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to be a Russian Government agent and one of those responsible for the
recent arrest of Poles。 Bakunin； of course； repudiated the charge； and
George Sand wrote to the ‘‘Neue Rheinische Zeitung；'' denying this
statement in toto。 The denials were published by Marx； and there was a
nominal reconciliation； but from this time onward there was never any real
abatement of the hostility between these rival leaders； who did not meet
again until 1864。
Meanwhile； the reaction had been everywhere gaining ground。 In May；
1849； an insurrection in Dresden for a moment made the revolutionaries
masters of the town。 They held it for five days and established a
revolutionary government。 Bakunin was the soul of the defense which
they made against the Prussian troops。 But they were overpowered； and at
last Bakunin was captured while trying to escape with Heubner and
Richard Wagner； the last of whom； fortunately for music； was not
captured。
Now began a long period of imprisonment in many prisons and
various countries。 Bakunin was sentenced to death on the 14th of January；
1850； but his sentence was commuted after five months； and he was
delivered over to Austria； which claimed the privilege of punishing him。
The Austrians； in their turn； condemned him to death in May； 1851； and
again his sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life。 In the Austrian
prisons he had fetters on hands and feet； and in one of them he was even
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chained to the wall by the belt。 There seems to have been some peculiar
pleasure to be derived from the punishment of Bakunin； for the Russian
Government in its turn demanded him of the Austrians； who delivered him
up。 In Russia he was confined； first in the Peter and Paul fortress and then
in the Schluesselburg。 There be suffered from scurvy and all his teeth fell
out。 His health gave way completely； and he found almost all food
impossible to assimilate。 ‘‘But； if his body became enfeebled； his spirit
remained inflexible。 He feared one thing above all。 It was to find himself
some day led； by the debilitating action of prison； to the condition of
degradation of which Silvio Pellico offers a well…known type。 He feared
that he might cease to hate； that he might feel the sentiment of revolt
which upheld him becoming extinguished in his hearts that he might come
to pardon his persecutors and resign himself to his fate。 But this fear was
superfluous； his energy did not abandon him a single day； and he emerged
from his cell the same man as when he entered。''＇14＇
＇14＇ Ibid。 p。 xxvi。
After the death of the Tsar Nicholas many political prisoners were
amnested； but Alexander II with his own hand erased Bakunin's name
from the list。 When Bakunin's mother succeeded in obtaining an interview
with the new Tsar； he said to her； ‘‘Know； Madame； that so long as your
son lives； he can never be free。'' However； in 1857； after eight years of
captivity； he was sent to the comparative freedom of Siberia。 From there；
in 1861； he succeeded in escaping to Japan； and thence through America to
London。 He had been imprisoned for his hostility to governments； but；
strange to say； his sufferings had not had the intended effect of making
him love those who inflicted them。 From this time onward； he devoted
himself to spreading the spirit of Anarchist revolt； without； however；
having to suffer any further term of imprisonment。 For some years he
lived in Italy； where he founded in 1864 an ‘‘International Fraternity'' or
‘‘Alliance of Socialist Revolutionaries。'' This contained men of many
countries； but apparently no Germans。 It devoted itself largely to
combating Mazzini's nationalism。 In 1867 he moved to Switzerland； where
in the following year he helped to found the ‘‘International Alliance of So…
cialist Democracy；'' of which he drew up the program。 This program gives
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a good succinct resume of his opinions：
The Alliance declares itself atheist； it desires the definitive and entire
abolition of classes and the political equality and social equalization of
individuals of both sexes。 It desires that the earth； the instrument of labor；
like all other capital； becoming the collective property of society as a
whole； shall be no longer able to be utilized except by the workers； that is
to say； by agricultural and industrial associations。 It recognizes that all
actually existing political and authoritarian States； reducing themselves
more and more to the mere administrative functions of the public services
in their respective countries； must disappear in the universal union of free
associations； both agricultural and industrial。
The International Alliance of Socialist Democracy desired to become
a branch of the International Working Men's Association； but was refused
admission on the ground that branches must be local； and could not
themselves be international。 The Geneva group of the Alliance； however；
was admitted later； in July； 1869。
The International Working Men's Association had been founded in
London in 1864； and its statutes and program were drawn up by Marx。
Bakunin at first did not expect it to prove a success and refused to join it。
But it spread with remarkable rapidity in many countries and soon became
a great power for the propagation of Socialist ideas。 Originally it was by
no means wholly Socialist； but in successive Congresses Marx won it over
more and more to his views。 At its third Congress； in Brussels in
September； 1868； it became definitely Socialist。 Meanwhile Bakunin；
regretting his earlier abstention； had decided to join it； and he brought with
him a considerable following in French…Switzerland； France； Spain and
Italy。 At the fourth Congress； held at Basle in September； 1869； two
currents were strongly marked。 The Germans and English followed Marx
in his belief in the State as it was to become after the abolition of private
property； they followed him also in his desire to found Labor Parties in the
various countries； and to utilize the machinery of democracy for the
election o* representatives of Labor to Parliaments。 On the other hand； the
Latin nations in the main followed Bakunin in opposing the State and
disbelieving in the machinery of representative government。 The conflict
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between these two groups grew more and more bitter； and each accused
the other of various offenses。 The statement that Bakunin was a spy was
repeated； but was withdrawn after investigation。 Marx wrote in a
confidential communication to his German friends that Bakunin was an
agent of the Pan…Slavist party and received from them 25；000 francs a year。
Meanwhile； Bakunin became for a time interested in the attempt to stir up
an agrarian revolt in Russia； and this led him to neglect the contest in the
International at a crucial moment。 During the Franco…Prussian war
Bakunin passionately took the side of France； especially after the fall of
Napoleon III。 He endeavored to rouse the people to revolutionary
resistance like that of 1793； and became involved in an abortive attempt at
revolt in Lyons。 The French Government accused him of being a paid
agent of Prussia； and it was with difficulty that he escaped to Switzerland。
The dispute with Marx and his followers had become exacerbated by the
national dispute。 Bakunin； like Kropotkin after him； regarded the new
power of Germany as the greatest menace to liberty in the world。 He hated
the Germans with a bitter hatred； partly； no doubt； on account of Bismarck；
but proba