People are said to be rational beings, but in truth, they do not act as rationally as one might think.
The more flustered they become, the more situations deviate from expectation, the more emotional they grow.
Friedrich Engels, revered as the Iron Revolutionary, the father of communism, and the greatest thinker of this era, was no exception.
"What kind of nonsense is this!"
"Comrade General Secretary! This is not something that can simply be buried."
"That is right. Even if we remain calm, comrades in Europe are already in serious turmoil."
"The International's Paris branch is also requesting guidance on how to respond."
"I told you, it is all baseless!"
It had been a mistake to focus only on Europe and the North, but by the time he realized it, it was already too late.
The Standing Committee of the council had demanded an explanation from Engels.
These were not ordinary members, but the highest authority in the South.
If only one or two opposed him, he could suppress them.
But if all twelve, excluding himself, united, even he could not ignore them.
Even with a secret police force, arresting all twelve was impossible.
'Could it be that Bakunin took advantage of my distraction…?'
Perhaps hesitating to purge him earlier had been a mistake.
Though he had not yet grasped everything, Engels already knew who was behind it.
"This is a baseless attack meant to undermine me. Even if others are deceived, how can you all fall for this?"
"The problem is that there are too many contradictions in your statements."
"We do not doubt you. That is why we ask you to explain clearly."
"If this continues, comrades in Europe will collapse. This is not just your problem."
They were right.
If he said nothing, communists in Europe would lose all credibility.
How could they spread ideology if it was dismissed as plagiarism?
This was not just about reputation.
It was about the legitimacy of their ideology.
"…Responding plays into their hands…"
"That is not the issue. Simply state clearly that it is false."
"Marx claims to have proof. If you remain silent, it will appear as admission."
"I told you, I do not know such a man…"
"Comrade General Secretary! Reports are emerging everywhere about your past relationship with him. You cannot deny it."
Bakunin spoke confidently.
Engels was furious but could not respond.
Denying Marx had been a mistake.
They had spent too much time together.
He needed a new approach.
"…Very well. I will explain."
He spoke calmly.
"I did not mean I literally do not know Marx. We were once close friends."
"Then why deny it?"
"Because he betrayed me."
He continued.
"We developed our ideas together. He contributed, but I did not steal anything."
"Then why not say this from the start?"
"Because I cut ties with him completely."
His tone carried sorrow.
Some began to believe him.
Such betrayals were common.
"Comrade General Secretary, we understand."
"I regret my earlier response. But now I will act decisively."
Cheers erupted.
Engels stood firm.
Even if Marx was correct, proof would be difficult.
Debate would drag on.
And eventually fade.
"Yes. Let us arrange a debate."
Bakunin suggested it with a smile.
Engels agreed.
He would destroy Marx.
And afterward, Bakunin would be eliminated.
Engels: "Marx is a traitor"
Debate between the two proposed
Marx: "I can prove everything"
The world focused on their confrontation.
Europe and the North supported Marx.
The South defended Engels.
The stage was set.
"We will settle this once and for all."
Marx declared.
"Engels, face me directly!"
And Engels accepted.
"The truth will prevail."
This would be no ordinary debate.
Even Lincoln supported it.
"Professor Marx, how will fairness be ensured?"
"I propose observers."
"Who?"
Marx spoke carefully.
"I invite His Majesty Killian."
And one more.
"Otto von Bismarck."
The greatest figures would witness it.
The stage was complete.
But none realized the truth.
This was not about theory.
Once it ended, communism itself would collapse.
***
Most of the nations in Europe were in turmoil over matters involving the Communist Party and Friedrich Engels.
But no matter how festive the atmosphere might be elsewhere, those whose own situation was dire could not enjoy it.
There were exactly two countries that could not take pleasure in watching Engels being battered in Europe.
The first was, of course, Russia.
Their own imperial family had become a global laughingstock, so whether the leader of the communists had committed plagiarism or not hardly mattered.
The nobles were using this opportunity to weaken the Emperor's authority, while the Emperor himself was struggling to maintain control, leaving Russia with no capacity to pay attention to foreign affairs.
The second country, though not to the same extent as Russia, was Prussia.
