Communist International

Long ago, a new group formed in Moscow. It was called the Comintern. A leader named Lenin helped start it. The group wanted to change the world. They wanted workers to own things together.

Many people traveled far to meet. They had many rules to follow. The group changed its plans many times. Later, a leader named Stalin took control. The group ended many years later. It was a big part of history.

The Comintern was a big group of communist parties. It started in Moscow in March 1919. A leader named Vladimir Lenin helped found it. The group wanted to change the world. They wanted workers to own things together.

At a big meeting in 1920, they made strict rules. These rules were called the Twenty-one Conditions. New members had to follow them exactly. They also had to follow the Russian model.

Later, the group changed its ways. A leader named Joseph Stalin took control.

The group's plans shifted many times. From 1934, they tried to work with other groups. This was called the Popular Front. They did this to fight against fascism. They even helped during the Spanish Civil War.

However, things were also very hard in Russia. Many group members were arrested and killed. In 1939, the group changed its view on war. Finally, Stalin ended the Comintern in 1943. It had lasted for many years.

The Communist International was a large group of political parties. Some people called it the Comintern. Others called it the Third International. This group existed from 1919 to 1943. Its main goal was to spread communism across the whole world. They wanted to change how the world worked. They believed workers should own things together instead of private owners. This idea was a big part of their mission.

To join the group, parties had to follow strict rules.

These rules were known as the Twenty-one Conditions. They were written to make sure all members acted the same way. New parties had to remove leaders who did not agree with them. They also had to follow the Russian model of organizing. This meant they had to show great discipline. Every decision made by the main committee was binding for all members.

This group grew out of older movements from the past.

Before the Comintern, there were the First and Second Internationals. The First International was led by thinkers named Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. The Second International was a looser group of socialist parties. However, the Second International fell apart during World War I in 1914. Many of those parties chose to support their own countries in the war. Vladimir Lenin thought this was a betrayal of their goals.

Vladimir Lenin helped start the Comintern in Moscow in March 1919.

He led the Russian Communist Party, also called the Bolsheviks. The first meeting had fifty-one delegates in the Kremlin. Only nine of those people came from outside of Russia. Later, Joseph Stalin became a very powerful leader in the Soviet Union.

Under his leadership, the group became more centralized. This meant the leaders in Russia had more control over everyone else.

Over the years, the group changed its plans many times. In 1934, they started a policy called the Popular Front.

This policy encouraged working with other groups to fight fascism. They even helped organize the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.

In 1939, they changed their view on war again. Finally, Stalin ended the Comintern on May 15, 1943. This happened during World War II to show support to his allies.

The Communist International, often called the Comintern, was a global political organization. It functioned from 1919 until 1943. The group was also known as the Third International. Its primary mission was to advocate for world communism. This meant they wanted to overthrow the system of capitalism everywhere. They believed workers should own property and industry collectively.

To understand the Comintern, one must look at its predecessors. The First International emerged in 1864 under Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It aimed to unite the proletariat, or the working class, against capitalism. Later, the Second International formed in 1889 as a looser federation. This group included various socialist factions like centrists and reformists. However, the Second International collapsed during World War I in 1914. Most member parties chose to support their own national governments. Vladimir Lenin called this a betrayal of socialist values. He believed a new, more disciplined international was necessary.

The Comintern was officially founded in March 1919 in Moscow. Vladimir Lenin and the Russian Communist Party, or Bolsheviks, convened the first congress. At this meeting, fifty-one delegates gathered in the Kremlin. Because of an Allied blockade, only nine delegates came from abroad. Most attendees were already living in Soviet Russia. Leon Trotsky presented a famous manifesto during this time. He argued that workers' councils, called soviets, were the best way to achieve unity. The group elected an Executive Committee to lead its operations.

Membership in the Comintern required following strict requirements. These were known as the Twenty-one Conditions.

These rules were designed to ensure all parties followed the Bolshevik model. Members had to remove any reformist leaders from their ranks. They also had to combine legal work with illegal revolutionary activity. Every member party had to show iron discipline. Crucially, all decisions made by the central committee were binding for every member. This created a highly centralized and disciplined global network.

As time passed, the organization underwent a process called "Bolshevization." This meant the structure became more centralized under Soviet control. The Russian Communist Party gained dominance over all other members. This trend intensified when Joseph Stalin rose to power in the Soviet Union.

During the period from 1928 to 1933, known as the Third Period, policies became even more rigid. The Comintern began calling democratic socialist parties "social fascists." This meant they viewed moderate socialists as enemies of the revolution.

The Comintern's strategy shifted again in the mid-1930s. In 1934, they adopted the Popular Front policy. This approach encouraged broad alliances with socialist and liberal parties. The goal was to unite against the rise of fascism.

The Comintern helped organize support for the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. This included the formation of the International Brigades.

However, this era also saw the Great Purge in the Soviet Union. During this time, many Comintern officials were arrested or executed.

Geopolitics caused another major change in 1939. After the German–Soviet Non-aggression Pact was signed, the Comintern changed its stance. It stopped fighting fascism and called the war an "imperialist war." This lasted until Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941. Finally, on May 15, 1943, Joseph Stalin dissolved the Comintern. He did this to show support for the Soviet Union's Allies during World War II. Although the formal organization ended, Soviet influence on communist movements continued for many years.