Marx in Neue Rheinische Zeitung December 1848

The Coup D’Etat of the Counter-Revolution

by Karl Marx

Neue Rheinische Zeitung No. 163
Translated by the Marx-Engels Institute
1994

Cologne, December 7. The National Assembly has been dissolved.
The representatives of the people have been dispersed "by the grace of
God".

The reason given by the government for this act of violence adds
bitter contempt to the coup d'etat carried through with such insolence.

The National Assembly now reaps the fruits of its perennial weakness
and cowardice. For months it allowed the conspiracy against the people
to do its work unmolested, to grow strong and powerful, and hence it has
now become its first victim.

The people, too, is now suffering for its sins, committed out
of magnanimity, or rather stupidity, in March and even in April and May,
and finally for its so-called "passive resistance". It is now to be hoped
that it has learned its lesson. Its next victory will put an end to the
policy of "agreement" and to all other phrases and hypocrisies.

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