Preface to the first edition.

The following text originated from three chapters of my work: "Herr Eugen Dühring's Revolution in Science, Leipzig 1878." I compiled them for my friend Paul Lafargue for translation into French and added a few further explanations. The French translation, reviewed by me, appeared first in the Revue socialiste and then independently under the title: Socialisme utopique et socialisme scientifique Utopian Socialism and Scientific Socialism. Paris 1880. A translation into Polish, executed according to the French translation, has just appeared in Geneva and bears the title: Socyalizm utopijny a naukowy Utopian and Scientific Socialism. Imprimerie de l’Aurore, Genève 1882. —

The surprising success of Lafargue's translation in the French-speaking countries, and namely in France itself, compelled me to ask whether a separate German edition of these three chapters might also be of use. The editorial staff of the Zurich "Sozialdemokrat" Social Democrat then informed me that there was a general demand within the German Social Democratic party for the publication of new propaganda pamphlets and asked me if I would not designate those three chapters for that purpose. I was, naturally, in agreement and placed my work at their disposal.

But it was originally not written for immediate popular propaganda at all. How should a primarily purely scientific work be suitable for this? What changes in form and content were necessary?

As far as the form is concerned, only the many foreign words could give rise to concern. But even Lassalle was by no means sparing with foreign words in his speeches and propaganda writings