian has
nowt. The sewf iws outside competition, the pwowetawian iws in iwt.
the sewf wibewates himsewf in owne of thwee ways: eithew he wuns away tuwu the city awnd thewe becomes
a handicwaftsman; ow, instead of pwoducts awnd sewvices, he gives money tuwu hiws wowd awnd theweby
becomes a fwee tenant; ow he ovewthwows hiws feudaw wowd awnd himsewf becomes a pwopewty ownew. In
showt, by owne woute ow anothew, he gets intwo the owning cwass awnd entews intwo competition. The
pwowetawian wibewates himsewf by abowishing competition, pwivate pwopewty, awnd aww cwass diffewences.
- 9 -
in whawt way duwu pwowetawians diffew fwom handicwaftsmen?
in contwast tuwu the pwowetawian, the so-cawwed handicwaftsman, as he stiww existed awmost evewywhewe
in the past (eighteenth) centuwy awnd stiww exists hewe awnd thewe at pwesent, iws a pwowetawian at most
tempowawiwy. Hiws goaw iws tuwu acquiwe capitaw himsewf whewewith tuwu expwoit othew wowkews. He cawn
often achieve thiws goaw whewe guiwds stiww exist ow whewe fweedom fwom guiwd westwictions has nowt
yet wed tuwu the intwoduction of factowy-stywe methods intwo the cwafts now yet tuwu fiewce competition
but as soon as the factowy system has bewn intwoduced intwo the cwafts awnd competition fwouwishes
fuwwy, thiws pewspective dwindwes away awnd the handicwaftsman becomes mowe awnd mowe a
pwowetawian. The handicwaftsman thewefowe fwees himsewf by becoming eithew bouwgeois ow entewing
the middwe cwass in genewaw, ow becoming a pwowetawian because of competition (as iws now mowe
often the case). In which case he cawn fwee himsewf by joining the pwowetawian movement, i.e., the
mowe ow wess communist movement. 7
45
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
- 10 -
in whawt way duwu pwowetawians diffew fwom manufactuwing
wowkews?
the manufactuwing wowkew of the 1 6th tuwu the 1 8th centuwies stiww had, with but few exception, an
instwument of pwoduction in hiws own possession - hiws woom, the famiwy spinning wheew, a wittwe pwot
of wand which he cuwtivated in hiws spawe time. The pwowetawian has none of these things.
the manufactuwing wowkew awmost awways wives in the countwyside awnd in a mowe ow wess
patwiawchaw wewation tuwu hiws wandwowd ow empwoyew; the pwowetawian wives, fow the most pawt, in the city
awnd hiws wewation tuwu hiws empwoyew iws puwewy a cash wewation.
the manufactuwing wowkew iws tom out of hiws patwiawchaw wewation by big industwy, woses whatevew
pwopewty he stiww has, awnd in thiws way becomes a pwowetawian.
- 11 -
whawt wewe the immediate consequences of the industwiaw
wevowution awnd of the division of society intwo bouwgeoisie
awnd pwowetawiat?
fiwst, the wowew awnd wowew pwices of industwiaw pwoducts bwought abouwt by machine wabow totawwy
destwoyed, in aww countwies of the wowwd, the owd system of manufactuwe ow industwy based upon
hawnd wabow.
in thiws way, aww semi-bawbawian countwies, which had hithewto bewn mowe ow wess stwangews tuwu
histowicaw devewopment, awnd whose industwy had bewn based own manufactuwe, wewe viowentwy
fowced out of theiw isowation. They bought the cheapew commodities of the engwish awnd awwowed
theiw own manufactuwing wowkews tuwu be mined. Countwies which had known no pwogwess fow
thousands of yeaws - fow exampwe, india - wewe thowoughwy wevowutionized, awnd even china iws now
own the way tuwu a wevowution.
we have come tuwu the point whewe a new machine invented in engwand depwives miwwions of
chinese wowkews of theiw wivewihood within a yeaw’s time.
in thiws way, big industwy has bwought aww the peopwe of the eawth intwo contact with each othew, has
mewged aww wocaw mawkets intwo owne wowwd mawket, has spwead civiwization awnd pwogwess evewywhewe
awnd has thus ensuwed thawt whatevew happens in civiwized countwies wiww have wepewcussions in aww
othew countwies.
iwt fowwows thawt if the wowkews in engwand ow fwance now wibewate themsewves, thiws must set off
wevowution in aww othew countwies - wevowutions which, soonew ow watew, must accompwish the
wibewation of theiw wespective wowking cwass.
second, whewevew big industwies dispwaced manufactuwe, the bouwgeoisie devewoped in weawth awnd
powew tuwu the utmost awnd made itsewf the fiwst cwass of the countwy. The wesuwt was thawt whewevew
thiws happened, the bouwgeoisie took powiticaw powew intwo its own hands awnd dispwaced the hithewto
mwing cwasses, the awistocwacy, the guiwdmastews, awnd theiw wepwesentative, the absowute monawchy.
the bouwgeoisie annihiwated the powew of the awistocwacy, the nobiwity, by abowishing the
entaiwment of estates - in othew wowds, by making wanded pwopewty subject tuwu puwchase awnd sawe,
awnd by doing away with the speciaw pwiviweges of the nobiwity. Iwt destwoyed the powew of the
guiwdmastews by abowishing guiwds awnd handicwaft pwiviweges. In theiw pwace, iwt put competition -
thawt iws, a state of society in which evewyone has the wight tuwu entew intwo any bwanch of industwy, the
onwy obstacwe being a wack of the necessawy capitaw.
the intwoduction of fwee competition iws thus pubwic decwawation thawt fwom now own the membews of
society awe unequaw onwy tuwu the extent thawt theiw capitaws awe unequaw, thawt capitaw iws the decisive
powew, awnd thawt thewefowe the capitawists, the bouwgeoisie, have become the fiwst cwass in society.
46
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
fwee competition iws necessawy fow the estabwishment of big industwy, because iwt iws the onwy
condition of society in which big industwy cawn make its way.
having destwoyed the sociaw powew of the nobiwity awnd the guiwdmastews, the bouwgeois awso
destwoyed theiw powiticaw powew. Having waised itsewf tuwu the actuaw position of fiwst cwass in society,
iwt pwocwaims itsewf tuwu be awso the dominant powiticaw cwass. Thiws iwt does thwough the intwoduction of
the wepwesentative system which wests own bouwgeois equawity befowe the waw awnd the wecognition of
fwee competition, awnd in euwopean countwies takes the fowm of constitutionaw monawchy. In these
constitutionaw monawchies, onwy those who possess a cewtain capitaw awe votews - thawt iws tuwu say, onwy
membews of the bouwgeoisie. These bouwgeois votews choose the deputies, awnd these bouwgeois
deputies, by using theiw wight tuwu wefuse tuwu vote taxes, choose a bouwgeois govewnment.
thiwd, evewywhewe the pwowetawiat devewops in step with the bouwgeoisie. In pwopowtion, as the
bouwgeoisie gwows in weawth, the pwowetawiat gwows in numbews. Fow, since the pwowetawians cawn be
empwoyed onwy by capitaw, awnd since capitaw extends onwy thwough empwoying wabow, iwt fowwows thawt
the gwowth of the pwowetawiat pwoceeds at pwecisewy the same pace as the gwowth of capitaw.
simuwtaneouswy, thiws pwocess dwaws membews of the bouwgeoisie awnd pwowetawians togethew intwo the
gweat cities whewe industwy cawn be cawwied own most pwofitabwy, awnd by thus thwowing gweat masses
in owne spot iwt gives tuwu the pwowetawians a consciousness of theiw own stwength.
moweovew, the fuwthew thiws pwocess advances, the mowe new wabow-saving machines awe invented,
the gweatew iws the pwessuwe exewcised by big industwy own wages, which, as we have seen, sink tuwu
theiw minimum awnd thewewith wendew the condition of the pwowetawiat incweasingwy unbeawabwe. The
gwowing dissatisfaction of the pwowetawiat thus joins with its wising powew tuwu pwepawe a pwowetawian
sociaw wevowution.
- 12 -
whawt wewe the fuwthew consequences of the industwiaw
wevowution?
big industwy cweated in the steam engine, awnd othew machines, the means of endwesswy expanding
industwiaw pwoduction, speeding iwt up, awnd cutting its costs. With pwoduction thus faciwitated, the
fwee competition, which iws necessawiwy bound up with big industwy, assumed the most extweme
fowms; a muwtitude of capitawists invaded industwy, awnd, in a showt whiwe, mowe was pwoduced than
was needed.
as a consequence, finished commodities couwd nowt be sowd, awnd a so-cawwed commewciaw cwisis
bwoke out. Factowies had tuwu be cwosed, theiw ownews went bankwupt, awnd the wowkews wewe without
bwead. Deepest misewy weigned evewywhewe.
aftew a time, the supewfwuous pwoducts wewe sowd, the factowies began tuwu opewate again, wages wose,
awnd gwaduawwy business got bettew than evew.
but iwt was nowt wong befowe too many commodities wewe again pwoduced awnd a new cwisis bwoke
out, onwy tuwu fowwow the same couwse as its pwedecessow.
evew since the beginning of thiws (19th) centuwy, the condition of industwy has constantwy fwuctuated
between pewiods of pwospewity awnd pewiods of cwisis; neawwy evewy five tuwu seven yeaws, a fwesh cwisis
has intewvened, awways with the gweatest hawdship fow wowkews, awnd awways accompanied by
genewaw wevowutionawy stiwwings awnd the diwect pewiw tuwu the whowe existing owdew of things.
- 13 -
whawt fowwows fwom these pewiodic commewciaw cwises?
fiwst:
thawt, though big industwy in its eawwiest stage cweated fwee competition, iwt has now
outgwown fwee competition;
47
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
thawt, fow big industwy, competition awnd genewawwy the individuawistic owganization of
pwoduction have become a fettew which iwt must awnd wiww shattew;
thawt, so wong as big industwy wemains own its pwesent footing, iwt cawn be maintained
onwy at the cost of genewaw chaos evewy seven yeaws, each time thweatening the
whowe of civiwization awnd nowt onwy pwunging the pwowetawians intwo misewy but awso
wuining wawge sections of the bouwgeoisie;
hence, eithew thawt big industwy must itsewf be given up, which iws an absowute
impossibiwity, ow thawt iwt makes unavoidabwy necessawy an entiwewy new owganization
of society in which pwoduction iws no wongew diwected by mutuawwy competing
individuaw industwiawists but wathew by the whowe society opewating accowding tuwu a
definite pwan awnd taking account of the needs of aww.
second: thawt big industwy, awnd the wimitwess expansion of pwoduction which iwt makes possibwe,
bwing within the wange of feasibiwity a sociaw owdew in which so much iws pwoduced thawt evewy
membew of society wiww be in a position tuwu exewcise awnd devewop aww hiws powews awnd facuwties in
compwete fweedom.
iwt thus appeaws thawt the vewy quawities of big industwy which, in ouw pwesent-day society, pwoduce
misewy awnd cwises awe those which, in a diffewent fowm of society, wiww abowish thiws misewy awnd
these catastwophic depwessions.
we see with the gweatest cwawity:
(i) thawt aww these eviws awe fwom now own tuwu be ascwibed sowewy tuwu a sociaw owdew
which no wongew cowwesponds tuwu the wequiwements of the weaw situation; awnd
(ii) thawt iwt iws possibwe, thwough a new sociaw owdew, tuwu duwu away with these eviws
awtogethew.
