eptember, 1871. The whole of
Bakounin's activity was there discussed, and a series of resolutions was
adopted by the conference to be sent to every section of the
International movement. A number of these resolutions dealt directly
with Bakounin and the Alliance, which it was thought still existed,
despite Bakounin's statement that it had been dissolved.[U] But by far
the most important work of the conference was a resolution dealing with
the question of political action. It is perhaps as important a document
as was issued during the life of the International, and it stands as the
answer of Marx to what Bakounin called economic action and to what the
syndicalists now call direct action. The whole International
organization is here pleaded with to maintain its faith in the efficacy
of political means. Political action is pointed out as the fundamental
principle of the organization, and, in order to give authority to this
plea, the various declarations that had been made during the life of the
International were brought together. Once again, the old motif of the
Communist Manifesto appeared, and every effort was made to give it the
authority of a positive law. Although rather long, the resolution is too
important a document not to be printed here almost in full.

"Considering the following passage of the preamble to the rules: 'The
economic emancipation of the working classes is the great end to which
every political movement ought to be subordinate _as a means_;'

"That the Inaugural Address of the International Working Men's
Association (1864) states: 'The lords of land and the lords of capital
will always use their political privileges for the defense and
perpetuation of their economic monopolies. So far from promoting, they
will continue to lay every possible impediment in the way of the
emancipation of labor.... To conquer political power has therefore
become the great duty of the working classes;'

"That the Congress of Lausanne (1867) has passed this resolution: 'The
social emancipation of the workmen is inseparable from their political
emancipation;'

"That the declaration of the General Council relative to the pretended
plot of the French Internationals on the eve of the plebiscite (1870)
says: 'Certainly by the tenor of our statutes, all our branches in
England, on the Continent, and in America have the special mission not
only to serve as centers for the militant organization of the working
class, but also