Reform, Revolution, and Opportunism: Debates in the Second International, 1900-1910 - Paperback

by Mike Taber (Editor)

An essential record from the Second International, assembled by Under the Socialist Banner editor Mike Taber.

At its height, the Second (Socialist) International (1889-1914) represented the majority of organized workers in the world, with the revolutionary goal of overthrowing capitalism. Its major accomplishments--such as the eight-hour day and International Women's Day--remain a testimony to its lasting influence around the world.

In this important collection of debates at congresses of the Second International, Reform, Revolution, and Opportunism captures the International's vibrancy and gives a snapshot of its strengths, weaknesses, and contradictions. Divergent perspectives on reform and revolution are expressed in these pages, as socialists debate topics that remain deeply contested today: militarism and war, immigration, colonialism and imperialism, women's rights, and socialist participation in government.

Reform, Revolution, and Opportunism--taken together with Under the Socialist Banner--offers a rounded view of the Second International and its legacy, showing it to be a living, breathing movement with valuable insights for activists today.

Author Biography

Mike Taber has edited and prepared numerous books on the history of the revolutionary and working-class movements--from collections of documents of the Communist International under Lenin to works by figures such as Leon Trotsky, Malcolm X, and Che Guevara. Most recent books include Under the Socialist Banner: Resolutions of the Second International, 1889-1912; The Communist Women's Movement, 1920-1922; The Communist Movement at a Crossroads: Plenums of the Communist International's Executive Committee, 1922-1923; and Clara Zetkin: Fighting Fascism: How to Struggle and How to Win.