1917 Joint Manifesto: UGT & CNT Call for General Strike in Spain
Joint Manifesto UGT-CNT (Madrid, March 27, 1917)
Introduction
This political manifesto, written in Madrid in March 1917, represents a joint call for a general strike by Spain’s two most powerful unions at the time: the General Workers Union (UGT) and the National Confederation of Labor (CNT). Issued by a “strike committee,” the manifesto reflects the growing political instability of the late Restoration period.
The Strike Committee and its Ideologues
The strike committee comprised UGT leaders, many of whom were also members of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE). These individuals, including Francisco Largo Caballero and Julián Besteiro, served as the key ideologues behind this and subsequent manifestos related to the general strike. Besteiro, a professor at the University of Madrid, later became president of the Constituent Cortes of the Second Republic. He was the only leader who surrendered to the Nationalist forces after the Spanish Civil War, remaining in Madrid until their entry. Tried by a military tribunal and sentenced to life imprisonment, he died in Carmona prison in Seville in 1940, a victim of his imprisonment. Besteiro represented the leftist intellectual committed to social transformation.
Target Audience and Key Themes
The manifesto addresses the Spanish nation as a whole, particularly the working class, urging them to join the strike. It also directs its complaints and demands towards the government and parliament. The central theme is the call for a general strike, driven by rising living costs and unemployment, to achieve better living conditions for workers.
Structure and Content
The manifesto’s first two paragraphs outline the grievances and demands against the government, emphasizing the existence of a unionized proletariat. The final paragraph details the proposed action: a general strike as a powerful tool to assert workers’ rights. It suggests the possibility of an unlimited general strike to achieve “fundamental changes in the system” ensuring decent living conditions and promoting emancipatory activities.
The Rise of Strikes and the Context of the General Strike
The period saw a proliferation of strikes fueled by protests against high living costs and the desire for political change. By the early 20th century, the general strike had become a common tool for European workers, not only for labor demands but also as a political instrument. Spain followed this trend, as explicitly stated in the manifesto.
The Spanish Working Class
The Spanish working class at the time comprised distinct groups: the industrial proletariat (concentrated in Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Madrid), a significant mining workforce in Asturias, and a large number of day laborers, reflecting the importance of agriculture in the Spanish economy.
Union Ideologies and Influence
The UGT, with its socialist ideology, focused primarily on economic goals, employing negotiations, demands, and strikes to achieve them. Its influence was strongest among the industrial proletariat of Madrid, the Basque Country, and Asturias. The CNT, on the other hand, adhered to anarchist principles, initially advocating immediate revolution and the destruction of the state through acts of violence. However, their approach gradually evolved to include union demands like the eight-hour workday. The CNT’s influence was concentrated among the industrial proletariat of Catalonia and the Levant, as well as agricultural workers in Andalusia and some inland areas.
An Uncommon Alliance
The ideological differences between socialists and anarchists often hindered cooperation between the UGT and CNT. This joint manifesto represents a rare exception to the often-bitter clashes and mutual boycotts that characterized their relationship.
The National Context
1917 was a turbulent year in Spain, marked by three major conflicts that undermined the Restoration system and contributed to its eventual demise. These conflicts included:
- Military protests by low- and mid-ranking officers, leading to the formation of Juntas that pressured the government to resign. This strengthened the army’s power against the civilian government.
- Catalan regionalist protests led by the Regionalist League, further destabilizing the government.
- The general strike itself.
The International Context
Two key international events influenced the general strike: the Russian Revolution of 1917, which inspired land seizures by Andalusian peasants, and World War I, which caused shortages and price increases, exacerbating the working class’s plight.
The Aftermath of the Strike
The 1917 institutional crisis and general strike led to a period of political instability, culminating in Primo de Rivera’s military coup in 1923. The strike’s failure was attributed to several factors: lack of farmer participation, disunity between the two unions in some areas, lack of bourgeois support, and army repression. Despite the government’s apparent victory, the system’s collapse was inevitable.