Introduction to Engels
Friedrich friedrich engels middot (1820165438+19951October 28th-65438+August 5th) is a German thinker, philosopher, revolutionary, educator and military theorist, and a great mentor of the proletariat and working people all over the world. Engels is Karl &; Middot, a close friend of Marx, is known as the "second violinist" and has provided a lot of financial support for Marx's academic research. After Marx's death, he compiled and published a large number of manuscripts and works left by Marx and became the leader of the international workers' movement.
He was a close comrade-in-arms of Marx, wrote the Manifesto of the Productive Party together with Marx, and founded the scientific theory of * * * together with Marx; Participated in the leadership work of First International. After Marx's death, he undertook the work of sorting out and publishing the manuscript of Das Kapital, and also shouldered the heavy responsibility of leading the international workers' movement. In addition to co-writing with Marx, he also wrote Dialectics of Nature and The Origin of Family, Private Ownership and State.
The Life of the Characters in Engels' Works
Early experience
1820165438+1On October 28th, Engels was born in Bamen (now Wuppertal), an industrial city in Rhine, Germany. Engels studied in Bamen School when he was a teenager, and 1834 transferred to Aibeifeite Science Middle School. Father old Friedrich is a factory owner, devout _ _, with Prussian aristocratic descent. Mother is kind-hearted, abides by ethics and loves literature and history.
1In September, 837, his father insisted that he drop out of school to do business (Engels was in middle school). 1 year later, I worked as a clerk in a firm in Bremen. At that time, Germany was faced with the task of national unity and democratic revolution. Engels was attracted by the democratic political thought and contacted the young German movement.
1839 In the spring, Deutsche Telekom published a letter from Wupeihe Valley, which exposed the darkness of feudal autocracy and religious piety and poured sympathy on the working people.
184 1 September to1June, 842, served in the artillery force in Berlin, attended philosophy lectures at Berlin University and participated in activities in young hegelians. During this period, he successively published Schelling on Hegel, Schelling and Enlightenment and Schelling-_ _ _ Philosopher, and sharply criticized Schelling, an idealist philosopher who advocated "Apocalypse Philosophy". He also wrote articles to expose the German feudal autocracy represented by Kaiser William IV and became a staunch revolutionary Democrat.
Engels accepted Feuerbach's materialism after the publication of Feuerbach's Essence of _ in 184 1.
Best friend for life
1In February, 844, the German-French Yearbook edited by Marx published the Critical Outline of Political Economy, which initially revealed the absolutely irreconcilable internal contradictions of capitalist private ownership. At the end of August, Engels met Marx in Paris on his way back to China and started their lifelong cooperation. 1From September to March, 845, he wrote The Situation of the British Working Class in Bamen, which described the tragic situation and historical mission of the proletariat and showed that Engels had completed two major changes.
1845 co-authored Holy Family with Marx, and co-authored German Ideology from June of the same year 165438+ 10 to May of the following year. 1846 In the spring, Engels and Marx founded the proletarian communication committee in Brussels. In the autumn of the same year, he went to Paris to carry out activities to win and educate members of the right-wing alliance in order to get rid of the influence of "real socialism."
10, Engels and Marx joined the alliance of the just. In June, after consulting with Marx, he attended the first congress of the * * * proletarian alliance held in London and founded the first proletarian revolutionary party guided by scientific socialism. In June+10 of the same year, he was elected to the Paris Regional Committee of the League, and was entrusted to draft the draft program of the League (that is, "Questions and Answers on the Principles of * * * Integralism"), which preliminarily expounded the basic principles of scientific * * Integralism in the style of question and answer. June 65438 +065438+10, attended the Second Congress of the League of Nations with Marx and served as the secretary of the Congress. The Congress accepted the ideas of Marx and Engels, formulated the articles of association based on the principle of democracy, and entrusted them to draft the program of the alliance.
