Engels to Bernstein June 17 1879

For a number of years past the English working-
class movement has been hopelessly describing a 
narrow circle of strikes for higher wages and 
shorter hours, not, however, as an expedient or 
means of propaganda and organization but as the 
ultimate aim.

The Trades Unions even bar all political action on 
principle and in their charters, and thereby also 
ban participation in any general activity of the 
working class as a class. The workers are divided 
politically into Conservatives and Liberal 
Radicals, into supporters of the Disraeli 
(Beaconsfield) ministry and supporters of the 
Gladstone ministry. One can speak here of a labour 
movement only in so far as strikes take place here 
which, whether they are won or not, do not get the 
movement one step further. . . . No attempt should 
be made to conceal the fact that at present no 
real labour movement in the Continental sense 
exists here, and I therefore believe you will not 
lose much if for the time being you do not receive 
any reports on the doings of the Trades Unions 
here.