A Critique of the Draft Social-Democratic Programme of 1891
III. Economic Demands
Section summary
In a short section on the demands for the protection of labour, Engels stresses that in Germany the right of combination needs protecting against the state itself. He warns that chambers of labour composed half of workers and half of employers would always have employer majorities, and prefers a separate workers’ chamber. He recommends comparing the French programme.
On 2. Nowhere more than in Germany does the right of combination also need safeguarding against the state.
The closing sentence, “for the regulation”, etc., should be added as Article 4 and put into the appropriate form. With regard to this it should be remarked that with chambers of labour made up half of workers and half of employers we should be taken in. For years to come the majorities there will always be on the side of the employers, for which one black sheep among the workers is enough. Unless it is agreed that in disputes the two halves give their opinions separately, it would be much better to have a chamber of employers and beside it an independent chamber of workers.
I would ask you, before the gates close, to compare the French programme once more, where precisely for No. III a good deal seems better. The Spanish one, I am sorry to say, I cannot look out in the shortness of the time; it too is very good in many respects.