1848 In the middle of February, on the basis of the principle of * * * productism, the * * * Declaration of the Productive Party drafted by Marx and Engels was published in London. In February and March, the European bourgeois revolution broke out in Paris, Berlin, Vienna and other cities. In March, Engels was elected as a member of the Central Committee of the * * * Producers' Union, and together with Marx * * * in Paris, he drafted the Requirements of the German * * * Producers' Party. In April, they arrived in Koren, Germany. Engels served as the editor-in-chief of the New Rheinische Zeitung and assisted Marx in presiding over the editorial department of the newspaper. He also went to Bamen and other cities in Rhine province. From the autumn of 1848 to the beginning of 1849, he went into exile in Belgium and Switzerland to help organize Swiss workers' associations.
1May, 849, participated in the armed uprising of Aibeifeite. In June, he served as adjutant of Willich Volunteers in Baden-Pfalcz and went to the front to fight. After the failed uprising, he was exiled to Switzerland. 165438+ 10 arrived in London and was elected as a member of the Central Committee of the Alliance, responsible for reorganizing the Alliance.
1In March and June of 850, he cooperated with Marx twice and drafted the Confessions of the Central Committee to Producers of * * *. In order to support Marx's family, who was in extreme poverty, Engels had to move to Manchester and re-do business in "Oumen-Engels Company". During his stay in Manchester, Engels kept frequent correspondence with Marx, discussing the theories and strategies of the international workers' movement, discussing academic issues in various fields and exchanging views with each other. In the words of his mentor, even what one person writes must be read and fully agreed by another person. Engels conducted a wide range of theoretical research, especially on military science, linguistics and dialectics of nature.
From 185 1 1 to 1852 to 1 1, Engels wrote a series of articles entitled "German Revolution and Counter-Revolution" for the New York Daily Tribune, which profoundly summarized/kloc-0.
From 1857 to 1859, he wrote many military entries for the new American encyclopedia. From 186 1 to 1865, Engels wrote many articles about the American Civil War. 1864, after the founding of the First International, Engels and Marx took part in the international leadership work and fought against the proudhon School, the bakunin School, the Trade Union School and the Lhasa School, thus establishing the leading position of Marxism in the international workers' movement. 1867 After the publication of the first volume of Das Kapital, he wrote many war comments for the workers' newspaper and the bourgeois newspaper, and accurately analyzed and predicted the process and result of the war.
1in July, 869, Engels finally got rid of his career as a businessman. 1870 10, moved to London and saw Marx again. 1In September, 870, Engels ended his 20-year "Egyptian prisoner-style" business life, moved from Manchester to London, and worked with Marx to lead International Working Men’s Association. In June+10, 5438, at the suggestion of Marx, he was elected as a member of the International General Committee and served as the communication secretary and financial member of Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Denmark. During the Paris Commune, he and Marx organized activities to support the commune.
187 1 3 after the establishment of the Paris commune, he and Marx supported the commune, spoke highly of the revolutionary initiative and heroism of the workers in Paris in his speeches and letters, and expounded the historical significance of the commune. At the International London Delegate Conference held in September, Engels, based on the experience of the Paris Commune, proposed that the working class must take part in class struggle, establish an independent proletarian party and oppose all the old political parties.
During the International Hague Congress in September 1872, Engels and Marx made important contributions to defeating the bakunin cabal and adopting resolutions on political and organizational issues. According to Engels' proposal, the International General Committee moved to new york. After The Hague Conference, he wrote "On Authority" and "Socialist Democratic Alliance and International Working Men’s Association" (co-authored with Marx), which comprehensively exposed and criticized the anarchism and separatism of bakunin Group politically, theoretically and organizationally, and profoundly expounded the dialectical relationship between democracy and centralism, democracy and dictatorship. After the disintegration of International Working Men’s Association, Engels and Marx worked hard to spread the theory of scientific socialism and establish and develop socialist political parties in various countries.
1in March, 875, in his letter to Baerbel, he expounded his principled position on the merger of the two factions of the German workers' movement and criticized the mistakes made by some party leaders in pursuing unprincipled merger.
