International after 150 Years

George Comninel has written books and articles on French Revolution and Marxism. His next volume, Marx’s Conception of Alienation and Emancipation, is forthcoming with Palgrave Macmillan (2015).Marcello Musto teaches Sociological Theory at York University, Toronto. His books, articles and chapters have been published worldwide in sixteen languages. Among his edited and co-authored volumes are: Karl Marx’s ‘Grundrisse’ (Routledge 2008); Marx for Today (Routledge 2012); Workers Unite! The International 150 Years Later (Bloomsbury 2014). www.marcellomusto.orgVictor Wallis is the Managing Editor of Socialism and Democracy and the author of several articles on Marxism and Labor movement.

The International After 150 Years, edited by Comninel, Musto, and Wallis, although marking an important anniversary, could not have come at a better time. A century and a half after its birth, the lessons of the International Working Men’s Association are now once again directly relevant to the world in which we live. The global assault of capitalism on workers and popular movements everywhere demands the creation in response of a New International - one which, as Marcello Musto eloquently says in his chapter, "cannot evade that twin requirement" of the old International: "it must be plural and it must be anti-capitalist."John Bellamy Foster, editor of Monthly Review This fine volume brings together leading scholars and movement activists in commemorating a turning point in the history of workers’ struggles. It strikes a fruitful balance between reflections on the labour movement’s past, and critical analysis of the present global situation.Ellen Meiksins Wood, author of Democracy Against CapitalismAs capital became more mobile and global in the late 20th century, labor was slow to catch up. Now, workers under siege throughout the world better understand the need for cross-border solidarity and coordinated action against common corporate adversaries. This timely collection examines the origins of socialist-inspired labor internationalism and some of the challenges facing union campaigners today in the global north and south. The First International after 150 Years provides insights and inspiration for activists and academics alike.Steve Early author of Save Our Unions: Dispatches from a Movement in DistressThis book is an especially timely and crucial reference now. Another global capitalist crisis, deepening inequalities of wealth and income, provokes again basic questions and challenges to capitalism. People need and increasingly want to learn (and build on) the critical lessons from the theories and practices of previous generations that sought to do better than capitalism. This book directly serves such needs and wants.Richard D. Wolff, Prof. of Economics Emeritus, Univ. of Massachusetts, USA

• 1. Introduction 2. On the History and Legacy of the First International 3. Documents from the International Workingmen’s Association 4. Marx and the Politics of the First International 5. Capitalist Crisis, Cooperative Labor, and the Conquest of Political Power: Marx’s ‘Inaugural Address’ (1864) and its Relevance in the Current Moment 6. A Common Banner: Marxists and Anarchists in the First International 7. Race, Internationalism and Labor: Reflections upon the 150th Anniversary of the First International 8. The International Working Class in 1864 and Today 9. The Strength of Our Collective Voice: Views of Labor Leaders from around the World 10. The German War on American Workers: Deutsche Telekom in the United States 11. Barriers and Openings to a New Socialist Internationalism: South African Histories, Strategies and Narratives 12. Book Review: Marcello Musto, ed., Workers Unite! The International 150 Years Later Reviewed by George Comninel