The International Socialist Workers and Trade Union Congress held in London from July 26 to August 1, 1896 was the fourth congress of the Second International. The congress has been described as "the most agitated, the most tumultuous, and the most chaotic of all the congresses of the Second International"Haupt, Georges La Deuxième Internationale, 1889-1914: étude critique des sources, essai bibliographique p. 153 because of the many factional disputes between and within the national delegations.
The congress was the only one of the Second International to have its proceedings published in English. The chairman was Henry Hyndman.
Country # of delegates Notes Germany 48 Representing the Social Democratic Party Great Britain 475 Representing the Social Democratic Federation, Fabian Society, Miners' Federation of Great Britain Austria 6 Australia 1 The Australians had deputized a London doctor to represent themThe Economic Journal, Vol. 6, No. 23 (September, 1896), pp. 460-465 Represented the Australian Socialist League. Bohemia 1 Bulgaria 4 Belgium 19 Denmark 7 Spain 6 United States 7 France 129 Netherlands 13 Hungary 3 Italy 13 Poland 13 Portugal 1 Romania 1 Russia 7 Sweden 2 Switzerland 12
Resolutions
The Congress passed resolutions on the Agrarian question, political action, education, the position of the working class regarding militarism, the industrial question and the further organization of social democracy. It also passed motions regarding the independence of Cuba, Macedonia and Armenia, tsarism, monarchism, and adopted a special address from the Bulgarian Social Democrats.Haupt, Georges La Deuxième Internationale, 1889-1914: étude critique des sources, essai bibliographique p. 154
References
External links Proceedings of the International Worker's Congress, London, July-August, 1896 Rosa Luxemburg, The Polish Question at the International Congress in London V. I. Lenin on London Congress' resolution on the right of nations to self-determination