I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 275 First Contact with Engels and the Veteran Mikhail

In short, the most significant changes in the thought of Marx and Engels began with their inheritance and sublation of Hegel's philosophy.

Before around 1840, Hegel's doctrines were still considered the state philosophy of Prussia. In part of Hegel's philosophy, he revered the state as the embodiment of ethical concepts, as something absolutely rational and the absolute end itself. Therefore, he believed that the state had supreme authority over the individual, and the highest obligation of the individual was to become a member of the state.

This doctrine of the state was extremely appealing to Prussian bureaucrats because it cloaked the investigation of crimes such as "incitement" in a veneer of honor.

However, the thunder of the July Revolution in France in 1830 resounded throughout Europe, breaking the silence that had enveloped the continent under the rule of reactionary forces. Following this revolution, revolutions broke out in Belgium, Poland, Italy, and Spain, and class struggle in Britain also intensified.
In Germany, although the revolutionary voices did not cause much chaos, the police repression could no longer suppress the discontent in people's hearts. Since the anti-government elements did not dare to appear openly on the political stage as a political party, they organized many literary and philosophical groups to express their still not bold criticism through art and philosophical works.

Hegel's left-wing students, the so-called Young Hegelians, also belonged to this type of group opposing the government.

The reason they are called leftists is that the dialectics in Hegel's philosophy led some of Hegel's students to another conclusion: since everything is changing, and since everything that exists will eventually die and give way to something new, then isn't it a natural conclusion that the Prussian autocracy, the rule of the serf owners, and the tyrannical police system must also be eliminated?
Thus, Hegel's left-wing students attempted to derive radical political conclusions from his philosophy.

In other words, the Tokugawa reforms, under the banner of Hegel, arrived at the conclusions they desired.

However, since politics was a taboo subject in Prussia at the time, the criticisms of the Hegelian left were mainly directed at religion, one of the foundations of the Prussian monarchy.

It was only at this point that the Prussian government finally realized its mistake and hastily recalled the great philosopher Schelling to Berlin in 1841 to succeed Hegel as the head of philosophy. Schelling did attempt to curb the prevailing Hegelian philosophical wave, but he was unsuccessful.

The reason for mentioning these things is that Marx and Engels were both members of the Young Hegelians. In fact, after arriving in Berlin in 1841, Engels even created a pseudonym to fiercely criticize Schelling's reactionary idealism.

However, this was not enough to satisfy them, because the Hegelians lacked something very important, something that could perhaps be simply summarized in a sentence from Marx's "Theses on Feuerbach," written in the spring of 1845:

"Philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it."

After coming into contact with contemporary communist thought and the workers' movement, Marx and Engels gradually became communists and began to integrate the philosophical ideas they absorbed with reality, leading to the classic statement that followed:

The intellectual sources of Marxism primarily include German classical philosophy, British classical political economy, and the utopian socialist doctrines of Britain and France. Marx and Engels critically absorbed Hegel's dialectics and Feuerbach's materialism from German classical philosophy.
At this moment, while Mikhail, dressed simply and bundled up quite tightly, was pondering the above things, he was also carefully observing his surroundings using some tricks he had learned from the British detective Jonathan.

Although attending rallies doesn't seem dangerous, it was Mikhail's first time doing it, and he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Of course, it is also mainly related to Bakunin providing Mikhail with a typical example.

In short, Bakunin was once an important member of the Young Hegelians, and just a few years ago he wrote an article entitled "Reaction in Germany," in which he used popular language to directly portray Hegel as a revolutionary philosopher.

This article directly earned Bakunin prestige among progressives throughout Europe. However, the rebellious Bakunin soon began to feel that these abstract speculations were not very meaningful. After learning about French communist ideas, he quickly developed a strong interest in them, simply because he felt that the plans of these French thinkers seemed more practical and concrete.

Soon after, in 1843, Bakunin obtained a letter of introduction and went directly to Weitling, who advocated the violent overthrow of the state, the confiscation of property, and the ruthless execution of all enemies of communism. This meeting was of great significance to Bakunin's life, directly enabling him to transform from a purely theoretical philosopher into a practical revolutionary.

