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 to their own confusion. However, according to what I hear, the K. of L. are A REAL POWER in New England and in the West, and are becoming more so day by day as a result of the brutal opposition of the capitalists. I believe that it is necessary to work within it, TO BUILD UP WITHIN THIS STILL WHOLLY PLASTIC MASS A NUCLEUS OF PERSONS, UNDERSTANDING THE MOVEMENT AND ITS GOALS, AND THUS OF THEMSELVES TAKE OVER THE GUIDANCE OF AT LEAST A SECTION IN THE COMING UNAVOIDABLE SPLIT OF THE PRESENT 'ORDER.' … The first great step, which is of primary importance in every country first entering the movement, is always THE CONSTITUTION OF THE WORKERS AS AN INDEPENDENT POLITICAL PARTY NO MATTER OF WHAT KIND, SO LONG AS IT IS ONLY A DISTINCT WORKERS' PARTY … That the first program of this Party is still confused and extremely deficient, that it sets up H. George as its leader, are unavoidable evils, which, however, are only temporary. The masses must have the opportunity and the time to develop themselves; and they only have this opportunity as soon as they have their own movement—no matter in what form, if only it be their own movement—in which they will be driven forward by their own mistakes and will grow wise through Injury to themselves."

Engels compares—in 1886—the role of the Marxists in the American Labor movement with the role which the "Kommunistenbund" had to play amongst the workers' societies before 1848. At the same time, however, he points out the