From 1876 to 1878, he wrote a series of books entitled "Eugen &; When middot criticized Turin's idealism transcendentalism and petty-bourgeois socialism, the article "Mr. Turin's Transformation in Science" (that is, "Anti-Turin Theory") systematically expounded the three main components of Marxism-philosophy, political economy and scientific socialism theory, as well as many basic theories of natural science for the first time. This is a profound and thorough encyclopedia of science, which can be understood by everyone with ideas.
/kloc-in the summer of 0/880, at the request of the leader of the French Workers' Party, Laferger, some chapters in the anti-Turin theory were adapted into utopian socialism and scientific socialism (that is, the development of socialism from utopian to scientific). This booklet, called "Introduction to Scientific Socialism" by Marx, has played an important role in popularizing the basic theory of Marxism. From 1873 to 1883, Engels drafted the writing outline of Dialectics of Nature, completed several chapters and fragments, and laid the research foundation of Dialectics of Nature.
International leader
1883 after Marx's death, Engels shouldered the heavy responsibility of guiding the international workers' movement, sorting out and publishing (or reprinting) Marx's heritage, defending and developing Marxist theory, and cultivating young socialist activists and theorists from all over the world.
1In July, 885, Engels undertook the arduous task of sorting out and publishing the second and third volumes of Das Kapital that Marx did not finish in his later years, and the second volume of Das Kapital was published.
1June, 887, the first volume of Das Kapital was published in English. He also reprinted other works by Marx and William, a famous activist of the Producers' Union. Middot Wolff, Georg & Middot; Wilt and others, and ready to publish the complete works of Marx.
1888 wrote Ludwig &; Middot's Feuerbach and the End of German Classical Philosophy reveals the relationship between Marxism and Hegel and Feuerbach's philosophy, and explains the basic principles of dialectical materialism and historical materialism.
1889 In July, under the guidance and promotion of Engels, the International Socialist Workers' Congress (the Second International) was held in Paris. Under his care and guidance, the Second International joined forces with workers' political parties in various countries and launched a struggle against anarchism and revisionism.
1893 In August, Engels attended the Second International Congress held in Zurich during his trip to the European continent. This is the only time Engels attended the Second International Congress. In his closing speech, he hoped that the proletariat of all countries would strengthen unity, learn from each other and abide by the revolutionary principles of * * * in their struggle against the enemy and strive for liberation. At the same time, the proletariat of all countries should be organized in an independent form and adhere to the principles of "free association" and "voluntary contact". In other articles and letters, he emphasized that socialist political parties in various countries should establish independent, independent and equal relations, and political parties and proletariat in various countries should decide their own revolutionary strategies according to local conditions. He opposes any political party to speak on behalf of the European proletariat, denies that any political party has the "firstborn right" to lead the international proletarian movement, and opposes that the leaders of any political party give orders to socialists in other countries. 1894, in view of the positions of the German Social Democratic Party and the French Workers' Party on farmers' issues, he wrote "The French-German Farmers' Issues" and criticized their line of accommodating farmers' tendency to small private ownership. 1894 65438+February, the third volume of Das Kapital was published.
old age
Engels lived in a three-story building at Regent's Park Road 122, northwest London, England in his later years. After Marx's death, this house, hidden among green trees, became the home of revolutionaries from all countries and the holy land of socialists all over the world. Engels warmly received the leaders of the British workers' movement, poor Irish workers, French farmers who fled the motherland and college students in exile, and let them rest and take refuge here. At the same time, he was honest with visiting Democrats and even conservatives. Rudolph, German conservative and economist & middot Meyer often gets drunk at home with Engels.
