Marx to Wilhelm Bracke  
in Brunswick

London, 5 May 75

Dear Bracke,

Would you be so good as to read through the following critical marginal notes on the coalition programme!* and then pass them for perusal to Geib and Auer, Bebel and Liebknecht. Notabene. The manuscript must return into your hands, so that it is at my disposal should the need arise.'?*!! I am overworked and already have to go far beyond the limit of work medically prescribed for me. It was therefore by no means a “pleasure” to scribble such a long screed. Yet it was necessary, so that steps which I may have to take later on are not misinterpreted by the party friends for whom this communication is intended.

After the coalition congress has been held?*! Engels and I shall, you see, publish a short declaration to the effect that we stand entirely aloof from the said programme of principles and have nothing whatever to do with it.!?#2]

This is indispensable, since abroad we are credited with the—utterly erroneous—opinion, most assiduously nourished by party enemies, that we secretly direct from here the movement of the so-called Eisenach Party. In a Russian work that appeared quite recently, Bakunin, for example, makes me responsible not only for all the programmes etc. of that party, but even for every step that Liebknecht has taken from the day of his co-operation with the People’s Party'?*! onwards.

Apart from this, it is my duty not to acknowledge, even by diplomatic silence, a programme which in my conviction is altogether objectionable and demoralising for the party.

Every step of real movement is more important than a dozen programmes. If, therefore, one could not—and circumstances of the time did not permit it—go beyond the Eisenach Programme!?!, one should simply have concluded an agreement for action against the common enemy. But by making programmes of principles (instead of postponing this until such a thing had been prepared for by longer joint activity), one sets up before the whole world milestones by which it measures the level of the party movement.

The leaders of the Lassalleans came because circumstances forced them to. Had one declared to them from the outset that one would enter into no traffic in principles, they would have had to content themselves with an action programme or organisational plan for joint action. Instead, one allows them to appear armed with mandates, and for one’s own part recognises these mandates as bindingl?#, thus delivering oneself up on sufferance to the needy. To crown the matter, they are again holding a congress before the compromise congress, while one’s own party holds its congress post festum.!?%#! One clearly wanted to conjure away all criticism and to prevent one’s own party from reflecting. One knows how the mere fact of unification satisfies the workers, but one is mistaken if one believes that this momentary success has not been bought too dear.

For the rest, the programme is good for nothing, quite apart from the canonisation of the Lassallean articles of faith.

I shall send you in the next few days the final instalments of the French edition of Capital 120. The progress of printing was held up for a long time by a ban imposed by the French government. The matter will be finished this week or the beginning of next. Have you received the 6 earlier instalments? Kindly write and give me the address of Bernhard Becker too, to whom I must likewise send the final instalments.

The “Volksstaat’’ bookshop has its own manners. Thus, for example, up to this moment they have not sent me a single copy of the reprint of the Cologne Communist Trial 202).

With best greetings.

Yours,  
Karl Marx