Anti-Duhring Herr Eugen Duhring Revolutin in Science

The following work is by no means the fruit of any inner urge. On the contrary.

When three years ago Herr Dhring, as an adept and at the same time a reformer of socialism, suddenly issued his challenge to his age, friends in Germany repeatedly urged on me their desire that I should write a critical examination of this new socialist theory for the central organ of the Social-D emocratic Party, at that time the Volksstaat. They thought this absolutely necessary in order to prevent a new occasion for sectarian divisions and confusion from developing within the Party, which was still so young and had but just achieved definite unity. They were in a better position than I was to judge the situation in Germany, and I was therefore compelled to accept their view. Moreover it became apparent that the new convert was being welcomed by a section of the socialist press with a warmth which it is true was only extended to Herr Dhring sgood will, but which at tlie same time also indicated that in this section of the Party press, there existed the good will, precisely on account of Herr Dhring sgood will, to take also without examination Herr Dhring sdoctrine into the bargain. There were also people who were already beginning to spread this doctrine in a popularised form among the workers. And finally Herr Dhring and his little sect were using all the arts of advertisement and intrigue to force the Volksstaat to take a definite stand in relation to the new doctrine which had come forward with such mighty pretensions.