Critique of the Gotha Programme

Historical Context and Significance

Karl Marx's «Critique of the Gotha Programme», written in 1875, is an important document in the history of the socialist movement. This work was aimed at critiquing the programme adopted at the unification congress of two German socialist parties in Gotha. Marx sharply criticized the compromising nature of the programme, which he believed deviated from revolutionary principles. He emphasized the necessity of the dictatorship of the proletariat as a transitional phase towards communism and criticized ideas that could lead to reformism. The work had a significant impact on the development of Marxist theory and practice, highlighting the importance of theoretical clarity and principle in political struggle. «Critique of the Gotha Programme» became an important text for subsequent generations of socialists and communists, forming the basis for further discussions on the strategy and tactics of the labor movement.