The problem is that during the time the two met, Weitling wrote a "reactionary book," The Gospel of a Poor Sinner, in which he portrayed Jesus as the first rebel and communist, and sent the book to the printing press.

After hearing rumors, the Zurich authorities first searched the printing press, sentenced Weitling to six months in prison and deported him. They then commissioned a report in which Bakunin was identified as one of Weitling's accomplices.

Although the Swiss authorities did not take any action against Bakunin, the astute Russian legation reported the matter in detail to St. Petersburg, and the Russian authorities, upon receiving the news, quickly ordered Bakunin to return to Russia immediately.

But after learning the news, Bakunin initially pretended to comply, but the next day he ran away.

So, a few months later, the Tsar personally signed a secret decree that not only stripped Bakunin of his noble title, but also exiled him indefinitely to Siberia to perform hard labor.
All I can say is that Nicholas I was a tough guy who didn't talk much. Given Bakunin's family background, in other European countries he would have just received a reprimand or warning, but Nicholas I really took this kind of thing seriously.
In other words, Bakunin is now a full-fledged exile, and in two years he will indeed be deported back to Russia to serve his sentence.

With an example right beside him, Mikhail felt it was best to be cautious.

Under these circumstances, it was obviously impossible for Mikhail to come with Bakunin, but fortunately, Mikhail had his own sources of information.

After all, Mikhail had a fairly good relationship with many ordinary people when he was still in Paris, and he had a group of such workers under his command. After making inquiries from various sources, Mikhail quickly got the results he wanted.

Before long, Mikhail finally arrived at his destination, which was the basement entrance of a small café. The area was crowded with workers in coarse cloth, grease-stained mechanical apprentices, and some young students wearing glasses. A vigilant guard stood at the door; clearly, this was a rather clandestine gathering.

The French government today is far from being very enlightened, but Paris is so big that it wouldn't be difficult to hold a relatively discreet conference.

Mikhail waited for a while with a mix of trepidation and curiosity. Soon after, he joined the crowd and entered the somewhat cramped meeting room. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and dampness, and the tables and chairs were crammed together. Dozens of people were squeezed into the center.

In the very center, Mikhail immediately spotted a tall, well-proportioned young man.

He has exceptionally confident and optimistic eyes, and a heroic bearing, like a soldier. At the same time, his movements are quick and steady, and his speech is concise and powerful. After just a short observation, one can immediately get the impression that he is a highly talented person.

After entering, Mikhail stared at the young man for a while. When he finally reacted and found an inconspicuous spot to sit down, the young man standing in the center quickly bowed slightly to everyone present and said:
"Gentlemen and friends, my name is Friedrich Engels, and I come from the Communist Correspondence Committee in Brussels."

After introducing himself, the young man, whose voice was infectious, went straight to the point:

"Gentlemen, at the very beginning, I would like to ask you what you think communism really is? Is it like Mr. Groon, who, based on the spirit of Mr. Proudhon, promoted and organized workers' associations and used the workers' funds to build workshops, so that employers would lose their labor force?"
Or is it about that outlandish plan to buy off the whole of France with workers' savings?
I think I should talk about what we believe to be the intentions of the communists: 1. To safeguard the interests of the proletariat, which are contrary to those of the bourgeoisie. 2. To achieve this by abolishing private ownership and replacing it with public ownership of property. 3. To believe that there is no other way to achieve these goals except through a violent democratic revolution.

Please feel free to share your thoughts, and I will respond to each one.

After these words, as the young man delivered his impassioned speech, criticized Proudhonism, and as time went on, the atmosphere in the room became increasingly heated, and many people with certain views couldn't help but start arguing.

As these heated debates continue, some things that were originally vague seem to be gradually becoming clearer.
Mikhail didn't participate much; he simply observed and contemplated the scene in silence, feeling the passion and enthusiasm of the young man standing in the center, and savoring the emotional speeches from people who seemed to come from different social classes. Even though Mikhail knew a lot, witnessing such a scene made many things seem less important.

A struggle is not only one that has a result; often, the struggle itself is already a result.

Perhaps it is precisely because so many people have come in the past for lofty ideals and beautiful things that the future is all the more worth looking forward to.

What would the world be like if some things had never been here?

