Ernest Belfort Bax (1854-1925) was born at Leamington, was a barrister
and was an important propagandist and historian. He is important as the
source through which many of the Marxist and materialist ideas of
history were disseminated through the English speaking world.. Marx noted
his efforts with approval in a letter to Sorge. He took part in the foundation
of the Social Democratic Federation and collaborated in its organ, Justice,
and in the monthly, To-Day, which he first tried to run independently
but, owing to lack of funds, had to make over to Hyndman in 1884. He broke
with Hyndman at the end of 1884 and together with Morris and Eleanor Marx-Aveling
etc, helped to form the Socialist League, which, however, later fell under
anarchist influence. After the death of Morris his increasingly eccentric
views about feminism came to the fore and finally, during the First World
War he went over to chauvinist positions seeing the main threat to his
rather romanticised Republican France in the anti-democratic and aristocratic
Junkers of Germany. He resumed his relations with Hyndman and his biography
by Robert. Arch (EB Bax, Thinker and Pioneer, Hyndman Literary Committee,
(1927)) [24 pages] was written by a member of Hyndman's surviving but tiny
rump organisation.
Marx to Sorge London, 15 December, 1881
Lastly there was published on the first December last (I shall send
you a copy of it) in the monthly review, Modern Thought, an article:
"Leaders of Modern Thought"; No. XXIII - Karl Marx. By Ernest Belfort Bax.
Now this is the first English publication of the kind which is pervaded
by a real enthusiasm for the new ideas themselves and boldly stands up
against Brit. Philistinism. That does not prevent that the biographical
notices the author gives of me are mostly wrong, etc. In the exposition
of my economic principles and in his translations (i.e., quotations of
the Capital) much is wrong and confused, but with all that the appearance
of this article, announced in large letters by placards on the walls of
Westend London, has produced a great sensation. What was most important
for me, I received the said number of Modern Thought already on
the 30th of November, so that my dear wife had the last days of her life
still cheered up. You know the passionate interest she took in all such
affairs.
Last modified: Apr 05, 2001, /english/bax/introduction_to_bax.html