By KARL LIEBKNECHT*
Speech rejecting the approval of war credits in the German Parliament, December 1914. Karl Liebknecht was the only one among the 111 deputies of the German Social Democratic Party to vote against war credits
I justify my vote on today's proposal as follows: this war, which none of the peoples involved wanted for themselves, did not break out for the well-being of the Germans or any other people. It is an imperialist war, a war for capitalist domination of the world market, for the political domination of important territories for industrial and banking capital.
From the point of view of the arms race, this is a preventive war waged jointly by the German and Austrian war parties in the shadows of semi-absolutism and secret diplomacy. It is a Bonapartist operation to demoralize and destroy the growing workers' movement. The last few months have taught us this clearly, despite the general confusion.
The slogan “Against Tsarism” – similar to the current English and French slogan “Against Militarism” – was intended to mobilize the noblest instincts, revolutionary traditions and hopes of the people in the direction of hatred of the people. Germany, an accomplice of Tsarism, a model of political backwardness to this day, is not qualified to be a liberator of peoples. The liberation of the Russian people and also of the German people must be their own task.
The war is not a German defensive war. Its historical character and its course so far forbid one to trust a capitalist government whose purpose for which it demands force is the defense of the fatherland.
A speedy and in no way humiliating peace, a peace without conquests, must be demanded; all efforts to achieve it are legitimate. Only the simultaneous and continuous strengthening of the movements for such a peace in all the belligerent countries can put an end to the bloody slaughter before the complete annihilation of all the peoples involved. Only a peace cultivated on the basis of the international solidarity of the working class and the freedom of all peoples can be secure. This applies to the proletariat of all the countries still at war, to carry out socialist work for peace.
I approve the emergency credits in the amount requested, which, for me, is far from sufficient. I do not vote for anything beyond what will alleviate the hard lot of our brothers in the field, the wounded and sick, for whom I have the sincerest compassion; here, too, no requisition will be sufficient for me.
However, in protest against the war, its leaders and leaders, against the capitalist policy that provoked it, against the capitalist objectives it pursues, against the annexation plans, against the breaking of Belgian and Luxembourg neutrality, against the military dictatorship, against the social and political neglect of which the government and the ruling classes are still guilty today, I refuse the requested war credits.
*Karl Liebknecht (1871-1919) was a member of parliament in Germany and leader of the Spartacist movement.
Translation: V.Souza, Mr. Nogueira & P. Mosque.
Originally published in .
As January 15 approaches – the day in 1919 when Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht were assassinated by police officers of the German social democratic government – we publish texts that recover the legacy of these important revolutionaries.
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