Le socialisme en danger

by Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis

"Le socialisme en danger" by Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis is a sociopolitical treatise written in the late 19th century. The work addresses the internal and external challenges facing socialism, particularly the emerging tensions within socialist movements in Germany, while advocating for revolutionary principles and the anarchist approach to social change. At the start of the work, the preface by Élisée Reclus sets the scene by emphasizing the importance of Domela Nieuwenhuis's observations over four years, highlighting the split in socialist ideology and practice. The opening section delves into the debates from the 1891 Congress of German Social Democrats, contrasting the views of various leaders. The author recounts the struggle between more moderate figures who prioritize gradual reforms—represented by Vollmar—and the more radical thinkers, like Bebel and Liebknecht, advocating for direct action and the importance of maintaining revolutionary ideals. This conflict illustrates the broader ideological crisis within socialism at the time, as it grapples with the dichotomy of achieving political power versus the necessity of revolutionary change.