SECOND INTERNATIONAL

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Socialism

Currents

Christian socialism
Communism
Democratic socialism
Libertarian socialism
Revolutionary socialism
Social democracy

Influences

Anarchism
Internationalism
Marxism
Trade unionism
Utilitarianism
Utopian socialism

Ideas

Class struggle
Democracy
Egalitarianism
Equality of outcome
Proletarian revolution

Key issues

Types of socialism
Socialist economics
History of socialism
Criticisms of socialism

People and organizations

List of socialists
First International
Second International
Socialist International

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The Second International (1889-1916) was an organization formed in 1889 (after several years of preparation) by socialist and labour parties who wished to work together for international socialism. It continued the work of the dissolved First International, though excluding the still-powerful anarcho-syndicalist movement and unions, and was in existence until 1916.

Among the Second International's most famous actions were its (1889) declaration of 1st May as International Labour Day and its (1910) declaration of 8th March as International Women's Day.

The Second International dissolved during World War I, in 1916, following the 1915 Zimmerwald Conference of anti-war socialists, as the separate national parties that composed it did not maintain a unified front against the war, instead generally supporting their respective nations' role. French socialist leader Jean Jaurès's assassination, a few days before the beginning of the war, symbolized the failure of the antimilitarism doctrine of the Second International.

In 1920, the defunct Second International was reorganized. However, some European socialist parties refused to join the reorganized international, and decided instead to form the International Working Union of Socialist Parties (IWUSP) ("Second and a half International" or "Two-and-a-half International"), heavily influenced by Austromarxism. In 1923, IWUSP and the Second International merged to form the Labour and Socialist International. This international continued to exist until 1940. After World War II, the Socialist International was formed to continue the policies of the Labour and Socialist International, and it continues to this day. However, the Socialist International of today, having turned to the right and embraced social democracy, no longer advocates socialism.