born Jan. 6, 1850, Berlin, Prussia
died Dec. 18, 1932, Berlin, Germany
German politician and writer.
He joined the German Friedrich Engels and was influenced by the {{link=Fabian Society">Fabian Society . Returning to Germany in 1901, Bernstein became the political theorist of the revisionists and was one of the first socialists to modify such Marxist tenets as the imminent collapse of capitalism. He envisaged a type of social democracy that combined private initiative with social reform. As a member of the Reichstag (1902–06, 1912–16, 1920–28), he inspired much of the reformist programs of the Social Democrats.