The Practice Of Socialist Internationalism

Annotation How did the early-20th century socialist parties of Britain, France, and Germany cooperate with each other to create a united vision on international issues? Talbot Imlay offers a new perspective on how European socialists 'practised internationalism', addressing issues such as post-war reconstruction, European integration, and decolonization.

This volume examines how numerous international transfers, circulations, and exchanges shaped the world of socialism during the Cold War. Over the course of half a century, the Soviets shaped politics, values and material culture throughout the vast space of Eurasia, and foreign forces in turn often influenced Soviet policies and society. The result was the distinct and interconnected world of socialism, or the Socialist Second World. Drawing on previously unavailable archival sources and cutting-edge insights from “New Cold War” and transnational histories, the twelve contributors to this volume focus on diverse cultural and social forms of this global socialist exchange: the cults of communist leaders, literature, cinema, television, music, architecture, youth festivals, and cultural diplomacy. The book’s contributors seek to understand the forces that enabled and impeded the cultural consolidation of the Socialist Second World. The efforts of those who created this world, and the limitations on what they could do, remain key to understanding both the outcomes of the Cold War and a recent legacy that continues to shape lives, cultures and policies in post-communist states today.

Dr. Borkenau discusses the ideals of international socialism in the light of the realities of a world of strife and struggle. He maintains that socialist internationalism of the old type has little relation to the problems of the present. The world has become much more nationalist, and the labour movements of all countries have had to give in to the forces of nationalism. He is sceptical of the revival of liberal-democratic internationalism in the League, and the attempt to revive the League in the shape of a Federal Union. He believes however, that powerful forces are working in the direction of the growth of supernational units, and points to symptoms of an impending sudden collapse of nationalism which would enable Labour to put itself at the head of an Anglo-American peace similar to the Roman piece which for centuries gave quiet and prosperity to the world.

This book offers a new view of the twentieth century, placing international ideas and institutions at its heart.

The political history of modern Europe may be seen in terms of continuous interaction between rivalling forms of internationalism and diverse kinds of nationalism. This book distinguishes, analyses and presents the different kinds and varieties of internationalist and nationalist ideology that have played significant parts in the international politics of the region, particularly since the Second World War. It indicates the origins of each pattern of thought, traces its development, brings out its relationship with other strands of thought and outlines its major political influences. The emphasis is on internationalist support for and nationalist opposition to the principal regional international organizations.