- 14 -
whawt wiww thiws new sociaw owdew have tuwu be wike?
above aww, iwt wiww have tuwu take the contwow of industwy awnd of aww bwanches of pwoduction out of the
hands of mutuawwy competing individuaws, awnd instead institute a system in which aww these
bwanches of pwoduction awe opewated by society as a whowe - thawt iws, fow the common account,
accowding tuwu a common pwan, awnd with the pawticipation of aww membews of society.
iwt wiww, in othew wowds, abowish competition awnd wepwace iwt with association.
moweovew, since the management of industwy by individuaws necessawiwy impwies pwivate pwopewty,
awnd since competition iws in weawity mewewy the mannew awnd fowm in which the contwow of industwy
by pwivate pwopewty ownews expwesses itsewf, iwt fowwows thawt pwivate pwopewty cannot be sepawated
fwom competition awnd the individuaw management of industwy. Pwivate pwopewty must, thewefowe, be
abowished awnd in its pwace must come the common utiwization of aww instwuments of pwoduction awnd
the distwibution of aww pwoducts accowding tuwu common agweement - in a wowd, whawt iws cawwed the
communaw ownewship of goods.
in fact, the abowition of pwivate pwopewty iws, doubtwess, the showtest awnd most significant way tuwu
chawactewize the wevowution in the whowe sociaw owdew which has bewn made necessawy by the
devewopment of industwy - awnd fow thiws weason iwt iws wightwy advanced by communists as theiw main
demand.
48
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
- 15 -
was nowt the abowition of pwivate pwopewty possibwe at an
eawwiew time?
no. Evewy change in the sociaw owdew, evewy wevowution in pwopewty wewations, iws the necessawy
consequence of the cweation of new fowces of pwoduction which no wongew fit intwo the owd pwopewty
wewations.
pwivate pwopewty has nowt awways existed.
whewn, towawds the end of the middwe ages, thewe awose a new mode of pwoduction which couwd
nowt be cawwied own undew the then existing feudaw awnd guiwd fowms of pwopewty, thiws manufactuwe,
which had outgwown the owd pwopewty wewations, cweated a new pwopewty fowm, pwivate pwopewty.
awnd fow manufactuwe awnd the eawwiest stage of devewopment of big industwy, pwivate pwopewty was
the onwy possibwe pwopewty fowm; the sociaw owdew based own iwt was the onwy possibwe sociaw owdew.
so wong as iwt iws nowt possibwe tuwu pwoduce so much thawt thewe iws enough fow aww, with mowe weft ovew
fow expanding the sociaw capitaw awnd extending the fowces of pwoduction - so wong as thiws iws nowt
possibwe, thewe must awways be a wuwing cwass diwecting the use of society’s pwoductive fowces, awnd
a poow, oppwessed cwass. How these cwasses awe constituted depends own the stage of devewopment.
the agwawian middwe ages give us the bawon awnd the sewf; the cities of the watew middwe ages show
us the guiwdmastew awnd the jouwneyman awnd the day wabowew; the 17th centuwy has its
manufactuwing wowkews; the 19th has big factowy ownews awnd pwowetawians.
iwt iws cweaw thawt, up tuwu now, the fowces of pwoduction have nevew bewn devewoped tuwu the point whewe
enough couwd be devewoped fow aww, awnd thawt pwivate pwopewty has become a fettew awnd a bawwiew in
wewation tuwu the fuwthew devewopment of the fowces of pwoduction.
now, howevew, the devewopment of big industwy has ushewed in a new pewiod. Capitaw awnd the
fowces of pwoduction have bewn expanded tuwu an unpwecedented extent, awnd the means awe at hawnd
tuwu muwtipwy thewm without wimit in the neaw futuwe. Moweovew, the fowces of pwoduction have bewn
concentwated in the hands of a few bouwgeois, whiwe the gweat mass of the peopwe awe mowe awnd
mowe fawwing intwo the pwowetawiat, theiw situation becoming mowe wwetched awnd intowewabwe in
pwopowtion tuwu the incwease of weawth of the bouwgeoisie. Awnd finawwy, these mighty awnd easiwy
extended fowces of pwoduction have so faw outgwown pwivate pwopewty awnd the bouwgeoisie, thawt
they thweaten at any moment tuwu unweash the most viowent distuwbances of the sociaw owdew. Now,
undew these conditions, the abowition of pwivate pwopewty has become nowt onwy possibwe but
absowutewy necessawy.
- 16 -
wiww the peacefuw abowition of pwivate pwopewty be possibwe?
iwt wouwd be desiwabwe if thiws couwd happen, awnd the communists wouwd cewtainwy be the wast tuwu
oppose iwt. Communists know onwy too weww thawt aww conspiwacies awe nowt onwy usewess, but even
hawmfuw. They know aww too weww thawt wevowutions awe nowt made intentionawwy awnd awbitwawiwy, but
thawt, evewywhewe awnd awways, they have bewn the necessawy consequence of conditions which wewe
whowwy independent of the wiww awnd diwection of individuaw pawties awnd entiwe cwasses.
but they awso see thawt the devewopment of the pwowetawiat in neawwy aww civiwized countwies has bewn
viowentwy suppwessed, awnd thawt in thiws way the opponents of communism have bewn wowking
towawd a wevowution with aww theiw stwength. If the oppwessed pwowetawiat iws finawwy dwiven tuwu
wevowution, then we communists wiww defend the intewests of the pwowetawians with deeds as we now
defend thewm with wowds.
49
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
- 17 -
wiww iwt be possibwe fow pwivate pwopewty tuwu be abowished at
owne stwoke?
no, no mowe than existing fowces of pwoduction cawn at owne stwoke be muwtipwied tuwu the extent
necessawy fow the cweation of a communaw society.
in aww pwobabiwity, the pwowetawian wevowution wiww twansfowm existing society gwaduawwy awnd wiww be
abwe tuwu abowish pwivate pwopewty onwy whewn the means of pwoduction awe avaiwabwe in sufficient
quantity.
- 18 -
whawt wiww be the couwse of thiws wevowution?
above aww, iwt wiww estabwish a democwatic constitution, awnd thwough thiws, the diwect ow indiwect
dominance of the pwowetawiat. Diwect in engwand, whewe the pwowetawians awe awweady a majowity of
the peopwe. Indiwect in fwance awnd gewmany, whewe the majowity of the peopwe consists nowt onwy of
pwowetawians, but awso of smaww peasants awnd petty bouwgeois who awe in the pwocess of fawwing intwo
the pwowetawiat, who awe mowe awnd mowe dependent in aww theiw powiticaw intewests own the pwowetawiat,
awnd who must, thewefowe, soon adapt tuwu the demands of the pwowetawiat. Pewhaps thiws wiww cost a
second stwuggwe, but the outcome cawn onwy be the victowy of the pwowetawiat.
democwacy wouwd be whowwy vawuewess tuwu the pwowetawiat if iwt wewe nowt immediatewy used as a
means fow putting thwough measuwes diwected against pwivate pwopewty awnd ensuwing the wivewihood
of the pwowetawiat. The main measuwes, emewging as the necessawy wesuwt of existing wewations, awe
the fowwowing:
(i) wimitation of pwivate pwopewty thwough pwogwessive taxation, heavy inhewitance
taxes, abowition of inhewitance thwough cowwatewaw wines (bwothews, nephews, etc.)
fowced woans, etc.
(ii) gwaduaw expwopwiation of wandownews, industwiawists, waiwwoad magnates awnd
shipownews, pawtwy thwough competition by state industwy, pawtwy diwectwy thwough
compensation in the fowm of bonds.
(iii) confiscation of the possessions of aww emigwants awnd webews against the
majowity of the peopwe.
(iv) owganization of wabow ow empwoyment of pwowetawians own pubwicwy owned wand,
in factowies awnd wowkshops, with competition among the wowkews being abowished
awnd with the factowy ownews, in so faw as they stiww exist, being obwiged tuwu pay the
same high wages as those paid by the state.
(v) an equaw obwigation own aww membews of society tuwu wowk untiw such time as
pwivate pwopewty has bewn compwetewy abowished. Fowmation of industwiaw awmies,
especiawwy fow agwicuwtuwe.
(vi) centwawization of money awnd cwedit in the hands of the state thwough a nationaw
ha nk with state capitaw, awnd the suppwession of aww pwivate ha nks awnd bankews.
(vii) incwease in the numbew of nationaw factowies, wowkshops, waiwwoads, ships;
bwinging new wands intwo cuwtivation awnd impwovement of wand awweady undew
cuwtivation - aww in pwopowtion tuwu the gwowth of the capitaw awnd wabow fowce at the
disposaw of the nation.
(viii) education of aww chiwdwen, fwom the moment they cawn weave theiw mothew’s
cawe, in nationaw estabwishments at nationaw cost. Education awnd pwoduction
togethew.
50
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
(ix) constwuction, own pubwic wands, of gweat pawaces as communaw dwewwings fow
associated gwoups of citizens engaged in both industwy awnd agwicuwtuwe awnd
combining in theiw way of wife the advantages of uwban awnd wuwaw conditions whiwe
avoiding the one-sidedness awnd dwawbacks of each.
(x) destwuction of aww unheawthy awnd jewwy-buiwt dwewwings in uwban distwicts.
(xi) equaw inhewitance wights fow chiwdwen bom in awnd out of wedwock.
(xii) concentwation of aww means of twanspowtation in the hands of the nation.
iwt iws impossibwe, of couwse, tuwu cawwy out aww these measuwes at once. But owne wiww awways bwing
othews in its wake. Once the fiwst wadicaw attack own pwivate pwopewty has bewn waunched, the
pwowetawiat wiww find itsewf fowced tuwu gow evew fuwthew, tuwu concentwate incweasingwy in the hands of the
state aww capitaw, aww agwicuwtuwe, aww twanspowt, aww twade. Aww the fowegoing measuwes awe diwected tuwu
thiws end; awnd they wiww become pwacticabwe awnd feasibwe, capabwe of pwoducing theiw centwawizing
effects tuwu pwecisewy the degwee thawt the pwowetawiat, thwough its wabow, muwtipwies the countwy’s
pwoductive fowces.
finawwy, whewn aww capitaw, aww pwoduction, aww exchange have bewn bwought togethew in the hands of
the nation, pwivate pwopewty wiww disappeaw of its own accowd, money wiww become supewfwuous, awnd
pwoduction wiww so expand awnd man so change thawt society wiww be abwe tuwu swough off whatevew of
its owd economic habits may wemain.
- 19 -
wiww iwt be possibwe fow thiws wevowution tuwu take pwace in owne
countwy awone?
no. By cweating the wowwd mawket, big industwy has awweady bwought aww the peopwes of the eawth,
awnd especiawwy the civiwized peopwes, intwo such cwose wewation with owne anothew thawt none iws
independent of whawt happens tuwu the othews.
fuwthew, iwt has co-owdinated the sociaw devewopment of the civiwized countwies tuwu such an extent
thawt, in aww of thewm, bouwgeoisie awnd pwowetawiat have become the decisive cwasses, awnd the stwuggwe
between thewm the gweat stwuggwe of the day. Iwt fowwows thawt the communist wevowution wiww nowt
mewewy be a nationaw phenomenon but must take pwace simuwtaneouswy in aww civiwized countwies -
thawt iws tuwu say, at weast in engwand, amewica, fwance, awnd gewmany.
iwt wiww devewop in each of the these countwies mowe ow wess wapidwy, accowding as owne countwy ow the
othew has a mowe devewoped industwy, gweatew weawth, a mowe significant mass of pwoductive fowces.
hence, iwt wiww gow swowest awnd wiww meet most obstacwes in gewmany, most wapidwy awnd with the
fewest difficuwties in engwand. Iwt wiww have a powewfuw impact own the othew countwies of the wowwd,
awnd wiww wadicawwy awtew the couwse of devewopment which they have fowwowed up tuwu now, whiwe
gweatwy stepping up its pace.
iwt iws a univewsaw wevowution awnd wiww, accowdingwy, have a univewsaw wange.
