The International Workingmen's Association

The International Workingmen's Association (IWMA), also known as the First International, was founded in 1864 as a global organization uniting workers and socialists to promote workers’ rights, improve working conditions, and explore social reforms. It aimed to foster solidarity among workers across different countries and advocate for political changes like better wages, hours, and social justice. The IWMA included various political philosophies, from Marxists to reformists, and played a key role in shaping early labor movements. It dissolved in 1876 but significantly influenced the development of socialist and labor activism worldwide.