St. Imier Congress

[1] Among the ideological debates within the socialist First International, Karl Marx and Mikhail Bakunin disagreed on the revolutionary role of the working class and political struggle.

[2] Marx arranged the International's 1872 Congress in The Hague, the Netherlands, where Bakunin could not attend without arrest in Germany or France.

[3] The Hague Congress sided with Marx[2] and expelled Bakunin from the International over aspects of his dissent and person, causing a split that would ultimately end the organization.

[5] Before the vote, they presented a signed Minority Declaration, in which they expressed that the Congress's business ran counter to their represented countries' principles.

They wished to retain administrative contact and maintain federative autonomy within the International in lieu of splitting it.

Bakunin presented his drafts for an Alliance organization to serve allied delegates in the International, but few took the effort seriously.