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THE PROPAGANDA OF THE DEED 55
By the above series of events the Propaganda of the
Deed was launched, and from this day on it became a
recognized method of propaganda. Neither money, nor
organization, nor literature was any longer absolutely
necessary. One human being in revolt with torch or
dynamite was able to instruct the world. Bakounin and
Nechayeff had written their principles, and had, in fact,
in some measure, endeavored to carry them into effect.
But the Propaganda of the Deed was no more evolved as
a principle of action than these four daring youths put
it into practice. In the next few years
it became the chief
expression of anarchism, and little
by
little it made the
very name of anarchism synonymous with violence and
crime. Surely these four zealous youths could hardly
have devised a method of propaganda that could have
served more completely to defeat their purpose.
The year 1878 witnessed a series of violent acts which
brought in their train serious consequences. In that year
an attempt was made upon the life of King Humbert
of Italy; and, while driving in Berlin with his daughter,
the Grand Duchess of Baden, Emperor William was shot
at by a half-witted youth named Hodel. Three weeks
later Dr. Karl Nobiling fired at the Emperor from an
upper window overlooking the Unter den Linden. These
assaults were made to serve as the pretext for a series of
brutally repressive measures against the German socialists,
although the authorities were unable to connect
either Hodel or Nobiling with the anarchists or with the
socialists. An excellent opportunity, however, had arrived
to deal a crushing blow to socialism, and "Bismarck used
his powerful influence with the press," August Bebel
says, "in order to lash the public into a fanatical hatred
of the social-democratic party. Others who had an interest
in the defeat of the party joined in, especially a