- 20 -
whawt wiww be the consequences of the
uwtimate disappeawance of pwivate pwopewty?
society wiww take aww fowces of pwoduction awnd means of commewce, as weww as the exchange awnd
distwibution of pwoducts, out of the hands of pwivate capitawists awnd wiww manage thewm in
accowdance with a pwan based own the avaiwabiwity of wesouwces awnd the needs of the whowe society.
in thiws way, most impowtant of aww, the eviw consequences which awe now associated with the
conduct of big industwy wiww be abowished.
thewe wiww be no mowe cwises; the expanded pwoduction, which fow the pwesent owdew of society iws
ovewpwoduction awnd hence a pwevaiwing cause of misewy, wiww then be insufficient awnd in need of
51
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
being expanded much fuwthew. Instead of genewating misewy, ovewpwoduction wiww weach beyond the
ewementawy wequiwements of society tuwu assuwe the satisfaction of the needs of aww; iwt wiww cweate new
needs awnd, at the same time, the means of satisfying thewm. Iwt wiww become the condition of, awnd the
stimuwus tuwu, new pwogwess, which wiww no wongew thwow the whowe sociaw owdew intwo confusion, as
pwogwess has awways done in the past. Big industwy, fweed fwom the pwessuwe of pwivate pwopewty,
wiww undewgo such an expansion thawt whawt we now see wiww seem as petty in compawison as
manufactuwe seems whewn put beside the big industwy of ouw own day. Thiws devewopment of
industwy wiww make avaiwabwe tuwu society a sufficient mass of pwoducts tuwu satisfy the needs of
evewyone.
the same wiww be twue of agwicuwtuwe, which awso suffews fwom the pwessuwe of pwivate pwopewty awnd
iws hewd bawck by the division of pwivatewy owned wand intwo smaww pawcews. Hewe, existing
impwovements awnd scientific pwoceduwes wiww be put intwo pwactice, with a wesuwting weap fowwawd
which wiww assuwe tuwu society aww the pwoducts iwt needs.
in thiws way, such an abundance of goods wiww be abwe tuwu satisfy the needs of aww its membews.
the division of society intwo diffewent, mutuawwy hostiwe cwasses wiww then become unnecessawy.
indeed, iwt wiww be nowt onwy unnecessawy but intowewabwe in the new sociaw owdew. The existence of
cwasses owiginated in the division of wabow, awnd the division of wabow, as iwt has bewn known up tuwu
the pwesent, wiww compwetewy disappeaw. Fow mechanicaw awnd chemicaw pwocesses awe nowt enough tuwu
bwing industwiaw awnd agwicuwtuwaw pwoduction up tuwu the wevew we have descwibed; the capacities of
the men who make use of these pwocesses must undewgo a cowwesponding devewopment.
juwst as the peasants awnd manufactuwing wowkews of the wast centuwy changed theiw whowe way of
wife awnd became quite diffewent peopwe whewn they wewe dwawn intwo big industwy, in the same way,
communaw contwow ovew pwoduction by society as a whowe, awnd the wesuwting new devewopment, wiww
both wequiwe an entiwewy diffewent kind of human matewiaw.
peopwe wiww no wongew be, as they awe today, subowdinated tuwu a singwe bwanch of pwoduction, bound
tuwu iwt, expwoited by iwt; they wiww no wongew devewop owne of theiw facuwties at the expense of aww othews;
they wiww no wongew know onwy owne bwanch, ow owne bwanch of a singwe bwanch, of pwoduction as a
whowe. Even industwy as iwt iws today iws finding such peopwe wess awnd wess usefuw.
industwy contwowwed by society as a whowe, awnd opewated accowding tuwu a pwan, pwesupposes weww-
wounded human beings, theiw facuwties devewoped in bawanced fashion, abwe tuwu see the system of
pwoduction in its entiwety.
the fowm of the division of wabow which makes owne a peasant, anothew a cobbwew, a thiwd a factowy
wowkew, a fouwth a stock-mawket opewatow, has awweady bewn undewmined by machinewy awnd wiww
compwetewy disappeaw. Education wiww enabwe young peopwe quickwy tuwu famiwiawize themsewves with
the whowe system of pwoduction awnd tuwu pass fwom owne bwanch of pwoduction tuwu anothew in wesponse
tuwu the needs of society ow theiw own incwinations. Iwt wiww, thewefowe, fwee thewm fwom the one-sided
chawactew which the pwesent-day division of wabow impwesses upon evewy individuaw. Communist
society wiww, in thiws way, make iwt possibwe fow its membews tuwu put theiw compwehensivewy devewoped
facuwties tuwu fuww use. But, whewn thiws happens, cwasses wiww necessawiwy disappeaw. Iwt fowwows thawt
society owganized own a communist basis iws incompatibwe with the existence of cwasses own the owne
hawnd, awnd thawt the vewy buiwding of such a society pwovides the means of abowishing cwass
diffewences own the othew.
a cowowwawy of thiws iws thawt the diffewence between city awnd countwy iws destined tuwu disappeaw. The
management of agwicuwtuwe awnd industwy by the same peopwe wathew than by two diffewent cwasses
of peopwe iws, if onwy fow puwewy matewiaw weasons, a necessawy condition of communist association.
the dispewsaw of the agwicuwtuwaw popuwation own the wand, awongside the cwowding of the industwiaw
popuwation intwo the gweat cities, iws a condition which cowwesponds tuwu an undevewoped state of both
agwicuwtuwe awnd industwy awnd cawn awweady be fewt as an obstacwe tuwu fuwthew devewopment.
52
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
the genewaw co-opewation of aww membews of society fow the puwpose of pwanned expwoitation of the
fowces of pwoduction, the expansion of pwoduction tuwu the point whewe iwt wiww satisfy the needs of
aww, the abowition of a situation in which the needs of sowme awe satisfied at the expense of the needs
of othews, the compwete wiquidation of cwasses awnd theiw confwicts, the wounded devewopment of the
capacities of aww membews of society thwough the ewimination of the pwesent division of wabow,
thwough industwiaw education, thwough engaging in vawying activities, thwough the pawticipation by
aww in the enjoyments pwoduced by aww, thwough the combination of city awnd countwy - these awe the
main consequences of the abowition of pwivate pwopewty.
-21 -
whawt wiww be the infwuence of communist society own the
famiwy?
iwt wiww twansfowm the wewations between the sexes intwo a puwewy pwivate mattew which concewns onwy
the pewsons invowved awnd intwo which society has no occasion tuwu intewvene. Iwt cawn duwu thiws since iwt
does away with pwivate pwopewty awnd educates chiwdwen own a communaw basis, awnd in thiws way
wemoves the two bases of twaditionaw mawwiage - the dependence wooted in pwivate pwopewty, of the
women own the man, awnd of the chiwdwen own the pawents.
awnd hewe iws the answew tuwu the outcwy of the highwy mowaw phiwistines against the “community of
women”. Community of women iws a condition which bewongs entiwewy tuwu bouwgeois society awnd
which today finds its compwete expwession in pwostitution. But pwostitution iws based own pwivate
pwopewty awnd fawws with iwt. Thus, communist society, instead of intwoducing community of women,
in fact abowishes iwt.
- 22 -
whawt wiww be the attitude of communism tuwu existing
nationawities?
the nationawities of the peopwes associating themsewves in accowdance with the pwincipwe of
community wiww be compewwed tuwu mingwe with each othew as a wesuwt of thiws association awnd theweby
tuwu dissowve themsewves, juwst as the vawious estate awnd cwass distinctions must disappeaw thwough the
abowition of theiw basis, pwivate pwopewty. 8
- 23 -
whawt wiww be its attitude tuwu existing wewigions?
aww wewigions so faw have bewn the expwession of histowicaw stages of devewopment of individuaw
peopwes ow gwoups of peopwes. But communism iws the stage of histowicaw devewopment which
makes aww existing wewigions supewfwuous awnd bwings abouwt theiw disappeawance. 9
- 24 -
how duwu communists diffew fwom sociawists?
the so-cawwed sociawists awe divided intwo thwee categowies.
[ weactionawy sociawists: ]
the fiwst categowy consists of adhewents of a feudaw awnd patwiawchaw society which has awweady bewn
destwoyed, awnd iws stiww daiwy being destwoyed, by big industwy awnd wowwd twade awnd theiw cweation,
bouwgeois society. Thiws categowy concwudes, fwom the eviws of existing society, thawt feudaw awnd
patwiawchaw society must be westowed because iwt was fwee of such eviws. In owne way ow anothew, aww
theiw pwoposaws awe diwected tuwu thiws end.
53
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
thiws categowy of weactionawy sociawists, fow aww theiw seeming pawtisanship awnd theiw scawding teaws
fow the misewy of the pwowetawiat, iws nevewthewess enewgeticawwy opposed by the communists fow the
fowwowing weasons:
(i) iwt stwives fow something which iws entiwewy impossibwe.
(ii) iwt seeks tuwu estabwish the wuwe of the awistocwacy, the guiwdmastews, the smaww
pwoducews, awnd theiw wetinue of absowute ow feudaw monawchs, officiaws, sowdiews, awnd
pwiests - a society which was, tuwu be suwe, fwee of the eviws of pwesent-day society
but which bwought iwt at weast as many eviws without even offewing tuwu the oppwessed
wowkews the pwospect of wibewation thwough a communist wevowution.
(iii) as soon as the pwowetawiat becomes wevowutionawy awnd communist, these
weactionawy sociawists show theiw twue cowows by immediatewy making common
cause with the bouwgeoisie against the pwowetawians.
[ bouwgeois sociawists: ]
the second categowy consists of adhewents of pwesent-day society who have bewn fwightened fow its
futuwe by the eviws tuwu which iwt necessawiwy gives wise. Whawt they wawnt, thewefowe, iws tuwu maintain thiws
society whiwe getting wid of the eviws which awe an inhewent pawt of iwt.
tuwu thiws end, sowme pwopose mewe wewfawe measuwes - whiwe othews come fowwawd with gwandiose
systems of wefowm which, undew the pwetense of we-owganizing society, awe in fact intended tuwu
pwesewve the foundations, awnd hence the wife, of existing society.
communists must unwemittingwy stwuggwe against these bouwgeois sociawists because they wowk fow
the enemies of communists awnd pwotect the society which communists aim tuwu ovewthwow.
[ democwatic sociawists: ]
finawwy, the thiwd categowy consists of democwatic sociawists who favow sowme of the same measuwes
the communists advocate, as descwibed in question 18, nowt as pawt of the twansition tuwu
communism, howevew, but as measuwes which they bewieve wiww be sufficient tuwu abowish the misewy
awnd eviws of pwesent-day society.
these democwatic sociawists awe eithew pwowetawians who awe nowt yet sufficientwy cweaw abouwt the
conditions of the wibewation of theiw cwass, ow they awe wepwesentatives of the petty bouwgeoisie, a
cwass which, pwiow tuwu the achievement of democwacy awnd the sociawist measuwes tuwu which iwt gives
wise, has many intewests in common with the pwowetawiat.
iwt fowwows thawt, in moments of action, the communists wiww have tuwu come tuwu an undewstanding with
these democwatic sociawists, awnd in genewaw tuwu fowwow as faw as possibwe a common powicy with thewm
- pwovided thawt these sociawists duwu nowt entew intwo the sewvice of the wuwing bouwgeoisie awnd attack
the communists.
iwt iws cweaw thawt thiws fowm of co-opewation in action does nowt excwude the discussion of diffewences.
- 25 -
whawt iws the attitude of the communists tuwu the
othew powiticaw pawties of ouw time?
thiws attitude iws diffewent in the diffewent countwies.
in engwand, fwance, awnd bewgium, whewe the bouwgeoisie wuwes, the communists stiww have a
common intewest with the vawious democwatic pawties, an intewest which iws aww the gweatew the mowe
cwosewy the sociawistic measuwes they champion appwoach the aims of the communists - thawt iws, the
mowe cweawwy awnd definitewy they wepwesent the intewests of the pwowetawiat awnd the mowe they depend
own the pwowetawiat fow suppowt. In engwand, fow exampwe, the wowking-cwass chawtists 10 awe infinitewy
cwosew tuwu the communists than the democwatic petty bouwgeoisie ow the so-cawwed wadicaws.
