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Confession to Tsar Nicholas I
Bakunin, Mikhail
http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/bakunin/works/1851/confession.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/bakunin/works/1851/confession.htm Resource Type: Article Cx Number: CX14856 An excerpt from the 'confession' Mikhail Bakunin wrote in prison to explain his revolutionary goals and his ideas about how to organize a revolution. He writes: "I wanted to transform all Bohemia into a revolutionary camp, to create a force there capable not only of defending the revolution within the country, but also of taking the offensive outside Bohemia.... All clubs, newspapers, and all manifestations of an anarchy of mere talk were to be abolished, all submitted to one dictatorial power; the young people and all able-bodied men divided into categories according to their character, ability, and inclination were to be sent throughout the country to provide a provisional revolutionary and military organization. The secret society directing the revolution was to consist of three groups, independent of and unknown to each other: one for the townspeople, another for the youth, and a third for the peasants. Each of these societies was to adapt its action to the social character of the locality to which it was assigned. Each was to be organized on strict hierarchical lines, and under absolute discipline, These three societies were to be directed by a secret central committee composed of three or, at the most, five persons. In case the revolution was successful, the secret societies were not to be liquidated; on the contrary, they were to be strengthened and expanded, to take their place in the ranks of the revolutionary hierarchy." Subject Headings |