Although he never became a scientific socialist, he had read 'Das Kapital' and hailed enthusiastically the Paris Commune. 'Only the reasonable and fraternal alliance of the peoples,' Botev wrote,'is in a position to do away with the sufferings, poverty and parasites of humankind and such an alliance alone is in a position to establish genuine freedom, fraternity, equality and happiness in the world'. His 'Credo' of the Bulgarian Commune' is yet more categorical: T believe in the joint common strength of mankind on earth, capable of doing good… In the bright and life-giving spirit of reason, strengthening the hearts and souls of all people for the success and triumph of communism through a revolution.'

Botev shared the concepts of Karavelov and Levski as regards the tasks and goals of the Bulgarian national- liberation movement and developed them further. He was even more convincing in teaching that the Bulgarian people should rely, above all, on their own forces for the achievement of national liberation. Botev supported the idea of a Balkan federation, but added that it could be carried out, not by negotiations between the existing bourgeois-monarchic governments, but through a fraternal agreement of the free Balkan peoples.

Bulgarian national-revolutionary movement

At the end of 1874, Botev began to publish the newspaper Ztiame (Banner) with the aim of uniting the forces of the Bulgarian national-revolutionary movement which had been dispersed after Levski's death. When an uprising broke out in Bosna and Herzegovina in June 1875, Botev took the initiative for the election of a new Central Committee. The Central Committee, headed by Botev, started feverish preparations for an uprising which was to break out that very same autumn, but the task proved too much for the Committee. Only the district of Stara Zagora attempted a more serious revolt which was promptly put down by the authorities.

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