The idea of a secret organization of revolutionary leaders proved to be
wholly repugnant to many of even the most devoted friends of Bakounin,
and by 1868 the organization is supposed to have been dissolved,
because, it was said, secrets had leaked out and the whole affair had
been subjected to much ridicule.[19] The idea of the third order,
however, that of the International Alliance, was not abandoned, and it
appears that Bakounin and a number of the faithful Brothers felt hopeful
in 1867 of capturing a great "bourgeois" congress, called the "League of
Peace and of Liberty," that had met that year in Geneva. Bakounin,
Elisee Reclus, Aristide Rey, Victor Jaclard, and several others in the
conspiracy undertook to persuade the league to pass some revolutionary
resolutions. Bakounin was already a member of the central committee of
the league, and, in preparation for the battle, he wrote the manuscript
afterward published under the title, "_Federalisme, Socialisme, et
Antitheologisme_." But the congress of 1868 dashed their hopes to the
ground, and the revolutionists separated from the league and founded the
same day, September 25th, a new association, called _L'Alliance
Internationale de la Democratie Socialiste_. The program now adopted by
the Alliance, although written by Bakounin, expressed quite different
views from those of the International Brothers. But it, too, began its
revolutionary creed by declaring itself atheist. Its chief and most
important work was "to abolish religion and to substitute science for
faith; and human justice for divine justice." Second, it declared for
"the political, economic, and social equality of the classes" (which, it
was assumed, were to continue to exist), and it intended to attain this
end by the destruction of government and by the abolition of the right
of inheritance. Third, it assailed all forms of political action and
proposed that, in place of the community, groups of producers should
assume control of all industrial processes. Fourth, it opposed all
centralized organization, believing that both groups and individuals
should demand for themselves complete liberty to do in all cases
whatever they desired.[20] The same revolutionists who a short time
before had planned a complete hierarchy now appeared irreconcilably
opposed to any form of authority. They now argued that they must abolish
not only God and every political State, but also the right of the
majority to rule. Then and then only would the people finally attain
perfect liberty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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