The Politics And Programme Of The First International - Conclusion

The posts here have examined the politics and programme of the First International as outlined in the Instructions of 1866. Clearly, this does not complete an analysis of the First International's politics, which also requires some examination of the organisation's intervention into actual events. It is better to do that by looking at events themselves on an individual basis, which is a separate task. I have not attempted here to provide a history of the International, of which there are many already. What I have attempted here, by concentrating on the actual programmatic formulations is to look at the general method of Marx, who formulated these positions. I have attempted to contrast those positions with the positions that much of the left adopts today, which in themselves in large part rest upon a sort of “accepted knowledge” that for a long time has gone unquestioned. The most fundamental aspect of Marxism should be to leave nothing unquestioned. I think that looking at the positions that Marx adopted, shows that there is much to be questioned.