In order to promote the development of the world workers' movement, Engels traveled all over Europe in his later years, but he also hoped to visit the United States. 1888 On August 8th, Engels, his old friend, chemist Xiao, Elena, the daughter of Marx, and her husband Ai set off from Liverpool, England, on the steamer Berlin, and began their transatlantic trip to the United States. On August 17, Engels and his party arrived in new york, which was his first time to set foot on American soil. Engels met with the leaders of the American workers' movement, visited new york and Boston, and watched the world-famous Niagara Falls. In Concord, he visited the prison and saw that prisoners had their own clubs, where they could read books and newspapers, eat fish and bread every day and dress like ordinary workers. He praised this and said: "Europeans don't have the courage to do this." This trip to America lasted more than 50 days and left a deep impression on Engels. When he returned to London, he wrote to a friend and said, "I am very interested in America." The history of this country is no longer than that of commodity production. It is a paradise for capitalist production and should be seen with your own eyes. "
1890165438+1October 28th is Engels' 70th birthday. Party organizations and friends from all over the country have expressed their desire to celebrate his birthday. However, Engels politely declined this kind of hospitality. He believes that all the honors should be attributed to Marx, and he can't afford too much praise. Later, at the repeated request of German social Democrats such as Bieber, Engels reluctantly agreed to hold a private banquet at home.
After his 74th birthday, Engels' health went from bad to worse. The next year, he fell ill, and a lump appeared on the right side of his neck. The doctor diagnosed it as advanced esophageal cancer. In his will, he gave all the manuscripts and letters of Marx's works to his daughter Elena, who is the legal heir of Marx. All my books and those of Marx were presented to Baerbel and Zinger, leaders of the German Social Democratic Party. He still has about 30,000 pounds of property, 3/8 of which was given to Marx's daughters Laura and Elena, 1/3 to the children of Yan Ni Jr., Marx's eldest daughter, and 1/4 to his secretary Louisa together with furniture. Part of the remaining property was given to the German Social Democratic Party for activities, and part was given to his wife's niece Mary &; Middot Allen & Middot; Roche. Engels also said in his will: "I hope to cremate my body and my ashes will sink into the sea as soon as possible."
What's behind you
1August 5, 895, Engels died of advanced esophageal cancer in his apartment by the Thames. On August 10, people held a memorial service for Engels in the lobby of Waterloo Station at Westminster Bridge. On August 27th, according to his will, a boat rowed to the depths of the sea in Eastburn, England, which was Engels' favorite seaside before his death. There were four people on board, Elena, Evelyn, leissner, a comrade-in-arms of Engels, and Bernstein, a disciple. They recited Dante's poems, picked up the black urn and gently sank it into the sea. His ashes were scattered in the sea of Eastburn Bay.
Although there are no cemeteries for people to visit, people all over the world have built exhibition halls and monuments to commemorate Engels. 1918165438+10 On October 7th, the Soviet Union established the Marx and Engels Monument in Moscow Revolution Square while celebrating the first anniversary of the October Revolution. Marx-Engels Square was also built in Berlin, Germany, and statues of two people were erected on the square. In Brussels, Belgium, the "Swan House" where Marx and Engels lived together was transformed into a memorial place.
In Wuppertal, Germany, Engels' hometown, his former residence has been carefully protected and maintained. This is an independent baroque four-story building, which contains not only an exhibition of Engels' life stories, but also China's Complete Works of Marx and Engels. People in my hometown respect Engels very much and call him "the famous son of Wu Perthar". His former residence was listed as an education base for primary and secondary school students in Germany by the government, and the street next to his former residence was renamed "Friedrich &; Middot Engels Street ". People from all over the world came here with reverence and learned about Engels' glorious life with reverence.
Engels' main achievements
Founding theory
Main items: Marxism
1844 In August, Engels visited Marx who lived in Paris, and they established a profound friendship. In September of the same year, he co-authored Holy Family with Marx, criticized idealism in Hegel's philosophy, and expounded some important principles of dialectical materialism and historical materialism. From 1845 to 1846, they co-authored the book German Ideology, which is the first book to systematically expound historical materialism. 1845, Engels wrote "The Situation of the British Working Class", which clearly pointed out for the first time that the political and economic status of the proletariat will inevitably push it to strive for its own liberation. Socialism will become a political force only if it becomes the goal of the political struggle of the working class.
