The International Workingmen's Association

A meeting opened at saint martin's hall on september 20, eighth, 18 64. It brought together quite an array of reformers and revolutionaries who had very little in common besides a general alienation from the social, economic and political status quo. There was a sense that as long as the enemies of the status quo remained separated from each other, that the reactionary defenders of this status quo would always win. Sharing an enemy, they hoped that they could become allies, if not quite friends. Those assembled voted unanimously to found an international workingmen's association,. They then creatively dubbed the international working men's association. This is a bit of a mouthful, so in time, it became