International Workers Congresses of Paris, 1889
Encyclopedia
Two congresses were held in Paris
, beginning on July 14, 1889. They had been called for by the London International Trades Union Congress
, meeting in London
in November 1888, and the French Syndicalist Congress, meeting at the same time. Internecine conflicts within the French socialist movement
, however, prompted the "possibilist" faction to hold its own congress at the same time. The larger assembly, the International Socialist Workers Congress of Paris, dubbed the "Marxist" congress resolved to arrange a second meeting at Zurich
, and the Possibility one at Brussels
. However the Marxist organizing committee decided to relent and the next congress met in Brussels in 1891.
was scheduled to meet at the Salle Petrelle, but soon had to move to larger accomendations at 42, rue Rochechouart. The delegate count was as follows.
For full list of delegates and the groups they represented, see below Protokoll des internationalen Arbeiter-congresses zu Paris p. 129-138.
The "Marxist" congress passed resolutions on the unity of the socialist movement (presented by Wilhelm Liebkneck), international labor legislation (the eight hour workday, night work, labor conditions for women and children), the abolition of permanent armies, and the various means to attain these goals. It also passed a resolution calling for an international demonstration for the eight hour workday on May 1.
The posibilist congress passed resolutions on universal suffrage, trust, international labor legislation, and on the means of creating a permanent means of relation between the autonomous socialist and workers groups.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, beginning on July 14, 1889. They had been called for by the London International Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
, meeting in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in November 1888, and the French Syndicalist Congress, meeting at the same time. Internecine conflicts within the French socialist movement
Socialist Movement
The Socialist Movement was an independent left-wing grouping in the United Kingdom that grew out the Socialist Conferences.The Socialist Conferences were held in Chesterfield, Sheffield and Manchester in the years following the defeat of Britain’s miners’ strike of 1984–1985...
, however, prompted the "possibilist" faction to hold its own congress at the same time. The larger assembly, the International Socialist Workers Congress of Paris, dubbed the "Marxist" congress resolved to arrange a second meeting at Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, and the Possibility one at Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. However the Marxist organizing committee decided to relent and the next congress met in Brussels in 1891.
"Marxist" Congress
The International Socialist Workers Congress of ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
was scheduled to meet at the Salle Petrelle, but soon had to move to larger accomendations at 42, rue Rochechouart. The delegate count was as follows.
| Country | # of delegates | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Alsace-Lorraine | 1 | A representative of the Republican Socialist Union of Alsace-Lorraine |
| Argentina | 1 | Represented "Socialist group of Buenos Aires" |
| Austria | 9 | |
| Belgium | 14 | |
| Bohemia | 1 | |
| Bulgaria | 1 | Represented by one of the Romanian delegates |
| Denmark | 3 | Representing the Socialist party of Denmark |
| Finland | 1 | |
| France | 221 | |
| Germany | 81 | Includes representatives of the Social Democratic Party of Germany Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
| Great Britain | 20 | Representing the Socialist League Socialist League (UK, 1885) The Socialist League was an early revolutionary socialist organisation in the United Kingdom. The organisation began as a dissident offshoot of the Social Democratic Federation of Henry Hyndman at the end of 1884. Never an ideologically harmonious group, by the 1890s the group had turned from... ; Scottish Labour Party Scottish Labour Party The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland.... ; Bloomsbury Socialist Society |
| Greece | 1 | |
| Hungary | 3 | |
| Italy | 13 | |
| Netherlands | 4 | |
| Norway | 3 | |
| Poland | 4 | |
| Portugal | 1 | |
| Romania | 5 | |
| Russia | 6 | |
| Spain | 2 | Representing PSOE |
| Sweden | 2 | |
| Switzerland | 2 | |
| United States | 5 | Representing the Socialist Labor Party; German Workers Union of New York; United Hebrew Trades United Hebrew Trades United Hebrew Trades was an association of Jewish labor unions in New York.It was founded by the Socialist Labor Party's Yiddish Branch 8 and Russian Branch 17 together with Jewish unions in in New York in October 1888. Among the founding members were Morris Hillquit and Bernard Weinstein... , "United Brothers League of Iowa" |
For full list of delegates and the groups they represented, see below Protokoll des internationalen Arbeiter-congresses zu Paris p. 129-138.
The "Marxist" congress passed resolutions on the unity of the socialist movement (presented by Wilhelm Liebkneck), international labor legislation (the eight hour workday, night work, labor conditions for women and children), the abolition of permanent armies, and the various means to attain these goals. It also passed a resolution calling for an international demonstration for the eight hour workday on May 1.
"Possibilist" Congress
The International Workers Congress, or "possibilist" congress met at #10, rue de Langry. Its delegate count was as follows.| Country | # of delegats | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | 6 | |
| Belgium | 8 | |
| Denmark | 2 | |
| France | 477 | |
| Great Britain | 39 | |
| Hungary | 6 | |
| Netherlands | 2 | |
| Poland | 1 | |
| Russia | 1 | |
| Spain | 5 | |
| Switzerland | 1 | |
| United States | 4 |
The posibilist congress passed resolutions on universal suffrage, trust, international labor legislation, and on the means of creating a permanent means of relation between the autonomous socialist and workers groups.