I was listening to Mike Duncan's excellent Revolutions Podcast today as he described the development of early leftist thinking leading up to the First International as well as detailing the early lives of Marx and Engels up to the First International. It was during this that I came across an idea which I was hoping people might be interested in discussing - particularly those with a proper grounding in early socialist/leftist history.
The idea is in essence this: Following the Revolutions of 1848, Marx was at a distinct low point in his life and was forced into what he believed would be temporary exile in London. He struggled quite a bit during this period as he tried to get by, writing some of his most significant works in this period and fundamentally changing a number of beliefs as a result of disillusionment over the failures of 1848.
So, what if Marx found the funding necessary to bring his family to the United States rather than remaining in London during the early 1850s, where he would quickly find a place in the rapidly growing German-American community of the times. This would bring Marx into contact with American ideological development in the leadup to the American Civil War and, perhaps more importantly, remove him from London prior to the establishment of the First International.
There are two elements to this idea: First of all, Marx in America presents some really interesting possibilities given his OTL involvement in the abolitionist movement, potential for a significant German-language readership allowing him to continue his journalistic activities, experience of the America of the 1850s in all its manifold aspects and much, much more. Marx's ideological framework is likely to see significant divergence from OTL, resulting in a very different Marxism to that of OTL. He is not living in the very heart of the Industrial Revolution, which is likely to have some sort of impact, and will be in contact with an entirely different ideological framework from what he had experience with in Europe. I don't know how all of this would change his thoughts and ideas, but I would really love it if people would join me in a discussion on how Marxism might change as a result of these divergences.
The second element of this idea has to do with what happens with the European leftist movement without Marx to influence it. While Marx's influence was quite limited prior to his role in the First International, the greater distance from Engels will have some sort of impact on the development of their mutual thoughts and neither is likely to secure as great influence on the development of European leftism as a result. What this means is that the First International will likely turn out quite differently without Marx putting his stamp on the formulation and ideological framework of the organization. Again, I don't really have too clear an idea of what the result of all this would be, but I hope people might be interested in discussing it with me.
The idea is in essence this: Following the Revolutions of 1848, Marx was at a distinct low point in his life and was forced into what he believed would be temporary exile in London. He struggled quite a bit during this period as he tried to get by, writing some of his most significant works in this period and fundamentally changing a number of beliefs as a result of disillusionment over the failures of 1848.
So, what if Marx found the funding necessary to bring his family to the United States rather than remaining in London during the early 1850s, where he would quickly find a place in the rapidly growing German-American community of the times. This would bring Marx into contact with American ideological development in the leadup to the American Civil War and, perhaps more importantly, remove him from London prior to the establishment of the First International.
There are two elements to this idea: First of all, Marx in America presents some really interesting possibilities given his OTL involvement in the abolitionist movement, potential for a significant German-language readership allowing him to continue his journalistic activities, experience of the America of the 1850s in all its manifold aspects and much, much more. Marx's ideological framework is likely to see significant divergence from OTL, resulting in a very different Marxism to that of OTL. He is not living in the very heart of the Industrial Revolution, which is likely to have some sort of impact, and will be in contact with an entirely different ideological framework from what he had experience with in Europe. I don't know how all of this would change his thoughts and ideas, but I would really love it if people would join me in a discussion on how Marxism might change as a result of these divergences.
The second element of this idea has to do with what happens with the European leftist movement without Marx to influence it. While Marx's influence was quite limited prior to his role in the First International, the greater distance from Engels will have some sort of impact on the development of their mutual thoughts and neither is likely to secure as great influence on the development of European leftism as a result. What this means is that the First International will likely turn out quite differently without Marx putting his stamp on the formulation and ideological framework of the organization. Again, I don't really have too clear an idea of what the result of all this would be, but I hope people might be interested in discussing it with me.