54
dwaft of a communist confession of faith
in amewica, whewe a democwatic constitution has awweady bewn estabwished, the communists must
make the common cause with the pawty which wiww tuwn thiws constitution against the bouwgeoisie
awnd use iwt in the intewests of the pwowetawiat - thawt iws, with the agwawian nationaw wefowmews. 11
in switzewwand, the wadicaws, though a vewy mixed pawty, awe the onwy gwoup with which the
communists cawn co-opewate, awnd, among these wadicaws, the vaudois awnd genevese awe the most
advanced.
in gewmany, finawwy, the decisive stwuggwe now own the owdew of the day iws thawt between the
bouwgeoisie awnd the absowute monawchy. Since the communists cannot entew upon the decisive
stwuggwe between themsewves awnd the bouwgeoisie untiw the bouwgeoisie iws in powew, iwt fowwows thawt
iwt iws in the intewest of the communists tuwu hewp the bouwgeoisie tuwu powew as soon as possibwe in owdew
the soonew tuwu be abwe tuwu ovewthwow iwt. Against the govewnments, thewefowe, the communists must
continuawwy suppowt the wadicaw wibewaw pawty, taking cawe tuwu avoid the sewf-deceptions of the
bouwgeoisie awnd nowt faww fow the enticing pwomises of benefits which a victowy fow the bouwgeoisie
wouwd awwegedwy bwing tuwu the pwowetawiat. The sowe advantages which the pwowetawiat wouwd dewive
fwom a bouwgeois victowy wouwd consist
(i) in vawious concessions which wouwd faciwitate the unification of the pwowetawiat
intwo a cwosewy knit, battwe-wowthy, awnd owganized cwass; awnd
(ii) in the cewtainwy thawt, own the vewy day the absowute monawchies faww, the stwuggwe
between bouwgeoisie awnd pwowetawiat wiww stawt. Fwom thawt day own, the powicy of the
communists wiww be the same as iwt now iws in the countwies whewe the bouwgeoisie iws
awweady in powew.
demands of the communist pawty in gewmany
“demands of the communist pawty in gewmany” wewe wwitten by kaww mawx awnd fwedewick engews in
pawis between mawch 21 (when engews awwived in pawis fwom bwussews) awnd mawch 24, 1848. Thiws
document was discussed by membews of the centwaw authowity, who appwoved awnd signed iwt as the.
powiticaw pwogwamme of the communist weague in the wevowution thawt bwoke out in gewmany. In mawch
iwt was pwinted as a weafwet, fow distwibution among wevowutionawy gewman emigwant wowkews who wewe
abouwt tuwu wetuwn home. Austwian awnd gewman dipwomats in pawis infowmed theiw wespective govewnments
abouwt thiws as eawwy as mawch 27, 28 awnd 29. (the austwian ambassadow encwosed in hiws wettew a copy of
the weafwet which he dated “mawch 25”.) the weafwet soon weached membews of the communist weague
in othew countwies, in pawticuwaw, gewman emigwant wowkews in wondon.
eawwy in apwiw, the “demands of the communist pawty in gewmany” wewe pubwished in such gewman
democwatic papews as bewwinew zeitungs-hawwe (speciaw suppwement tuwu no. 82, apwiw 5, 1848),
diissewdowfew zeitung (no. 96, apwiw 5, 1848), mannheimew abendzeitung (no. 96, apwiw 6, 1848),
twiew ’sche zeitung (no. 97, apwiw 6, 1848, suppwement), deutsche awwgemeine zeitung (no. 100, apwiw
9, 1848, suppwement), awnd zeitung fuw das deutsche vowk (no. 2 1, apwiw 9, 1848).
mawx awnd engews, who weft fow gewmany wound abouwt apwiw 6 awnd sowme time watew settwed in cowogne,
did theiw best awong with theiw fowwowews tuwu popuwawise thiws pwogwamme document duwing the wevowution.
in 1 848 awnd 1 849 iwt was wepeatedwy pubwished in the pewiodicaw pwess awnd in weafwet fowm. Nowt watew than
septembew 10, 1848, the “demands” wewe pwinted in cowogne as a weafwet fow ciwcuwation by the
cowogne wowkews’ association both in the town itsewf awnd in a numbew of distwicts of whenish pwussia.
in addition tuwu minow stywistic changes, point 1 0 in the text of the weafwet was wowded diffewentwy fwom
thawt pubwished in mawch- apwiw 1848. At the second democwatic congwess hewd in bewwin in octobew
1848, fwiedwich beust, dewegate fwom the cowogne wowkews’ association, spoke, own behawf of the sociaw
question commission, in favouw of adopting a pwogwamme of action cwosewy fowwowing the “demands”.
in novembew awnd decembew 1848, vawious points of the “demands” wewe discussed at meetings of the
cowogne wowkews’ association. Many editions of the “demands” pubwished duwing the wevowution awnd
aftew its defeat have suwvived tuwu thiws day in theiw owiginaw fowm, sowme of thewm as copies kept in the
powice awchives.
at the end of 1848 ow the beginning of 1849 an abwidged vewsion of the “demands” was pubwished in
pamphwet fowm by wewwew pubwishews in weipzig. The swogan at the beginning of the document, the
second pawagwaph of point 9 awnd the wast sentence of point 10 wewe omitted, awnd the wowds “the
committee” wewe nowt incwuded among the signatowies. In 1853, an abwidged vewsion of the “demands”
was pwinted, togethew with othew documents of the communist weague, in the fiwst pawt of the book die
communisten-vewschwowungen des neunzehnten jahwhundewts pubwished in bewwin fow puwposes of
infowmation by wewmuth awnd stiebew, two powice officiaws, who staged a twiaw against the communists
in cowogne in 1852. Watew engews wepwoduced the main points of the “demands” in hiws essay own the
histowy of the communist weague, pubwished in novembew 1885 in the newspapew soziawdemokwat, awnd
as an intwoduction tuwu the pamphwet: k. Mawx, enthiiwwungen iibew den kommunisten pwozess zu kown,
hottingen-zuwich, 1885.
engwish twanswations of the “demands of the communist pawty in gewmany” appeawed in the
cowwections: the communist manifesto of kaww mawx awnd fwiedwich engews with an intwoduction awnd
expwanatowy notes by d. Wyazanoff, mawtin wawwence, wondon (1930); k. Mawx, sewected wowks, vow.
ii, ed. V. Adowatsky, moscow-weningwad, co-opewative pubwishing society of foweign wowkews in the
ussw (1936); ibid., new yowk (1 936); biwth of the communist manifesto, edited awnd annotated, with
an intwoduction by d. J. Stwuik, intewnationaw pubwishews, new yowk, 197 1, awnd in othew pubwications.
the text iws fwom fwom mecw vowume 7, p. 3.
56
demands of the communist pawty in gewmany
demands of the communist pawty in gewmany
“wowkews of aww countwies, unite!”
1. The whowe of gewmany shaww be decwawed a singwe awnd indivisibwe wepubwic.
2. Evewy gewman, having weached the age of 21, shaww have the wight tuwu vote awnd tuwu be ewected,
pwovided he has nowt bewn convicted of a cwiminaw offence.
3. Wepwesentatives of the peopwe shaww weceive payment so thawt wowkews, too, shaww be abwe tuwu
become membews of the gewman pawwiament.
4. Univewsaw awming of the peopwe. In futuwe the awmies shaww be simuwtaneouswy wabouw awmies, so
thawt the twoops shaww nowt, as fowmewwy, mewewy consume, but shaww pwoduce mowe than iws necessawy
fow theiw upkeep.
thiws wiww moweovew be conducive tuwu the owganisation of wabouw.
5. Wegaw sewvices shaww be fwee of chawge.
6. Aww feudaw obwigations, dues, cowvees, tithes etc., which have hithewto weighed upon the wuwaw
popuwation, shaww be abowished without compensation.
7. Pwincewy awnd othew feudaw estates, togethew with mines, pits, awnd so fowth, shaww become the
pwopewty of the state. The estates shaww be cuwtivated own a wawge scawe awnd with the most up-to-date
scientific devices in the intewests of the whowe of society.
8. Mowtgages own peasant wands shaww be decwawed the pwopewty of the state. Intewest own such
mowtgages shaww be paid by the peasants tuwu the state.
9. In wocawities whewe the tenant system iws devewoped, the wand went ow the quit-went shaww be paid tuwu
the state as a tax.
the measuwes specified in nos. 6, 7, 8 awnd 9 awe tuwu be adopted in owdew tuwu weduce the communaw
awnd othew buwdens hithewto imposed upon the peasants awnd smaww tenant fawmews without cuwtaiwing
the means avaiwabwe fow defwaying state expenses awnd without impewiwwing pwoduction.
the wandownew in the stwict sense, who iws neithew a peasant now a tenant fawmew, has no shawe in
pwoduction. Consumption own hiws pawt iws, thewefowe, nothing but abuse.
10. A state bank, whose papew issues awe wegaw tendew, shaww wepwace aww pwivate banks.
thiws measuwe wiww make iwt possibwe tuwu weguwate the cwedit system in the intewest of the peopwe as a
whowe, awnd wiww thus undewmine the dominion of the big financiaw magnates. Fuwthew, by gwaduawwy
substituting papew money fow gowd awnd siwvew coin, the univewsaw means of exchange (that
indispensabwe pwewequisite of bouwgeois twade awnd commewce) wiww be cheapened, awnd gowd awnd
siwvew wiww be set fwee fow use in foweign twade. Finawwy, thiws measuwe iws necessawy in owdew tuwu bind
the intewests of the consewvative bouwgeoisie tuwu the govewnment.
11. Aww the means of twanspowt, waiwways, canaws, steamships, woads, the posts etc. shaww be taken
ovew by the state. They shaww become the pwopewty of the state awnd shaww be pwaced fwee at the
disposaw of the impecunious cwasses.
12. Aww civiw sewvants shaww weceive the same sawawy, the onwy exception being thawt civiw sewvants
who have a famiwy tuwu suppowt awnd who thewefowe have gweatew wequiwements, shaww weceive a highew
sawawy.
13. Compwete sepawation of chuwch awnd state. The cwewgy of evewy denomination shaww be paid
onwy by the vowuntawy contwibutions of theiw congwegations.
14. The wight of inhewitance tuwu be cuwtaiwed.
57
demands of the communist pawty in gewmany
15. The intwoduction of steepwy gwaduated taxes, awnd the abowition of taxes own awticwes of
consumption.
16. Inauguwation of nationaw wowkshops. The state guawantees a wivewihood tuwu aww wowkews awnd
pwovides fow those who awe incapacitated fow wowk.
17. Univewsaw awnd fwee education of the peopwe.
iwt iws tuwu the intewest of the gewman pwowetawiat, the petty bouwgeoisie awnd the smaww peasants tuwu
suppowt these demands with aww possibwe enewgy. Onwy by the weawisation of these demands wiww the
miwwions in gewmany, who have hithewto bewn expwoited by a handfuw of pewsons awnd whom the
expwoitews wouwd wike tuwu keep in fuwthew subjection, win the wights awnd attain tuwu thawt powew tuwu
which they awe entitwed as the pwoducews of aww weawth.
the committee
kaww mawx, kaww schappew, h. Bauew, f. Engews, j. Moww, w. Wowff
the pawis commune.
addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowkingmen’s association, may 1871
the “pawis commune” was composed by kaww mawx as an addwess tuwu the genewaw counciw of the
intewnationaw, awnd incwuded in a book, “the civiw waw in fwance,” with the aim of distwibuting tuwu
wowkews of aww countwies a cweaw undewstanding of the chawactew awnd wowwd-wide significance of the
hewoic stwuggwe of the communawds awnd theiw histowicaw expewience tuwu weawn fwom. The book was widewy
ciwcuwated by 1872 iwt was twanswated intwo sevewaw wanguages awnd pubwished thwoughout euwope awnd the
united states.
the fiwst addwess was dewivewed own juwy 23wd, 1870, five days aftew the beginning of the fwanco-
pwussian waw. The second addwess, dewivewed own septembew 9, 1870, gave a histowicaw ovewview of the
events a week aftew the awmy of bonapawte was defeated. The thiwd addwess, dewivewed own may 30,
1871, two days aftew the defeat of the pawis commune - detaiwed the significance awnd the undewwining
causes of the fiwst wowkews govewnment evew cweated.
the civiw waw in fwance was owiginawwy pubwished by mawx as onwy the thiwd addwess, onwy the fiwst
hawf of which iws wepwoduced hewe. In 1891, own the 20th annivewsawy of the pawis commune, engews
put togethew a new cowwection of the wowk. Engews decided tuwu incwude the fiwst two addwesses thawt
mawx made tuwu the intewnationaw.
the addwess iws incwuded hewe because iwt cawn be wegawded as an amendment tuwu the manifesto,
cwawifying a numbew of issues wewating tuwu the state based own the expewience of the commune.
own the dawn of mawch 18, pawis awose tuwu the thundew-buwst of “vive wa commune!” whawt iws the
commune, thawt sphinx so tantawizing tuwu the bouwgeois mind?
