Establishment Communist Women's International

the french-born inessa armand leading figure @ 1915 , 1920 international women s conferences of second , third internationals, respectively. (1916 photo)

the second international, predated communist international 3 decades, founded upon principles of political , social equality between men , women. various national socialist parties included participation of women despite being denied right vote in many places , women s suffrage made important programmatic goal of late 19th century , 20th century radical movement. special conference of socialist women convened in berne, switzerland in 1915, bringing such key international socialist leaders alexandra kollontai, inessa armand, , clara zetkin share common experiences , set common agendas.

less 18 months after russian revolution of november 1917, new communist international (comintern) established in moscow in attempt supersede moribund second international, had been shattered world war i. parallel effort made reorganize revolutionary socialist women of europe , america. took form of communist women s international, headed institution known international communist women s secretariat, established in moscow comintern in april 1920.

the international women s secretariat conceived small directing circle of half dozen members or fewer. 8 women named body, including 6 russians — kollontai, lenin s wife nadezhda krupskaya, lyudmila stal, zlata lilina, konkordia samoilova, , woman known history similova — dutch henriëtte roland-holst , rosa bloch switzerland. secretary of organization veteran german revolutionary clara zetkin.

an international conference of communist women convened july 30 august 2, 1920 in moscow, concurrent ongoing 2nd world congress of comintern.

delegates heard details of system of so-called delegates meetings conducted in soviet russia brought assemblies of elected female representatives of factories , villages in effort mobilize them on government administrative tasks , build female participation in village , factory soviets russian communist party.