The Capolago congress, a meeting to establish an Italian anarchist federation, was held in

Capolago Capolago is a village situated at the south-eastern extremity of Lake Lugano, in the Swiss canton of Ticino. Originally a municipality in its own right, Capolago is now a quarter of the municipality of Mendrisio, itself part of the district of ...

, Switzerland, from January 4–6, 1891.

Events

The Capolago congress took place in

, Switzerland, from January 4–6, 1891. The meeting had previously been announced with an invitation for socialists of all kinds under a later date and different location to distract the authorities. Participating anarchists included

Errico Malatesta Errico Malatesta (4 December 1853 – 22 July 1932) was an Italian anarchist propagandist and revolutionary socialist. He edited several radical newspapers and spent much of his life exiled and imprisoned, having been jailed and expelled fro ...

Pietro Gori Pietro Gori (August 1, 1865–January 8, 1911) was an Italian lawyer, journalist, intellectual and anarchist poet. He is known for his political activities, and as author of some of the most famous anarchist songs of the late 19th century, i ...

Saverio Merlino Francesco Saverio Merlino (9 September 1856 – 30 June 1930) was an Italian lawyer, anarchist activist and theorist of libertarian socialism. Life Merlino was born on 9 September 1856 in Naples.Ettore Molinari Ettore Molinari (1867–1926) was an Italian chemist and anarchism in Italy, anarchist. References

1867 births 1926 deaths Italian anarchists Italian chemists {{anarchist-stub ...

, and . It was the first Italian anarchist gathering since the 1876 Florence Congress of the

First International The International Workingmen's Association (IWA), often called the First International (1864–1876), was an international organisation which aimed at uniting a variety of different left-wing socialist, communist and anarchist groups and ...

's Italian Federation. The Capolago congress inaugurated the ''Partito Socialista-anarchico-rivoluzionario'' as the anarchists established a common strategy, which the participants considered a reflection of the 1872

St. Imier Congress The St. Imier Congress was a meeting of the Jura Federation and anti-authoritarian apostates of the First International in September 1872. Background Among the ideological debates within the socialist First International, Karl Marx and ...

platform. The January Capolago congress put passed a resolution to celebrate, propagandize, and endorse a

general strike A general strike refers to a strike action in which participants cease all economic activity, such as working, to strengthen the bargaining position of a trade union or achieve a common social or political goal. They are organised by large coa ...

for

May Day May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Tr ...

Legacy

Historian Nunzio Pernicone described the congress as the movement's highest point since the First International's heyday.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{refend January 1891 events Anarchism in Italy Political congresses 1891 conferences 1891 in politics 1891 in Italy