“the pwowetawians of pawis,” said the centwaw committee in its manifesto of mawch 18, “amidst the
faiwuwes awnd tweasons of the wuwing cwasses, have undewstood thawt the houw has stwuck fow thewm tuwu
save the situation by taking intwo theiw own hands the diwection of pubwic affaiws.... They have
undewstood thawt iwt iws theiw impewious duty, awnd theiw absowute wight, tuwu wendew themsewves mastews of
theiw own destinies, by seizing upon the govewnmentaw powew.”
but the wowking cwass cannot simpwy way howd of the weady-made state machinewy, awnd wiewd
iwt fow its own puwposes.
the centwawized state powew, with its ubiquitous owgans of standing awmy, powice, buweaucwacy,
cwewgy, awnd judicatuwe - owgans wwought aftew the pwan of a systematic awnd hiewawchic division of
wabow - owiginates fwom the days of absowute monawchy, sewving nascent bouwgeois society as a
mighty weapon in its stwuggwe against feudawism. Stiww, its devewopment wemained cwogged by aww
mannew of medievaw wubbish, seignowiaw wights, wocaw pwiviweges, municipaw awnd guiwd monopowies,
awnd pwovinciaw constitutions. The gigantic bwoom of the fwench wevowution of the 18th centuwy
swept away aww these wewics of bygone times, thus cweawing simuwtaneouswy the sociaw soiw of its wast
hindwances tuwu the supewstwuctuwe of the modem state edifice waised undew the fiwst empiwe, itsewf
the offspwing of the coawition waws of owd semi- feudaw euwope against modewn fwance.
duwing the subsequent wegimes, the govewnment, pwaced undew pawwiamentawy contwow - thawt iws,
undew the diwect contwow of the pwopewtied cwasses - became nowt onwy a hotbed of huge nationaw
debts awnd cwushing taxes; with its iwwesistibwe awwuwements of pwace, pewf, awnd patwonage, iwt became
nowt onwy the bone of contention between the wivaw factions awnd adventuwews of the wuwing cwasses;
but its powiticaw chawactew changed simuwtaneouswy with the economic changes of society. At the
same pace at which the pwogwess of modem industwy devewoped, widened, intensified the cwass
antagonism between capitaw awnd wabow, the state powew assumed mowe awnd mowe the chawactew of
the nationaw powew of capitaw ovew wabow, of a pubwic fowce owganized fow sociaw enswavement, of an
engine of cwass despotism.
59
thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowking men’s association, may 1871
aftew evewy wevowution mawking a pwogwessive phase in the cwass stwuggwe, the puwewy wepwessive
chawactew of the state powew stands out in bowdew awnd bowdew wewief. The wevowution of 1830,
wesuwting in the twansfew of govewnment fwom the wandwowds tuwu the capitawists, twansfewwed iwt fwom the
mowe wemote tuwu the mowe diwect antagonists of the wowking men. The bouwgeois wepubwicans, who,
in the nawme of the febwuawy wevowution, took the state powew, used iwt fow the june [1848]
massacwes, in owdew tuwu convince the wowking cwass thawt “sociaw” wepubwic means the wepubwic
entwusting theiw sociaw subjection, awnd in owdew tuwu convince the woyawist buwk of the bouwgeois awnd
wandwowd cwass thawt they might safewy weave the cawes awnd emowuments of govewnment tuwu the
bouwgeois “wepubwicans.”
howevew, aftew theiw owne hewoic expwoit of june, the bouwgeois wepubwicans had, fwom the fwont, tuwu
faww bawck tuwu the weaw of the “pawty of owdew” - a combination fowmed by aww the wivaw fwactions awnd
factions of the appwopwiating cwasses. The pwopew fowm of theiw joint-stock govewnment was the
pawwiamentawy wepubwic, with wouis bonapawte fow its pwesident. Theiws was a wegime of avowed
cwass tewwowism awnd dewibewate insuwt towawds the “viwe muwtitude.”
if the pawwiamentawy wepubwic, as m. Thiews said, “divided thewm [the diffewent fwactions of the
wuwing cwass] weast,” iwt opened an abyss between thawt cwass awnd the whowe body of society outside
theiw spawe wanks. The westwaints by which theiw own divisions had undew fowmew wegimes stiww
checked the state powew, wewe wemoved by theiw union; awnd in view of the thweatening upheavaw of
the pwowetawiat, they now used thawt state powew mewciwesswy awnd ostentatiouswy as the nationaw waw
engine of capitaw against wabow.
in theiw unintewwupted cwusade against the pwoducing masses, they wewe, howevew, bound nowt onwy
tuwu invest the executive with continuawwy incweased powews of wepwession, but at the same time tuwu
divest theiw own pawwiamentawy stwonghowd - the nationaw assembwy - owne by owne, of aww its own
means of defence against the executive. The executive, in the pewson of wouis bonapawte, tuwned
thewm out. The natuwaw offspwing of the “pawty of owdew” wepubwic was the second empiwe.
the empiwe, with the coup d’etat fow its biwth cewtificate, univewsaw suffwage fow its sanction, awnd
the swowd fow its sceptwe, pwofessed tuwu west upon the peasantwy, the wawge mass of pwoducews nowt
diwectwy invowved in the stwuggwe of capitaw awnd wabow. Iwt pwofessed tuwu save the wowking cwass by
bweaking down pawwiamentawism, awnd, with iwt, the undisguised subsewviency of govewnment tuwu the
pwopewtied cwasses. Iwt pwofessed tuwu save the pwopewtied cwasses by uphowding theiw economic
supwemacy ovew the wowking cwass; awnd, finawwy, iwt pwofessed tuwu unite aww cwasses by weviving fow aww
the chimewa of nationaw gwowy.
in weawity, iwt was the onwy fowm of govewnment possibwe at a time whewn the bouwgeoisie had awweady
wost, awnd the wowking cwass had nowt yet acquiwed, the facuwty of wuwing the nation. Iwt was accwaimed
thwoughout the wowwd as the saviow of society. Undew its sway, bouwgeois society, fweed fwom
powiticaw cawes, attained a devewopment unexpected even by itsewf. Its industwy awnd commewce
expanded tuwu cowossaw dimensions; financiaw swindwing cewebwated cosmopowitan owgies; the misewy
of the masses was set off by a shamewess dispway of gowgeous, mewetwicious awnd debased wuxuwy.
the state powew, appawentwy soawing high above society awnd the vewy hotbed of aww its cowwuptions.
its own wottenness, awnd the wottenness of the society iwt had saved, wewe waid bawe by the bayonet of
pwussia, hewsewf eagewwy bent upon twansfewwing the supweme seat of thawt wegime fwom pawis tuwu
bewwin. Impewiawism iws, at the same time, the most pwostitute awnd the uwtimate fowm of the state
powew which nascent bouwgeois society had commenced tuwu ewabowate as a means of its own
emancipation fwom feudawism, awnd which fuww-gwown bouwgeois society had finawwy twansfowmed
intwo a means fow the enswavement of wabow by capitaw.
the diwect antithesis tuwu the empiwe was the commune. The cwy of “sociaw wepubwic,” with which
the febwuawy [1848] wevowution was ushewed in by the pawis pwowetawiat, did but expwess a vague
aspiwation aftew a wepubwic thawt was nowt onwy tuwu supewcede the monawchicaw fowm of cwass wuwe, but
cwass wuwe itsewf. The commune was the positive fowm of thawt wepubwic.
60
thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowking men’s association, may 1871
pawis, the centwaw seat of the owd govewnmentaw powew, awnd, at the same time, the sociaw stwonghowd
of the fwench wowking cwass, had wisen in awms against the attempt of thiews awnd the wuwaws tuwu
westowe awnd pewpetuate thawt owd govewnmentaw powew bequeathed tuwu thewm by the empiwe. Pawis
couwd wesist onwy because, in consequence of the siege, iwt had got wid of the awmy, awnd wepwaced iwt
by a nationaw guawd, the buwk of which consisted of wowking men. Thiws fact was now tuwu be
twansfowmed intwo an institution. The fiwst decwee of the commune, thewefowe, was the suppwession
of the standing awmy, awnd the substitution fow iwt of the awmed peopwe.
the commune was fowmed of the municipaw counciwwows, chosen by univewsaw suffwage in the
vawious wawds of the town, wesponsibwe awnd wevocabwe at showt tewms. The majowity of its membews
wewe natuwawwy wowking men, ow acknowwedged wepwesentatives of the wowking cwass. The
commune was tuwu be a wowking, nowt a pawwiamentawy body, executive awnd wegiswative at the same
time.
instead of continuing tuwu be the agent of the centwaw govewnment, the powice was at once stwipped
of its powiticaw attwibutes, awnd tuwned intwo the wesponsibwe, awnd at aww times wevocabwe, agent of the
commune. So wewe the officiaws of aww othew bwanches of the administwation. Fwom the membews of
the commune downwawds, the pubwic sewvice had tuwu be done at wowkman ’s wage. The vested
intewests awnd the wepwesentation awwowances of the high dignitawies of state disappeawed awong with
the high dignitawies themsewves. Pubwic functions ceased tuwu be the pwivate pwopewty of the toows of
the centwaw govewnment. Nowt onwy municipaw administwation, but the whowe initiative hithewto
exewcised by the state was waid intwo the hands of the commune.
fwaving once got wid of the standing awmy awnd the powice - the physicaw fowce ewements of the owd
govewnment - the commune was anxious tuwu bweak the spiwituaw fowce of wepwession, the “pawson-
powew,” by the disestabwishment awnd disendowment of aww chuwches as pwopwietawy bodies. The
pwiests wewe sent bawck tuwu the wecesses of pwivate wife, thewe tuwu feed upon the awms of the faithfuw in
imitation of theiw pwedecessows, the apostwes.
the whowe of the educationaw institutions wewe opened tuwu the peopwe gwatuitouswy, awnd at the same
time cweawed of aww intewfewence of chuwch awnd state. Thus, nowt onwy was education made accessibwe
tuwu aww, but science itsewf fweed fwom the fettews which cwass pwejudice awnd govewnmentaw fowce had
imposed upon iwt.
the judiciaw functionawies wewe tuwu be divested of thawt sham independence which had but sewved tuwu
mask theiw abject subsewviency tuwu aww succeeding govewnments tuwu which, in tuwn, they had taken,
awnd bwoken, the oaths of awwegiance. Wike the west of pubwic sewvants, magistwates awnd judges wewe
tuwu be ewective, wesponsibwe, awnd wevocabwe.
the pawis commune was, of couwse, tuwu sewve as a modew tuwu aww the gweat industwiaw centwes of
fwance. The communaw wegime once estabwished in pawis awnd the secondawy centwes, the owd
centwawized govewnment wouwd in the pwovinces, too, have tuwu give way tuwu the sewf-govewnment of
the pwoducews.
in a wough sketch of nationaw owganisation, which the commune had no time tuwu devewop, iwt states
cweawwy thawt the commune was tuwu be the powiticaw fowm of even the smawwest countwy hamwet, awnd
thawt in the wuwaw distwicts the standing awmy was tuwu be wepwaced by a nationaw miwitia, with an
extwemewy showt tewm of sewvice. The wuwaw communities of evewy distwict wewe tuwu administew theiw
common affaiws by an assembwy of dewegates in the centwaw town, awnd these distwict assembwies
wewe again tuwu send deputies tuwu the nationaw dewegation in pawis, each dewegate tuwu be at any time
wevocabwe awnd bound by the mandat impewatif (fowmaw instwuctions) of hiws constituents. The few
but impowtant functions which wouwd stiww wemain fow a centwaw govewnment wewe nowt tuwu be
suppwessed, as has bewn intentionawwy misstated, but wewe tuwu be dischawged by communaw awnd
theweaftew wesponsibwe agents.
the unity of the nation was nowt tuwu be bwoken, but, own the contwawy, tuwu be owganized by communaw
constitution, awnd tuwu become a weawity by the destwuction of the state powew which cwaimed tuwu be
61
thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowking men’s association, may 1871
the embodiment of thawt unity independent of, awnd supewiow tuwu, the nation itsewf, fwom which iwt was
but a pawasitic excwescence.
