The reasons for, and consequences of, Bleuler's decision not to join the International Psychoanalytic Association upon its formation in 1910 are examined. Freud was forced to form this organizational body by the joint pressure of vigorous opposition from general psychiatry and the vociferous partisanship of his own followers. The authors feel that this created a 'movement' which demanded acceptance of all particulars for inclusion in the group and which in turn produced a rift with academic psychiatry that had widereaching and unfortunate consequences. Excerpts of correspondence are presented to substantiate that Bleuler withdrew only because he opposed this closed-door policy of the association.