International Socialist Workers and Trade Unionist Congress 1896

International Socialist Workers and Trade Unionist Congress, July 1896

From July 26 to August 1 1896, London hosted the Fourth Congress of the Second International, formally known as the International Congress of Socialist Workers and Trade Unionists.

The attendees were like a who's who of the international socialist movement - featuring figures as diverse as trade unionists Tom Mann, Keir Hardie, and Ben Tillett alongside revolutionary anarchists like Peter Kropotkin, Errico Malatesta, and Louise Michel. This very diversity fueled intense conflict.

The Congress has been described as "the most agitated, the most tumultuous, and the most chaotic of all the congresses of the Second International" because of the many factional disputes between and within the national delegations. The central, volatile debate revolved around the role of anarchists within the socialist movement. This dispute culminated immediately: at its opening session, the Congress voted to exclude anarchist delegates, formally expelling them from the International. This decisive act marked a definitive split between the revolutionary anarchist and Marxist-led social democratic wings of the workers' movement. 

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Walter Crane produced a souvenir collection of his drawings and writings, collated over the previous ten years – printed on the best quality paper and fastened together with a bright red ribbon – which were given out free to attendees at the Congress.

He called it Cartoons for the Cause and people were encouraged to use the artwork in their own publications. We've recreated Cartoons for the Cause (without the red ribbon unfortunately) and added a facsimile of the poster advertising the Congress, and the front cover of the Report - which Crane also decorated.

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Radical posters before the 20th century were predominantly text-based, primarily used to advertise events, meetings, and demonstrations rather than relying on colourful graphic imagery to convey ideas. While some did incorporate sketches or cartoons, these were relatively modest compared to the bold visual styles that emerged later.

Although the technology for producing striking graphics existed at the time and was widely used in commercial advertising, such vivid and imaginative designs were less common in political posters. It wasn’t until later that the kind of dynamic, visually arresting imagery often associated with the Russian and Spanish Revolutions blossomed in radical posters.

The posters in our pre-20th century selection reflect this earlier approach – they focus squarely on delivering a direct message, often employing dramatic language and typography to capture attention and provoke thought.