Graham R (Ed.) - Anarchism - A Documentary History of Libertarian Ideas Volume One - From Anarchy to Anarchism (300 CE to 1939)

98 / ANARCHISM
therefore, have a care to ensure that that organization comes as close as we may to
our ideal. How can we expect an egalitarian and free society to emerge from an authoritarian
organization Impossible. The International, as the embryo of the human
society of the future, is required in the here and now to fa ithfully mirror our principles
offreedom and fe deration and shun any principle leaning towards authority and
dictatorship.
Our conclusion is that a General Congress of the Association must be summoned
without delay. Long live the International Working Men's Association!
(Sonvillier, 12 November 1871; reprinted in James Guillaume, L'lntemationale: Documents
et Souvenirs, 1864- 1878, Paris: Societe Nouvelle, 1905)
27. The St. Im;er Congress (1872)
A Get1eral Congress of the International was held at the Hague ill 1872. but instead of dealing
with the concerns of the anti-autllOritarian,federalist Sections, Marx and his supporters lwd
Bakllnill and james Guillaume, olle of the most active members of the jura Federation. expelled
from the International on trumped up charges. and then lwd the seat of the International
trallSferred to New York rather than risk losing control of the organization. The
anti-authoritarians responded by holding their own Congress at St. Imier in Switzerland.
wllere they reconstituted the International along anti-authoritarian lines. Ironically, despite
Marx and Engel's claims that the al1ti-autllOritarians wanted to replace the organization of
the International with anarchy and chaos, or worse, the personal dictatorship ofBakunin, the
anti-authoritarian international outlived by several years the one transfe rred at Marx and
Engel's instigation to New York, where it soon expired. Needless to say, Ba!wnin never assumed
personal control of the anti-authoritarian International, from which he withdrew ill
1873, and it had no difficulty continuing on without him. The fol/owing resolutions from the
St. Imier Congress have been translated by Paul Sharkey.
Nature Of The Political Action Of The Proletariat
CONSIDERING: THAT SEEKING TO FOIST a line of conduct or uniform political program
upon the proletariat as the only avenue that can lead to its social emancipation
is a pretension as nonsensical as it is reactionary;
That nobody has the right to deprive autonomous fe derations and sections of
their incontrovertible right to decide for themselves and to follow whatever
line of political conduct they deem best, and that any such attempt would inevitably
lead to the most revolting dogmatism;