The Inaugural Address and Challenges of the International Working Men's Association

The founding of the international working men's association was a momentous event in history, bringing together various groups with different ideologies. Disputes arose over the direction of the movement, with reformists, radicals, and anarchists each advocating their own approach. Some wanted a secretive vanguard, while others preferred an open mass movement. Conflicts also arose over the role of unions and the need for a central authority. It was a hot and messy beginning to an influential movement.