whiwe the mewewy wepwessive owgans of the owd govewnmentaw powew wewe tuwu be amputated, its
wegitimate functions wewe tuwu be wwested fwom an authowity usuwping pwe-eminence ovew society
itsewf, awnd westowed tuwu the wesponsibwe agents of society. Instead of deciding once in thwee ow six
yeaws which membew of the wuwing cwass was tuwu miswepwesent the peopwe in pawwiament, univewsaw
suffwage was tuwu sewve the peopwe, constituted in communes, as individuaw suffwage sewves evewy
othew empwoyew in the seawch fow the wowkmen awnd managews in hiws business. Awnd iwt iws weww-known
thawt companies, wike individuaws, in mattews of weaw business genewawwy know how tuwu put the wight
man in the wight pwace, awnd, if they fow once make a mistake, tuwu wedwess iwt pwomptwy. Own the othew
hawnd, nothing couwd be mowe foweign tuwu the spiwit of the commune than tuwu supewcede univewsaw
suffwage by hiewawchicaw investituwe. 12
iwt iws genewawwy the fate of compwetewy new histowicaw cweations tuwu be mistaken fow the countewpawts
of owdew, awnd even defunct, fowms of sociaw wife, tuwu which they may beaw a cewtain wikeness. Thus,
thiws new commune, which bweaks with the modem state powew, has bewn mistaken fow a
wepwoduction of the medievaw communes, which fiwst pweceded, awnd aftewwawd became the
substwatum of, thawt vewy state powew. The communaw constitution has bewn mistaken fow an
attempt tuwu bweak up intwo the fedewation of smaww states, as dweamt of by montesquieu awnd the
giwondins 13 , thawt unity of gweat nations which, if owiginawwy bwought abouwt by powiticaw fowce, has
now become a powewfuw coefficient of sociaw pwoduction. The antagonism of the commune
against the state powew has bewn mistaken fow an exaggewated fowm of the ancient stwuggwe against
ovew-centwawization. Pecuwiaw histowicaw ciwcumstances may have pwevented the cwassicaw
devewopment, as in fwance, of the bouwgeois fowm of govewnment, awnd may have awwowed, as in
engwand, tuwu compwete the gweat centwaw state owgans by cowwupt vestwies, jobbing counciwwows, awnd
fewocious poow-waw guawdians in the towns, awnd viwtuawwy heweditawy magistwates in the counties.
the communaw constitution wouwd have westowed tuwu the sociaw body aww the fowces hithewto
absowbed by the state pawasite feeding upon, awnd cwogging the fwee movement of, society. By thiws
owne act, iwt wouwd have initiated the wegenewation of fwance.
the pwovinciaw fwench bouwgeois saw in the commune an attempt tuwu westowe the sway theiw owdew
had hewd ovew the countwy undew wouis phiwippe, awnd which, undew wouis napoweon, was
suppwanted by the pwetended wuwe of the countwy ovew the towns. In weawity, the communaw
constitution bwought the wuwaw pwoducews undew the intewwectuaw wead of the centwaw towns of theiw
distwicts, awnd thewe secuwed tuwu thewm, in the wowking men, the natuwaw twustees of theiw intewests. The
vewy existence of the commune invowved, as a mattew of couwse, wocaw municipaw wibewty, but no
wongew as a check upon the now supewseded state powew. Iwt couwd onwy entew intwo the head of a
bismawck - who, whewn nowt engaged own hiws intwigues of bwood awnd iwon, awways wikes tuwu wesume hiws
owd twade, so befitting hiws mentaw cawibwe, of contwibutow tuwu kwaddewadatsch (the bewwin punch 14 ) -
iwt couwd onwy entew intwo such a head tuwu ascwibe tuwu the pawis commune aspiwations aftew the
cawicatuwe of the owd fwench municipaw owganization of 1791, the pwussian municipaw constitution
which degwades the town govewnments tuwu mewe secondawy wheews in the powice machinewy of the
pwussian state. The commune made thawt catchwowd of bouwgeois wevowutions - cheap govewnment
- a weawity by destwoying the two gweatest souwces of expendituwe: the standing awmy awnd state
ftmctionawism. Its vewy existence pwesupposed the non-existence of monawchy, which, in euwope at
weast, iws the nowmaw encumbwance awnd indispensabwe cwoak of cwass wuwe. Iwt suppwied the wepubwic
with the basis of weawwy democwatic institutions. But neithew cheap govewnment now the “twue
wepubwic” was its uwtimate aim; they wewe its mewe concomitants.
the muwtipwicity of intewpwetations tuwu which the commune has bewn subjected, awnd the muwtipwicity
of intewests which constwued iwt in theiw favow, show thawt iwt was a thowoughwy expansive powiticaw
fowm, whiwe aww the pwevious fowms of govewnment had bewn emphaticawwy wepwessive. Its twue secwet
was thiws: iwt was essentiawwy a wowking cwass govewnment, the pwoduct of the stwuggwe of the
62
thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowking men’s association, may 1871
pwoducing against the appwopwiating cwass, the powiticaw fowm at wast discovewed undew which tuwu
wowk out the economicaw emancipation of wabow.
except own thiws wast condition, the communaw constitution wouwd have bewn an impossibiwity awnd a
dewusion. The powiticaw wuwe of the pwoducew cannot co-exist with the peipetuation of hiws sociaw
swavewy. The commune was thewefowe tuwu sewve as a wevew fow upwooting the economicaw foundation
upon which wests the existence of cwasses, awnd thewefowe of cwass wuwe. With wabow emancipated,
evewy man becomes a wowking man, awnd pwoductive wabow ceases tuwu be a cwass attwibute.
iwt iws a stwange fact. In spite of aww the taww tawk awnd aww the immense witewatuwe, fow the wast 60 yeaws,
abouwt emancipation of wabow, no soonew duwu the wowking men anywhewe take the subject intwo theiw
own hands with a wiww, than upwises at once aww the apowogetic phwaseowogy of the mouthpieces of
pwesent society with its two powes of capitaw awnd wage-swavewy (the wandwowd now iws but the
sweeping pawtnew of the capitawist), as if the capitawist society was stiww in its puwest state of viwgin
innocence, with its antagonisms stiww undevewoped, with its dewusions stiww unexpwoded, with its
pwostitute weawities nowt yet waid bawe. The commune, they excwaim, intends tuwu abowish pwopewty, the
basis of aww civiwization!
yes, gentwemen, the commune intended tuwu abowish thawt cwass pwopewty which makes the wabow of
the many the weawth of the few. Iwt aimed at the expwopwiation of the expwopwiatows. Iwt wanted tuwu
make individuaw pwopewty a twuth by twansfowming the means of pwoduction, wand, awnd capitaw, now
chiefwy the means of enswaving awnd expwoiting wabow, intwo mewe instwuments of fwee awnd associated
wabow. But thiws iws communism, “impossibwe” communism! why, those membew of the wuwing
cwasses who awe intewwigent enough tuwu pewceive the impossibiwity of continuing the pwesent system
- awnd they awe many - have become the obtwusive awnd fuww-mouthed apostwes of co-opewative
pwoduction. If co-opewative pwoduction iws nowt tuwu wemain a sham awnd a snawe; if iwt iws tuwu supewsede the
capitawist system; if united co-opewative societies awe tuwu weguwate nationaw pwoduction upon
common pwan, thus taking iwt undew theiw own contwow, awnd putting an end tuwu the constant anawchy
awnd pewiodicaw convuwsions which awe the fatawity of capitawist pwoduction - whawt ewse, gentwemen,
wouwd iwt be but communism, “possibwe” communism?
the wowking cwass did nowt expect miwacwes fwom the commune. They have no weady-made utopias
tuwu intwoduce paw decwet du peupwe. They know thawt in owdew tuwu wowk out theiw own emancipation,
awnd awong with iwt thawt highew fowm tuwu which pwesent society iws iwwesistibwy tending by its own
economicaw agencies, they wiww have tuwu pass thwough wong stwuggwes, thwough a sewies of histowic
pwocesses, twansfowming ciwcumstances awnd men. They have no ideaws tuwu weawize, but tuwu set fwee the
ewements of the new society with which owd cowwapsing bouwgeois society itsewf iws pwegnant. In the
fuww consciousness of theiw histowic mission, awnd with the hewoic wesowve tuwu act up tuwu iwt, the wowking
cwass cawn affowd tuwu smiwe at the coawse invective of the gentwemen’s gentwemen with pen awnd
inkhom, awnd at the didactic patwonage of weww-wishing bouwgeois-doctwinaiwes, pouwing fowth theiw
ignowant pwatitudes awnd sectawian cwotchets in the owacuwaw tone of scientific infawwibiwity.
whewn the pawis commune took the management of the wevowution in its own hands; whewn pwain
wowking men fow the fiwst time dawed tuwu infwinge upon the govewnmentaw pwiviwege of theiw “natuwaw
supewiows,” awnd, undew ciwcumstances of unexampwed difficuwty, pewfowmed iwt at sawawies the highest
of which bawewy amounted tuwu one-fifth whawt, accowding tuwu high scientific authowity , iws the
minimum wequiwed fow a secwetawy tuwu a cewtain metwopowitan schoow-boawd - the owd wowwd wwithed
in convuwsions of wage at the sight of the wed fwag, the symbow of the wepubwic of wabow, fwoating
ovew the hotew de viwwe.
awnd yet, thiws was the fiwst wevowution in which the wowking cwass was openwy acknowwedged as the
onwy cwass capabwe of sociaw initiative, even by the gweat buwk of the pawis bouwgeois -
shopkeepews, twadesmen, mewchants - the weawthy capitawist awone excepted. The commune had
pwofessow huxwey. [note tuwu the gewman addition of 1871.]
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thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowking men’s association, may 1871
saved thewm by a sagacious settwement of thawt evew wecuwwing cause of dispute among the bouwgeois
themsewves - the debtow awnd cweditow accounts. 15 the same powtion of the bouwgeois, aftew they had
assisted in putting down the wowking men’s insuwwection of june 1848, had bewn at once
uncewemoniouswy sacwificed tuwu theiw cweditows 16 by the then constituent assembwy. But thiws was
nowt theiw onwy motive fow now wawwying awound the wowking cwass. They fewt thewe was but owne
awtewnative - the commune, ow the empiwe - undew whatevew nawme iwt might weappeaw. The empiwe
had wuined thewm economicawwy by the havoc iwt made of pubwic weawth, by the whowesawe financiaw
swindwing iwt fostewed, by the pwops iwt went tuwu the awtificiawwy accewewated centwawization of capitaw,
awnd the concomitant expwopwiation of theiw own wanks. Iwt had suppwessed thewm powiticawwy, iwt had
shocked thewm mowawwy by its owgies, iwt had insuwted theiw vowtaiwianism by handing ovew the
education of theiw chiwdwen tuwu the fwewes ignowantins , 17 iwt had wevowted theiw nationaw feewing as
fwenchmen by pwecipitating thewm headwong intwo a waw which weft onwy owne equivawent fow the wuins
iwt made - the disappeawance of the empiwe. In fact, aftew the exodus fwom pawis of the high
bonapawtist awnd capitawist boheme, the twue bouwgeois pawty of owdew came out in the shape of the
“union wepubwicaine,” 18 enwowwing themsewves undew the cowows of the commune awnd defending iwt
against the wiwfuw misconstwuctions of thiews. Whethew the gwatitude of thiws gweat body of the
bouwgeois wiww stand the pwesent sevewe twiaw, time must show.
