differences and antagonisms within the working class be settled. In his letter dated November 29, 1886, Engels formulates the task of the Marxist party, "to build up within this still wholly plastic mass a nucleus of persons who understand the movement and its goals "and which later takes over the real leadership of the movement, as follows:
"But just now it is doubly necessary for us to have a few people who are thoroughly versed in THEORY and well-tested TACTICS … for the Americans are for good historical reasons far behind in all theoretical questions, have taken over no mediaeval institutions from Europe, but have taken masses of mediaeval tradition, English common (feudal) law, superstition, spiritualism, in short, all the nonsense which did not directly hurt business and which is now very useful for stupefying the masses. And if THEORETICALLY CLEAR FIGHTERS are available, who can predict for them the consequence of their own mistakes, who can make clear for them that every movement, which does not incessantly fix its eye upon the destruction of the wage system as its final goal must go astray and fail, many mistakes can be avoided and the process can be considerably shortened." (Letter to Sorge dated November 29, 1886).
In the letter of January 27, 1887 (quoted before), Engels outlined the fundamental tactical policy of the American Marxists: working along with the general movement of the working class at every one of its stages without giving up or hiding their own political position and organization.
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