At least among the general public and the nobility, there was still laughter and ridicule directed at the foolish communists.
But the problem was that the king and the prime minister could not share in that amusement.
"…So, in the end, the British Empire has decided not to pursue further responsibility against that fool, correct?"
"Yes. His Majesty Killian clearly made that promise."
"That is fortunate. We owe him a great debt."
"Yes, we do. That is precisely the problem."
Forgiveness in diplomacy never comes without a price.
Considering what Prussia had lost in this incident, Wilhelm felt that even beating his son half to death would not be enough to ease his anger.
"Resuming the marriage with the British imperial family… that is no longer possible, I assume?"
"It seems His Highness does not wish for it. He said he would not be able to handle their princess."
"A disgraceful fool. Lacking confidence to control even a woman…"
"Given his mistake, it may be for the best. A marriage alliance would strengthen ties, but it might also allow the British imperial family to interfere excessively in our affairs."
"Still, it means we lost a great opportunity because of his actions!"
Wilhelm and Otto von Bismarck did not know that Killian had never intended to send his daughter to Prussia in the first place.
To them, it was simply a lost opportunity.
"At least Russia has been weakened."
"That is true. Do you think Russia can recover?"
"With internal instability and industrial tensions, it will take at least ten years. Perhaps longer."
Russia's rapid industrialization had intensified class conflict.
Unlike other European nations that made concessions to workers, Russia chose to exploit them further.
"Workers grow stronger the more they work!"
A slogan that sounded absurd, yet reflected their policy.
"Then the next concern is France. If we secure Turkey, we can push Austria out."
"If that happens, Your Majesty will be remembered as the greatest king in Prussian history."
Wilhelm had already secured influence in Asia and the Americas.
If he also dominated Germany, his legacy would be unmatched.
"My only concern is my son."
"If something happens, I will take responsibility."
"I trust you."
Then Wilhelm changed the topic.
"I hear things are becoming lively across the Atlantic."
"Yes. I will need to travel to New York."
Bismarck explained the upcoming debate.
Wilhelm blinked in surprise.
"You were invited as an observer?"
"Yes."
"And who else?"
"His Majesty Killian."
"Of course he is involved."
Wilhelm approved.
"Go. It will be a historic event."
Bismarck nodded.
Though he had some concerns.
His past encounters with Marx and Engels were not pleasant.
Still, he dismissed them.
There was no reason for old matters to resurface.
A few days later, in New York.
The city was filled with unprecedented energy.
Dignitaries from across the world had gathered.
Not for the debate itself, but for the occasion surrounding it.
The United States seized this moment to showcase its strength.
Visitors were astonished by its rapid development.
Even European powers began to see it as a future rival.
For the United States, this was a moment of pride.
Lincoln treated the event almost like a celebration of his third term.
"The debate will be held near the border."
"Interesting."
Lincoln explained the situation in the South.
As if it were his own intelligence.
In reality, it had been provided to him.
"If observers like us attend, will the South object?"
"They will send Bakunin as their representative."
"That is acceptable."
Bakunin's presence confirmed Engels's isolation.
Everything was proceeding as planned.
At last, the stage was set.
Fredericksburg.
The debate would take place there.
Marx and Engels sat at the center.
Observers beside them.
Dignitaries surrounding them.
Reporters ready to record every word.
The moderator spoke.
"The debate will now begin."
Marx and Engels entered.
They avoided each other's gaze.
But once seated, they could not.
"…It has been a long time."
"I knew this day would come."
Marx signaled.
Documents were placed on the table.
"I will begin."
He spoke calmly.
"I am Karl Marx, professor at Oxford University."
He placed his book forward.
"And the original author of Engelsism."
***
It seemed Engels had not expected such a bold move from the very beginning, as his face stiffened immediately.
But Marx did not stop speaking and continued calmly.
"Engelsism can be viewed from two major aspects: philosophy and economics. Its defining features are dialectical materialism and the labor theory of value. If I continue speaking only in fundamentals, the explanation will become unnecessarily long, so I will skip that portion. However, I state this clearly. Secretary Engels never created this ideology. I am the one who developed these ideas, and the Secretary merely organized them into a systematic doctrine."