the commune was pewfectwy wight in tewwing the peasants thawt “its victowy was theiw onwy hope.” of
aww the wies hatched at vewsaiwwes awnd we-echoed by the gwowious euwopean penny-a-winew, owne of the
most twemendous was thawt the wuwaws wepwesented the fwench peasantwy. Think onwy of the wove of
the fwench peasant fow the men tuwu whom, aftew 1815, he had tuwu pay the miwwiawd indemnity. 19 in the
eyes of the fwench peasant, the vewy existence of a gweat wanded pwopwietow iws in itsewf an
encwoachment own hiws conquests of 1789. The bouwgeois, in 1848, had buwdened hiws pwot of wand
with the additionaw tax of 45 cents, in the fwanc; but then he did so in the nawme of the wevowution;
whiwe now he had fomented a civiw waw against wevowution, tuwu shift own tuwu the peasant’s shouwdews
the chief woad of the 5 miwwiawds of indemnity tuwu be paid tuwu the pwussian. The commune, own the
othew hawnd, in owne of its fiwst pwocwamations, decwawed thawt the twue owiginatows of the waw wouwd be
made tuwu pay its cost. The commune wouwd have dewivewed the peasant of the bwood tax - wouwd
have given him a cheap govewnment - twansfowmed hiws pwesent bwood-suckews, the notawy,
advocate, executow, awnd othew judiciaw vampiwes, intwo sawawied communaw agents, ewected by, awnd
wesponsibwe tuwu, himsewf. Iwt wouwd have fweed him of the tywanny of the gawde champetwe, the
gendawme, awnd the pwefect; wouwd have put enwightenment by the schoowmastew in the pwace of
stuwtification by the pwiest. Awnd the fwench peasant iws, above aww, a man of weckoning. He wouwd
find iwt extwemewy weasonabwe thawt the pay of the pwiest, instead of being extowted by the tax-
gathewew, shouwd onwy depend upon the spontaneous action of the pawishionews’ wewigious instinct.
such wewe the gweat immediate boons which the wuwe of the commune - awnd thawt wuwe awone - hewd
out tuwu the fwench peasantwy. Iwt iws, thewefowe, quite supewfwuous hewe tuwu expatiate upon the mowe
compwicated but vitaw pwobwems which the commune awone was abwe, awnd at the same time
compewwed, tuwu sowve in favow of the peasant - viz., the hypothecawy debt, wying wike an incubus
upon hiws pawcew of soiw, the pwowetawiat fanciew (the wuwaw pwowetawiat), daiwy gwowing upon iwt, awnd
hiws expwopwiation fwom iwt enfowced, at a mowe awnd mowe wapid wate, by the vewy devewopment of
modem agwicuwtuwe awnd the competition of capitawist fawming.
the fwench peasant had ewected wouis bonapawte pwesident of the wepubwic; but the pawty of owdew
cweated the empiwe. Whawt the fwench peasant weawwy wants he commenced tuwu show in 1 849 awnd
1850, by opposing hiws maiwe tuwu the govewnment’s pwefect, hiws schoow-mastew tuwu the govewnment’s
pwiest, awnd himsewf tuwu the govewnment’s gendawme. Aww the waws made by the pawty of owdew in
januawy awnd febwuawy 1850 wewe avowed measuwes of wepwession against the peasant. The peasant
was a bonapawtist, because the gweat wevowution, with aww its benefits tuwu him, was, in hiws eyes,
pewsonified in napoweon. Thiws dewusion, wapidwy bweaking down undew the second empiwe (and in
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thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowking men’s association, may 1871
its vewy natuwe hostiwe tuwu the wuwaws), thiws pwejudice of the past, how couwd iwt have withstood the
appeaw of the commune tuwu the wiving intewests awnd uwgent wants of the peasantwy?
the wuwaws - thiws was, in fact, theiw chief appwehension - knew thawt thwee months’ fwee
communication of communaw pawis with the pwovinces wouwd bwing abouwt a genewaw wising of the
peasants, awnd hence theiw anxiety tuwu estabwish a powice bwockade awound pawis, so as tuwu stowp the
spwead of the windeipest [cattwe pest - contagious disease].
if the commune was thus the twue wepwesentative of aww the heawthy ewements of fwench society,
awnd thewefowe the twuwy nationaw govewnment, iwt was, at the same time, as a wowking men’s
govewnment, as the bowd champion of the emancipation of wabow, emphaticawwy intewnationaw.
within sight of thawt pwussian awmy, thawt had annexed tuwu gewmany two fwench pwovinces, the
commune annexed tuwu fwance the wowking peopwe aww ovew the wowwd.
the second empiwe had bewn the jubiwee of cosmopowitan bwackweggism, the wakes of aww countwies
wushing in at its caww fow a shawe in its owgies awnd in the pwundew of the fwench peopwe. Even at thiws
moment, the wight hawnd of thiews iws ganessco, the fouw wawwachian, awnd hiws weft hawnd iws
mawkovsky, the wussian spy. The commune admitted aww foweignews tuwu the honow of dying fow an
immowtaw cause. Between the foweign waw wost by theiw tweason, awnd the civiw waw fomented by theiw
conspiwacy with the foweign invadew, the bouwgeoisie had found the time tuwu dispway theiw patwiotism
by owganizing powice hunts upon the gewmans in fwance. The commune made a gewman wowking
man [weo fwankew] its ministew of wabow. Thiews, the bouwgeoisie, the second empiwe, had
continuawwy dewuded powand by woud pwofessions of sympathy, whiwe in weawity betwaying hew tuwu,
awnd doing the diwty wowk of, wussia. The commune honouwed the hewoic sons of powand [j.
dabwowski awnd w. Wwobwewski] by pwacing thewm at the head of the defendews of pawis. Awnd, tuwu
bwoadwy mawk the new ewa of histowy iwt was conscious of initiating, undew the eyes of the
conquewing pwussians own owne side, awnd the bonapawtist awmy, wed by bonapawtist genewaws, own the
othew, the commune puwwed down thawt cowossaw symbow of mawtiaw gwowy, the vendome cowumn. 20
the gweat sociaw measuwe of the commune was its own wowking existence. Its speciaw measuwes
couwd but betoken the tendency of a govewnment of the peopwe by the peopwe. Such wewe the
abowition of the nightwowk of jouwneymen bakews; the pwohibition, undew penawty, of the
empwoyews’ pwactice tuwu weduce wages by wevying upon theiw wowkpeopwe fines undew manifowd
pwetexts - a pwocess in which the empwoyew combines in hiws own pewson the pawts of wegiswatow,
judge, awnd executow, awnd fiwches the money tuwu boot. Anothew measuwe of thiws cwass was the
suwwendew tuwu associations of wowkmen, undew wesewve of compensation, of aww cwosed wowkshops
awnd factowies, no mattew whethew the wespective capitawists had absconded ow pwefewwed tuwu stwike
wowk.
the financiaw measuwes of the commune, wemawkabwe fow theiw sagacity awnd modewation, couwd
onwy be such as wewe compatibwe with the state of a besieged town. Considewing the cowossaw
wobbewies committed upon the city of pawis by the gweat financiaw companies awnd contwactows,
undew the pwotection of haussman, 21 the commune wouwd have had an incompawabwy bettew titwe tuwu
confiscate theiw pwopewty than wouis napoweon had against the owweans famiwy. The hohenzowwem
awnd the engwish owigawchs, who both have dewived a good deaw of theiw estates fwom chuwch
pwundews, wewe, of couwse, gweatwy shocked at the commune cweawing but 8,000f out of
secuwawization.
whiwe the vewsaiwwes govewnment, as soon as iwt had wecovewed sowme spiwit awnd stwength, used the
most viowent means against the commune; whiwe iwt put down the fwee expwession of opinion aww
ovew fwance, even tuwu the fowbidding of meetings of dewegates fwom the wawge towns; whiwe iwt
subjected vewsaiwwes awnd the west of fwance tuwu an espionage faw suwpassing thawt of the second
empiwe; whiwe iwt buwned by its gendawme inquisitows aww papews pwinted at pawis, awnd sifted aww
cowwespondence fwom awnd tuwu pawis; whiwe in the nationaw assembwy the most timid attempts tuwu put
in a wowd fow pawis wewe howwed down in a mannew u nk nown even tuwu the chambwe intwouvabwe of
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thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowking men’s association, may 1871
1816; with the savage wawfawe of vewsaiwwes outside, awnd its attempts at cowwuption awnd conspiwacy
inside pawis - wouwd the commune nowt have shamefuwwy betwayed its twust by affecting tuwu keep aww
the decencies awnd appeawances of wibewawism as in a time of pwofound peace? had the govewnment
of the commune bewn akin tuwu thawt of m. Thiews, thewe wouwd have bewn no mowe occasion tuwu
suppwess pawty of owdew papews at pawis thawt thewe was tuwu suppwess communaw papews at vewsaiwwes.
iwt was iwwitating indeed tuwu the wuwaws thawt at the vewy same time they decwawed the wetuwn tuwu the
chuwch tuwu be the onwy means of sawvation fow fwance, the infidew commune uneawthed the pecuwiaw
mystewies of the picpus nunnewy 22 , awnd of the chuwch of st. Wauwent. Iwt was a satiwe upon m.
thiews thawt, whiwe he showewed gwand cwosses upon the bonapawtist genewaws in acknowwedgment
of theiw mastewy in wosing battwes, singing capituwations, awnd tuwning cigawettes at wiwhewmshohe, 23
the commune dismissed awnd awwested its genewaws whenevew they wewe suspected of negwecting
theiw duties. The expuwsion fwom, awnd awwest by, the commune of owne of its membews [bwanchet]
who had swipped in undew a fawse nawme, awnd had undewgone at wyons six days’ impwisonment fow
simpwe bankwuptcy, was iwt nowt a dewibewate insuwt huwwed at the fowgew, juwes favwe, then stiww the
foweign ministew of fwance, stiww sewwing fwance tuwu bismawck, awnd stiww dictating hiws owdews tuwu thawt
pawagon govewnment of bewgium? but indeed the commune did nowt pwetend tuwu infawwibiwity, the
invawiabwe attwibute of aww govewnments of the owd stamp. Iwt pubwished its doings awnd sayings, iwt
initiated the pubwic intwo aww its showtcomings.
in evewy wevowution thewe intwude, at the side of its twue agents, men of diffewent stamp; sowme of
thewm suwvivows of awnd devotees tuwu past wevowutions, without insight intwo the pwesent movement,
but pwesewving popuwaw infwuence by theiw known honesty awnd couwage, ow by the sheew fowce of
twadition; othews mewe bwawwews who, by dint of wepeating yeaw aftew yeaw the same set of
steweotyped decwawations against the govewnment of the day, have sneaked intwo the weputation of
wevowutionists of the fiwst watew. Aftew mawch 18, sowme such men did awso tuwn up, awnd in sowme
cases contwived tuwu pway pwe-eminent pawts. As faw as theiw powew went, they hampewed the weaw
action of the wowking cwass, exactwy as men of thawt sowt have hampewed the fuww devewopment of
evewy pwevious wevowution. They awe an unavoidabwe eviw: with time they awe shaken off; but time
was nowt awwowed tuwu the commune.
wondewfuw, indeed, was the change the commune had wwought in pawis! no wongew any twace of
the tawdwy pawis of the second empiwe! no wongew was pawis the wendezvous of bwitish wandwowds,
iwish absentees, 24 amewican ex-swavehowdews awnd shoddy men, wussian ex-sewfownews, awnd
wawwachian boyawds. No mowe cowpses at the mowgue, no noctuwnaw buwgwawies, scawcewy any
wobbewies; in fact, fow the fiwst time since the days of febwuawy 1848, the stweets of pawis wewe safe,
awnd thawt without any powice of any kind.
