# F. Engels, “Socialism in Germany”
Source: Lenin Collection, Volume XXX
Page: 233

THE BASEL RESOLUTION

of war, proved to be a substantial guarantee of peace.”
And further:
“The Congress resolutely demands peace.
Let governments not forget that, given the current state of affairs in Europe
and the mood of the working class, they cannot unleash war without thereby creating peril for themselves;
let them recall that following the Franco-German War came the revolutionary uprising of the Commune,
that the Russo-Japanese War set in motion the revolutionary forces of the peoples of the Russian Empire,
that the escalation of military
—
and naval armaments lent unprecedented intensity to class conflicts
in England and across the continent, leading to massive strikes. Only sheer madness could explain
if governments failed to recognize that the very thought of the monstrous nature of a world war
should evoke indignation and outrage among the working class.
The proletariat regards it as a crime to shoot at one another in the name of increasing capitalists’ profits,
the ambitions of dynasties, or in the glory of secret diplomatic treaties.
bold typeface “If the ruling powers, by destroying every possibility of normal development,
drive the proletariat to desperate measures, then they themselves will bear full responsibility for the consequences of the crisis they have provoked.”


RESOLUTION OF THE GERMAN SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC READING CLUB IN PARIS
Berner Tagwacht, 1914, No. 155 (August 17, 1914)
“Die deutschen
Soziald[emokraten in
Paris und der Krieg” (Resolution of the German Social Democratic Reading Club in Paris)
— the most fraternal sentiments of German socialists who prefer to remain in your land of freedom and who refuse to fight against their French comrades.
“We all love our homeland, but we can no longer love a homeland that attacks a peaceful people. Our sympathies are with you, who defend the soil of freedom. Forward to victory! Go forth and strike down the criminal government of Berlin! Down with the monarchies! Long live democratic France! Long live the German Republic!”
( )


RESOLUTION OF THE GERMAN SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC READING CLUB IN PARIS
“Berner Tagwacht,” 1914, No. 155 (August 17, 1914)
“German Social Democrats in Paris and the War” (Resolution of the German Social Democratic Reading Club in Paris)
— “the most brotherly sentiments of German socialists who prefer to remain in your country of freedom and who refuse to fight against their French comrades.
“We all love our homeland, but we can no longer love a homeland that attacks a peaceful people. Our sympathy is directed toward you, who defend the land of freedom. Forward to victory! Go forth and strike down the criminal government of Berlin! Down with the monarchies!
Long live democratic France! Long live the German Republic!”
[231]


F. B. ENGELS. “SOCIALISM IN GERMANY”
Neue Zeit, 1891–2, Vol. X, No. 1, pp. 580–589.

(January 27, 1892).
F. Engels. “Socialism in Germany”
A translation (undertaken by Engels himself) of an article written by Engels for the “Almanach du Parti Ouvrier pour 1892.”
After translating this article (pp. 581–587), Engels himself added a postscript stating that all of this was written in late summer—when the air was thick with the prospect of war between France and Russia against Germany. Now, he revisits the situation of famine in Russia (1891). He reflects on the causes of famine—on the creation of a domestic market, etc., etc.
For Europe, this famine signifies “for the time being, peace.”
“But what may emerge from this for Russian despotism, we shall wait and see.” (End of the article: p. 589.)
From the article itself (French):
“How often have the bourgeoisie not urged us to renounce, under all circumstances, the use of revolutionary means
and to remain within the bounds of the law—now that the emergency legislation has been repealed,
and ordinary law has been restored for everyone, including socialists! Alas, we are not in a position to grant these gentlemen bourgeois the favor they seek”... (p. 583) And further—fire the first shot, esteemed gentlemen bourgeois!