"Germany is Pregnant with the Social Revolution"

The reading that I did for this assignment was "A Call to the Workers of the World" by Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Liebknecht, Klara Zetkin and Franz Mehring. Personally, I think it is interesting to learn about the life of Rosa Lievknect in connection to this article. She was highly educated and headed various revolts against multiple governments since the 1870s. She was imprisoned multiple times and ultimately executed for her stances. In August of 1914, Rosa Luxemburg along with the other authors of this particular piece founded the Die Internationale group (or the Spartacus League), which was well-known for publishing articles criticizing the Bolsheviks and warning of dictatorship. They generally wrote to move the working class to revolt and take power. Therefore, by 1918 (when this was written), Rosa and her counterparts were well-known and accepted as leaders by a large group of the proletariat. They were trusted and admired by their followers.

Written in 1918, this marks both the end of World War One and the beginnings of the German Proletariat Revolution. "Europe has been ruined by this damnable slaughter. Twelve million bodies cover the gruesome scenes of this imperialistic crime." Specifically, this piece was written soon after Rosa Luxemburg was released from jail and while she was working to create a revolutionary working class. This piece of revolutionary rhetoric is interesting because it does not simply call for action in Germany. The authors wrote it to the worldwide proletariat class. "This great task cannot be accomplished by the German proletariat alone; it can only fight and triumph by appealing to the solidarity of the proletarians of the whole world."

The article itself is teeming with blame and a call to action. They blame the current government for all their problems--all the death and destruction that has been brought upon the working class. Furthermore, they blame capitalism: "The beast of capital that conjured up the hell of the world war is incapable of banishing it, of restoring real order, of insuring bread and work, peace and civilization, justice and liberty, to tortured humanity." Imbedded within the blame, the authors call the proletariat to action. They say, "Arise for the struggle! Arise for action! The time for empty manifestos, platonic resolutions, and high-sounding words is gone! The hour of action has struck for the International!" The whole article is filled with emotion and their desire is to not just change people's minds, but cause them to act.