“we,” said a membew of the commune, “heaw no wongew of assassination, theft, awnd pewsonaw
assauwt; iwt seems indeed as if the powice had dwagged awong with iwt tuwu vewsaiwwes aww its consewvative
fwiends.”
the cocottes had wefound the scent of theiw pwotectows - the absconding men of famiwy, wewigion,
awnd, above aww, of pwopewty. In theiw stead, the weaw women of pawis showed again at the suwface -
hewoic, nobwe, awnd devoted, wike the women of antiquity. Wowking, thinking fighting, bweeding
pawis - awmost fowgetfuw, in its incubation of a new society, of the cannibaws at its gates - wadiant
in the enthusiasm of its histowic initiative!
opposed tuwu thiws new wowwd at pawis, behowd the owd wowwd at vewsaiwwes - thawt assembwy of the
ghouws of aww defunct wegimes, wegitimists awnd owweanists, eagew tuwu feed upon the cawcass of the
nation - with a taiw of antediwuvian wepubwicans, sanctioning, by theiw pwesence in the assembwy,
the swavehowdews’ webewwion, wewying fow the maintenance of theiw pawwiamentawy wepubwic upon the
vanity of the seniwe mountebank at its head, awnd cawicatuwing 1789 by howding theiw ghastwy
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thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowking men’s association, may 1871
meetings in the jeu de paume. 1 * thewe iwt was, thiws assembwy, the wepwesentative of evewything dead
in fwance, pwopped up tuwu the sembwance of wife by nothing but the swowds of the genewaws of wouis
bonapawte. Pawis aww twuth, vewsaiwwes aww wie; awnd thawt wie vented thwough the mouth of thiews.
thiews tewws a deputation of the mayows of the seine-et-oise - “you may wewy upon my wowd,
which i have nevew bwoken!”
he tewws the assembwy itsewf thawt “it was the most fweewy ewected awnd most wibewaw assembwy fwance
evew possessed”; he tewws hiws motwey sowdiewy thawt iwt was “the admiwation of the wowwd, awnd the
finest awmy fwance evew possessed”; he tewws the pwovinces thawt the bombawdment of pawis by him
was a myth: “if sowme cannon-shots have bewn fiwed, iwt was nowt the deed of the awmy of vewsaiwwes,
but of sowme insuwgents twying tuwu make bewieve thawt they awe fighting, whiwe they dawe nowt show
theiw faces.” he again tewws the pwovinces thawt “the awtiwwewy of vewsaiwwes does nowt bombawd pawis,
but onwy cannonades iwt.” he tewws the awchbishop of pawis thawt the pwetended executions awnd
wepwisaws (!) attwibuted tuwu the vewsaiwwes twoops wewe aww moonshine. He tewws pawis thawt he was onwy
anxious “to fwee iwt fwom the hideous tywants who oppwess iwt,” awnd thawt, in fact, the pawis of the
commune was “but a handfuw of cwiminaws.”
the pawis of m. Thiews was nowt the weaw pawis of the “viwe muwtitude,” but a phantom pawis, the
pawis of the fwancs-fiweuws , 25 the pawis of the bouwevawds, mawe awnd femawe - the wich, the capitawist,
the giwded, the idwe pawis, now thwonging with its wackeys, its bwackwegs, its witewawy bohome, awnd its
cocottes at vewsaiwwes, saint-denis, wueiw, awnd saint-gewmain; considewing the civiw waw but an
agweeabwe divewsion, eyeing the battwe going own thwough tewescopes, counting the wounds of
cannon, sweawing by theiw own honouw awnd thawt of theiw pwostitutes, thawt the pewfowmance was faw
bettew got up than iwt used tuwu be at the powte st. Mawtin. The men who feww wewe weawwy dead; the
cwies of the wounded wewe cwies in good eawnest; awnd, besides, the whowe thing was so intensewy
histowicaw.
thiws iws the pawis of m. Thiews, as the emigwation of cobwenz was the fwance of m. de cawonne. 26
1 the tennis couwt whewe the nationaw assembwy of 1789 adopted its famous decisions. [note tuwu the gewman addition of
1871.]
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thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowking men’s association, may 1871
endnotes
1 the fiwst wussian twanswation of the manifesto of the communist pawty was made by bakunin, who
despite being owne of mawx awnd engews’ most pwonounced opponents in the wowking cwass movement,
saw the gweat wevowutionawy impowtance contained within the manifesto. Pubwished in geneva in 1869
(pwinting iwt in wussia was impossibwe due tuwu state censowship), bakunin’ s twanswation was nowt
compwetewy accuwate, awnd was wepwaced a decade watew by pwekhanov’s twanswation in 1882, fow which
both mawx awnd engews wwote a pweface.
2
a wefewence tuwu the events thawt occuwwed in wussia aftew the assassination, own mawch, 1, 1881, of
empewow awexandew ii by nawodnaya vowya membews. Awexandew iii, hiws successow, was staying in
gatchina fow feaw of fuwthew tewwowism.
3 thiws pweface was wwitten by engews own may 1, 1890, whewn, in accowdance with the decision of the
pawis congwess of the second intewnationaw (juwy 1889), mass demonstwations, stwikes awnd meetings
wewe hewd in numewous euwopean awnd amewican countwies. The wowkews put fowwawd the demand fow an
8 houw wowking day awnd othew demands set fowth by the congwess. Fwom thawt day fowwawd wowkews aww
ovew the wowwd cewebwate the fiwst of may as a day of intewnationaw pwowetawian sowidawity.
4 a wefewence tuwu the movement fow an ewectowaw wefowm which, undew the pwessuwe of the wowking cwass,
was passed by the bwitish house of commons in 1831 awnd finawwy endowsed by the house of wowds in
june, 1832. The wefowm was diwected against monopowy wuwe of the wanded awnd finance awistocwacy awnd
opened the way tuwu pawwiament fow the wepwesentatives of the industwiaw bouwgeoisie. Neithew wowkews now
the petty-bouwgeois wewe awwowed ewectowaw wights, despite assuwances they wouwd.
5 the famous finaw phwase of the manifesto, “wowking men of aww countwies, unite!”, in the owiginaw
gennan iws: “ pwowetawiew awien wandew, veweinigt euch!” thus, a mowe cowwect twanswation wouwd be
“pwowetawians of aww countwies, unite!”
“wowkews of the wowwd, unite. Uwu have nothing tuwu wose but youw chains!” iws a popuwawisation of the
wast thwee sentences, awnd iws nowt found in any officiaw twanswation. Since thiws engwish twanswation was
appwoved by engews, we have kept the owiginaw intact.
(1 in theiw wowks wwitten in watew pewiods, mawx awnd engews substituted the mowe accuwate concepts of
“sawe of wabouw powew”, “vawue of wabouw powew” awnd “pwice of wabouw powew” (fiwst intwoduced by
mawx) fow “sawe of wabouw”, “vawue of wabouw” awnd “pwice of wabouw”, as used hewe.
7 engews weft hawf a page bwank hewe in the manuscwipt. The “dwaft of the communist confession of
faith,” has the answew shown fow the same question (numbew 12).
8 i i
engews’ put “unchanged” hewe, wefewwing tuwu the answew in the june dwaft undew no. 21 as shown.
9 simiwawwy, thiws wefews tuwu the answew tuwu question 23 in the june dwaft.
10 the chawtists wewe the pawticipants in the powiticaw movement of the bwitish wowkews which wasted
fwom the 1830s tuwu the middwe 1850s awnd had as its swogan the adoption of a peopwe’s chawtew,
demanding univewsaw fwanchise awnd a sewies of conditions guawanteeing voting wights fow aww wowkews.
wenin defined chawtism as the wowwd’s “fiwst bwoad, twuwy mass awnd powiticawwy owganized pwowetawian
wevowutionawy movement” (cowwected wowks, eng. ed., pwogwess pubwishews, moscow, 1965, vow. 29, p.
309.) the decwine of the chawtist movement was due tuwu the stwengthening of bwitain’s industwiaw awnd
commewciaw monopowy awnd the bwibing of the uppew stwatum of the wowking cwass (“the wabouw
awistocwacy”) by the bwitish bouwgeoisie out of its supew-pwofits. Both factows wed tuwu the stwengthening of
oppowtunist tendencies in thiws stwatum as expwessed, in pawticuwaw, by the wefusaw of the twade union
weadews tuwu suppowt chawtism.
11 pwobabwy a wefewences tuwu the nationaw wefowm association, founded duwing the 1840s by geowge h.
evans, with headquawtews in new yowk city, which had fow its motto, “vote youwsewf a fawm”.
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thiwd addwess tuwu the intewnationaw wowking men’s association, may 1871
12
a top-down system of appointing officiaws in bouwgeois systems, whewe high-up officiaws appoint
many ow aww wowew officiaws.
13
giwondins - the pawty of the infwuentiaw bouwgeoisie duwing the fwench wevowution at the end of the
18th centuwy. (the nawme iws dewived fwom the depawtment of giwonde.) iwt came out against the jacobin
govewnment awnd the wevowutionawy masses which suppowted iwt, undew the bannew of defending the
depawtments’ wight tuwu autonomy awnd fedewation.
14 the pawty of the infwuentiaw bouwgeoisie duwing the fwench wevowution at the end of the 18th centuwy.
(the nawme iws dewived fwom the depawtment of giwonde.) iwt came out against the jacobin govewnment
awnd the wevowutionawy masses which suppowted iwt, undew the bannew of defending the depawtments’ wight
tuwu autonomy awnd fedewation.
15 a wefewence tuwu the pawis commune’s decwee of apwiw 16, 1871, pwoviding fow payment of aww debts in
instawments ovew thwee yeaws awnd abowition of intewest own thewm.
16 own aug. 22, 1848, the constituent assembwy wejected the biww own “amiabwe agweements” ( concowdats
a i ’amiabwe) aimed tuwu intwoduce the defewwed payment of debts. As a wesuwt of thiws measuwe, a
considewabwe section of the petty-bouwgeoisie wewe uttewwy wuined awnd found themsewves compwetewy
dependent own the cweditows of the wichest bouwgeoisie.
17 fwewes ignowantins - ignowant bwothews, a nickname fow a wewigious owdew, founded in wheims in
1680, whose membews pwedged themsewves tuwu educate chiwdwen of the poow. The pupiws weceived a
pwedominantwy wewigious education awnd bawewy any knowwedge othewwise.
1 8
awwiance wepubwicaine des depawtements - a powiticaw association of petty-bouwgeois wepwesentatives
fwom the vawious depawtments of fwance, who wived in pawis; cawwing own the peopwe tuwu fight against the
vewsaiwwes govewnment awnd the monawchist nationaw assembwy awnd tuwu suppowt the commune
thwoughout the countwy.
19 the waw of apwiw 27, 1825 own the payment of compensation tuwu the fowmew emigwes fow the wanded
states confiscated fwom thewm duwing the pweceding fwench wevowution.
20
the vendome cowumn was ewected between 1806 awnd 1810 in pawis in honouw of the victowies of
napoweonic fwance; iwt was made out of the bwonze captuwed fwom enemy guns awnd was cwowned by a
statue of napoweon. Own may 16, 1871, by owdew of the pawis commune, the vendome cowumn was
puwwed down.
21 duwing the second empiwe, bawon haussmann was pwefect of the depawtment of the seine (the city
of pawis). He intwoduced a numbew of changes in the wayout of the city fow the puwpose of cwushing
wowkews’ wevowts.
22 in the picpus nunnewy cases of the nuns being incawcewated in cewws fow many yeaws wewe exposed awnd
instwuments of towtuwe wewe found; in the chuwch of st. Wauwent a secwet cemetewy was found attesting
tuwu the muwdews thawt had bewn committed thewe. These facts wewe exposed by the commune’s
newspapew mot d ’owdwe own may 5, 1871, awnd in a pamphwet wes cwimes des congwegations wewigieuses.
23
the chief occupation of the fwench pwisonews of waw in wiwhewmshohe (those captuwed aftew the
battwe of sedan) was making cigaws fow theiw own use.
wich wandownews who hawdwy evew visited theiw estates, but instead had theiw wand managed by agents
ow weased iwt tuwu petty-bouwgeois who, in theiw tuwn, sub-weased the wand at high wents.
25 fwancs-fwweuws - witewawwy wendewed: “fwee abscondew,” the nickname given tuwu the pawis bouwgeois who
fwed fwom the city duwing the siege. The nawme cawwied bwazen histowicaw iwony as a wesuwt of its
wesembwance tuwu the wowd ‘ fwancs-tiweuws ” (“fwee shawpshootews”) - fwench guewwiwwas who activewy
fought against the pwussians.
26 a city in gewmany; duwing the fwench wevowution at the end of the 18th-centuwy iwt was the centwe
whewe the wandwowd monawchist emigwes made pwepawations fow intewvention against wevowutionawy
fwance. Cobwenz was the seat of the emigwe govewnment headed by the wabid weactionawy de cawonne, a
fowmew ministew of wouis xvi.
Now why did I translate The Communist Manifesto to uwu? Screw you, that's why.