"Marx, even if you make such claims now, who would believe you?"
Engels responded immediately, placing a large stack of documents on his desk.
"You say I merely organized the materials? These documents clearly show the development of these theories from the very beginning. Where is the evidence that I only arranged them?"
"That is because you and I continuously exchanged ideas since our youth."
"Well said. If we constantly discussed these matters, then is it not unreasonable to claim that one person alone created the theory? The result of continuous debate and discussion cannot belong to a single individual."
"And yet, you claim Engelsism is your creation."
"That is because I initiated it and you contributed ideas. Your input was valuable, but the original owner is obvious. If you truly wanted to prove yourself as the original author, how do you explain your long silence until now?"
Both possessed early drafts, so proving who first created the theory was impossible.
Naturally, priority belonged to the one who published first, and Marx had remained silent for a long time after Engelsism was introduced.
Now claiming ownership only appeared as greed.
Engels' argument was simple.
Marx, influenced by capitalist forces, was attempting to seize credit and weaken the South.
At first glance, this logic was persuasive.
Marx could counter it, but without decisive evidence, the truth remained unclear.
Engels aimed to exploit this ambiguity and drag the debate into a stalemate.
A crude but highly effective strategy.
"Your memory seems severely distorted, Secretary."
"Because I am telling the truth. If you wish to refute me, present evidence."
"Then I will request testimony from those who met both of us in our youth. Fortunately, they are present here."
Engels glanced at me and Otto von Bismarck and nodded casually.
He was confident that testimony alone could not serve as decisive proof.
And he was half correct.
"Prime Minister Bismarck, do you recall meeting us in the past?"
"Of course. His Majesty Killian was there as well. At the time, I held no significant position, and both of you were in similar circumstances."
"And how were we then?"
"You were an impressive pair. Marx led the discussions, presenting arguments, while Engels supported him."
Engels smirked.
"That was merely restraint. Marx was more aggressive, that is all. Can you truly conclude authorship from that?"
"Of course not. I am only stating what I remember."
"Exactly. Testimony is only fragments of memory, not proof."
He almost mentioned their past conflict, but stopped.
Bismarck quickly intervened.
"That is unrelated to this discussion."
They silently agreed not to pursue it.
But I had no such intention.
"I remember it clearly. It was quite intense."
Both Bismarck and Engels stiffened.
Revealing that they once fought physically would be humiliating.
They desperately tried to steer the conversation away.
I let it go.
No need to push further.
Returning to the topic.
"As expected, testimony cannot determine authorship."
"Exactly. It is impossible to prove definitively."
"But that also means you cannot prove your claim either."
"Yet I was the first to present the theory. And Marx remained silent until now."
"On the contrary, I have greater academic authority."
Marx countered.
"I have published multiple works, including economic theories, and serve as a professor at Oxford. I have even advised the British Empire."
It was an appeal to authority.
But both sides lacked decisive proof.
The debate continued endlessly.
Neither side could deliver a final blow.
Observers grew uneasy.
Engels began to relax.
"Do you have any more evidence?"
"…I admit it. This alone cannot determine authorship."
"Exactly."
"Then let us take another approach."
Marx leaned forward.
"If you truly created this theory, then you must fully understand its foundations. Dialectical materialism and the labor theory of value."
Engels laughed.
"You wish to compare understanding?"
He was confident.
After all, he had refined and defended the theory for years.
But then.
Marx spoke.
"According to the labor theory of value, all labor must be measurable under a unified standard. Is this empirically possible?"
"It is no issue. Mathematics uses different methods for different cases."
"Yet the theory must maintain logical consistency. However, surplus value, exploitation theory, and profit rates lack consistency when analyzed mathematically. Therefore, the transition from capitalism to communism becomes irrational."
"The transition is explained through dialectical materialism…"
"Yes. And that very dialectic will become outdated."
Silence.
"It may have value in reforming earlier systems. But in a developed society, it becomes obsolete."
Everyone froze.
"That is why I did not promote it as Marxism. And why I remained silent."
Engels stared in disbelief.
"This is absurd…"
"Would any parent willingly declare their own creation flawed?"
