Reformism and Internationalism

Abstract

In July 1951, at a meeting in Frankfurt-am-Main, the Socialist International-a union of Social Democratic parties of all countries-was reconstituted. The Socialist International, generally known as the Second International, which was founded in 1889 collapsed in the first World War. Revived in 1923, it met an inglorious end in the second World War. A common policy to prevent war was never adopted by the associated socialist parties. Such a policy would have presupposed that the socialist parties of the different countries were really devoted to internationalism, that internationalist manifestoes were more than lip service to the cause.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.