Engels and Marx established the * * * Communication Committee in Brussels at the beginning of 1846 to establish contact with socialist organizations in various countries and publicize scientific socialism. From 65438 to 0847, Marx and Engels were invited to join the "Right Alliance", a secret organization of German workers, and actively participated in its reorganization. Engels attended the first congress of the League held in June, expounded the basic principles of scientific socialism to the congress, and reorganized the old League into the League of the Proletarians. From 1847 to 65438+February to 1848 to 65438+1October, Marx and Engels co-authored the Producers' Party Manifesto, which publicly raised the banner of the proletarian movement for the first time. This is a comprehensive theoretical and practical party program, which marks the birth of Marxism.
labour movement
Compared with Marx's theoretical expression, Engels is more inclined to be responsible for realizing the rights and interests of the working class through practical work. 1883 After Marx's death, Engels continued to lead the international workers' movement 12 years and founded the Second International in 1889. In his later years, Engels focused on organizing the Social Democratic Party, a legitimate proletarian party in a democratic country, and strived for concrete economic benefits and political status for workers under the constitutional framework. But he repeatedly expounded the truth that the proletariat cannot give up the violent revolution. Engels reflected on the limitations of Marx's violent revolution in his Introduction to Class Struggle in France. He pointed out that the German working class must compete with the bourgeoisie for every seat at that time with the right to vote and prove the strength of the proletariat with votes in order to win the decisive battle in the future. This thought was further elaborated after Bernstein's death, and was later attacked by Lenin, known as revisionism. Legal struggle and violent revolution became the watershed between Bernstein and Lenin. It is worth noting that the Social Democratic Party, which was not founded by Engels and later abandoned Marxism, still exists in most European countries and has become the main parliamentary party in many countries. Part of the Social Democratic Party in Engels' era was later changed to the * * * production party, or split from the original Social Democratic Party, and the * * * production international headed by the Soviet * * production party was established, with Lenin as the initiator. In the 1940s, the Soviet Production Party opposed fascism. In the 1920s and 1930s, Germany's Social Democratic Party and the * * * Production Party waged a fierce struggle around revisionism, which was one of the reasons why the Nazi Party took advantage of it to become the ruling party. German law does not allow the establishment of * * * producers. So far, most of Marxism–Leninism's production parties have changed the principle of violent revolution, which is actually a cover-up way to continue the struggle in their country.
1On March 6th, 895, Engels made a final reflection and revision on the whole theoretical system of Marxism in "An Introduction to Class Struggle in France": "History shows that we are also wrong, and our views at that time were just an illusion. History has done more: it not only eliminated our mistakes at that time, but also completely changed the conditions of proletarian struggle. The struggle mode of 1848 is out of date in all aspects today, and it is worth studying more carefully here. History clearly shows that the economic development of the European continent at that time was far from mature enough to eradicate capitalism. Hellip & hellip1848 How impossible it is to realize social transformation with a simple raid. Old-fashioned uprisings, street fighting that played a decisive role in various places before 1848, are now mostly out of date. If the conditions of war between countries have changed, so have the conditions of class struggle. In the era of sudden attack, the era when a few conscious people and unconscious people led the revolution has passed. A brand-new way of proletarian struggle began to be adopted and developed rapidly. Facts have proved that there are many things that the working class can use against the state institutions used by the bourgeoisie to organize and rule. Workers began to participate in the elections of state assembly, town Committee and industrial and commercial arbitration court; They began to compete with the bourgeoisie for every elected position, as long as there were enough workers' votes to vote when the position was replaced. Therefore, the bourgeoisie and the government are more afraid of the legitimate activities of the Workers' Party than its illegal activities, and more afraid of the election results than the uprising results. In Romance-speaking countries, people began to realize that the old strategy must be revised. The example of Germany taking all the positions we can win with the right to vote is imitated everywhere; Unprepared attacks take a back seat everywhere. "