The realization hit.
This debate was never about authorship.
It was about dismantling the ideology itself.
Now it was too late.
Engels glared.
But there was nothing he could do.
He had already stepped into the trap.
***
Just by looking at the reactions around them, one could easily tell how bewildering the current situation was.
A debate that was supposed to determine the original creator had suddenly turned into a discussion claiming that the original creator did not matter at all, so how could anyone not be dumbfounded?
Not only Engels but also Bakunin looked at me with disbelief, yet I too wore an equally astonished expression.
This was Marx's sudden move, not something related to me at all.
And since it was James who had contacted Bakunin, and not a single line directly mentioned me, even if that man tried to drag everyone down with him, it would not affect me in the slightest.
Of course, for those who believed from the beginning that this debate was meant to isolate and bring down Secretary Engels alone, it must have been a chilling turn of events.
"Wait! This has nothing to do with the topic of this debate!"
"Why not? You agreed to evaluate understanding of the theory. Criticism, verification, and acceptance are essential processes in understanding anything. How can one establish a theory without going through such processes?"
"…That may be true, but…"
Engels, who had believed himself to understand the theory better than anyone, now found that confidence had become his own downfall.
He remained stuck in earlier stages of communist thought, while Marx had already advanced far beyond.
In truth, Marx's criticism was not beyond rebuttal.
Even in later eras, the labor theory of value and dialectical materialism were not entirely discarded.
They were not mainstream, but still held value in certain contexts.
If one built proper counterarguments and considered modern economics and historical developments, the theory would not completely lose relevance.
In some societies, it might even function better than modern frameworks.
However, such rebuttals were beyond the capability of current communists.
True intellectual debate requires understanding both oneself and one's opponent.
Engels did not understand Marx's arguments.
Marx, on the other hand, fully understood Engelsism and its limitations.
The outcome was inevitable.
"Shall we also examine dialectical materialism? When I created this concept, I sought to interpret historical development materially. In primitive societies, communal living was natural. Interpreting history through material conditions was meaningful."
"Did you not call it outdated earlier?"
"To be precise, the failure lies in how it became dogma. The belief that humanity will eventually reach communism remains. But that requires fully developed productive forces and equal material value. Engelsism attempts to impose this prematurely, turning ideology into absolute doctrine."
Engels could not respond.
Because that was exactly what was happening in the South.
Certain factions were already pushing to make communism unquestionable truth.
Had Bakunin and the council acted later, it might have become absolute rule.
Unable to respond logically, Engels turned to the audience.
"Marx's criticism is sharp, but all theories evolve through criticism. Capitalism itself has adopted our ideas. Labor laws were once mocked, yet now they are widespread."
"Yes, attempts will be made. But the issue is that you cannot provide answers now."
"I admit I believed the theory complete. That was my mistake. But Marx's claims are based on later research. I was leading a revolution, while he remained in study."
He shifted the argument.
If he could not win, he would avoid defeat.
But that did not work.
"I can prove your claims wrong."
Marx turned to me.
"Your Majesty, may I present an excerpt from a work I wrote at your request?"
"A work written at my request?"
"Yes. The End of Colonial Economy."
Murmurs spread.
Few had heard of it.
It was a confidential work, not publicly available.
"Show the relevant section."
I reviewed it.
"It is indeed written here."
Bismarck confirmed it as well.
"When was this written?"
"Before the American Civil War."
"Then it predates Engelsism entirely."
Engels' expression hardened.
If Marx had already analyzed and improved the theory before Engels even presented it, the conclusion was obvious.
"I completed this work before Engels even left London. By the time he published Engelsism, it was already an outdated version of my earlier work."
Silence fell.
Engels realized everything.
This debate had been planned from the beginning.
He closed his eyes briefly.
There was no escape.
"Then I have no choice!"
He slammed the table.
"This is a trap! A scheme by capitalists! I will not participate in this farce!"
"Are you abandoning the debate?"
"I refuse to continue this staged deception!"
With that, Engels stormed out under guard.
Bakunin quickly followed.
And just like that, the historic debate ended with one side walking out entirely.
A conclusion no one had expected.