As Mikhail fell silent, the small meeting seemed to be gradually reaching a consensus, and Engels breathed a sigh of relief, both pleased and moved, as he saw that this consensus was developing in a positive direction.

His trip to Paris was certainly a great responsibility, as he wrote in a letter to Marx: "It is sad that we still have to come out against such absurd ideas. But we must be patient. I will not let these heroes get away with it. I will not rest until I have defeated Grond and cleared the garbage from their heads."

Fortunately, things went relatively smoothly for him since he arrived in Paris, and this time seemed to be no exception. However, as the conference gradually came to an end, Engels, whose attention had become somewhat distracted, couldn't help but look at a young man sitting in the corner.

At first, the young man seemed rather cautious and careful, but as he listened, his cautious demeanor completely disappeared, replaced by an indescribable seriousness and contemplation.

Of course, the most important thing is that he appeared too calm in such a situation, and a young person should rarely have such a demeanor.

As Engels pondered the matter, the meeting essentially came to an end as most people gradually reached a consensus and accepted the principles he had mentioned earlier. However, as the meeting adjourned, Engels inevitably had to answer questions from those who still had much to say.

After these people left one by one, a young man whom Engels had been paying attention to earlier walked over.

The closer he got, the more surprised Engels became by his youth and appearance. When the young man came over and extended his hand, Engels did not hesitate and directly reached out and shook hands with him firmly.

Before Engels could say anything, the young man, who looked like he had just graduated from university, said directly: "Respected Mr. Engels, I am prepared to support your cause. How many tens of thousands of francs would be appropriate?"

Engels: "?"

Frankly speaking, as a young man in his twenties, Engels, like his friends, didn't have much money at all; he could only support a series of activities for the time being.

Organizations like theirs are certainly short of money, so why is this young man able to come up with such a large sum of money?
Could he be the descendant of some great nobleman or merchant?
Given his background and wealth, why would he pay attention to the workers' movement and even contribute to it?

Or is this a conspiracy?
Engels, shocked, couldn't help but ask, "You mean you're planning to provide tens of thousands of francs in aid? Forgive my bluntness, but in that case, it could very well be considered our cause. If you're not joking, may I ask who you are?"

"I'd call myself a translator, and I'm currently doing some translation work. If you need anything, you can contact me. I'm fluent in Chinese and Russian."

Upon hearing the other person speak what sounded like more than a dozen languages, Engels was speechless.

Are you really not kidding?
And how did he learn Chinese? Does he really know it?
Although it felt somewhat absurd, Engels still politely asked, "Then may I ask what your name is? I still don't know your name."

"Can you promise me you won't reveal this name to a second person?"

Mikhail, who had prepared a pseudonym, looked at the face that was both familiar and unfamiliar. After careful consideration, he finally said, "This is quite important to me. If you agree, I am willing to trust your character."

Engels: "?"

Why is it getting more and more mysterious?

Could he really be the descendant of some important figure? Would publicly participating in such a gathering damage his reputation?
Otherwise, how could a young man like him have such a great reputation?

Although Engels was completely bewildered, seeing the young man's serious expression, he finally nodded solemnly and said:

“I promise you, sir, I will not tell a second person.”

"I'm so sorry for the trouble."

With a slightly apologetic smile, Mikhail finally spoke:
"I am Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov, it is an honor to meet you."

I, Mikhail, am now becoming a veteran.
Just as Mikhail was thinking this, Engels was taken aback when he heard the somewhat complicated name, but for some reason, he felt that he had heard the name many times before.
After thinking for a while, Engels finally seemed to realize something: "???"

Could it really be him? Could it be him?

Why would a young man with such a bright future choose to participate in this cause?
Seeing Engels' strange expression and hesitation, Mikhail was surprised that the other might have heard of him, but finally, in response to Engels' question, he asked, "Are you Mr. Mikhail, the poet, playwright, and writer who has a great reputation in France and England?"

Mikhail nodded and replied, "Yes, I am. But I probably don't have much of a reputation."

"You underestimate yourself."

Looking at the young man before him, Engels, still feeling somewhat incredulous, couldn't help but take two steps before turning to Mikhail and saying:
"I've thought I might visit you if I had the chance, and my friends have mentioned it to me as well, but I never imagined I'd meet you in a setting like this."

(End of this chapter)