Early Syndicalism and the Spanish Civil War
Early Syndicalism
1840: Decisions to extend the size of pieces without remuneration led to protesting workers. First unions: Weavers’ Society / Association of Mutual of Weavers NY. During a progressive period: Strike against self-acting mules. 1855: Spanish general strike of Lestat. Back decree banning all associations and moderate unions.
First International
1868: The new government permitted workers’ associations. Strike of three offices of the DLS, a textile union movement called “The 3 Classes of Steam” = union of Marxist and reformist nature.
Diffusion of the First International
During the Sexenio Democrático, socialist and anarchist ideas spread, and worker-related nuclei were formed, such as the Associació Internacional de Treballadors (AIT). Fanelli spread Bakunin’s ideals. 1870: Congress of workers of companies joining the AIT in Barcelona = Federació Regional Espanyola (FRE) of the AIT. The FRE was later renamed. Lafargue spread Marxist theories in Spain and promoted the creation of an internationalist group in Madrid. The struggle between the two streams led to the 1872 expulsion of the Madrid group from the FRE and the foundation of the Nueva Federación Madrileña, with a Marxist character = original nucleus of the PSOE. (UGT and TMB are Marxist)
Early Catalan Politics
Early demonstrations of Catalan particularism were anti-centralist = popular movement.
Federalism
Political doctrine and the option adopted by the government during the Sexenio Democrático (1868-1874). Pi i Maragall was the main federal republican, inspiring the idea of state power conceived as the result of a successive series of pacts between the basic units of society (individual, municipality, and region). Tortosa Pact / Draft Constitution of the Catalan State within the Spanish Federation.
Valenti Almirall
A transitional figure in Catalan political federalism. Modernization of Spain was only possible with the implementation of a federal republic that broke with the traditionally centralist and unitary areas that prevented progress and development.
He convened the 1st Catalanist Congress. He promoted the creation of the Catalan Center: an association for the defense of Catalan interests. He called the 2nd Catalanist Congress = birth of true Catalan political parties. However, different ideological positions emerged within the Catalan force = the republican masses attracted the bourgeois forces / Almirall emphasized that it was not just a social movement but a federal republicanism and failed to attract the popular base. Discrepancies with Almirall = split within the progressive movement and the Catalan Center disappeared.
Catalan League
More conservative, aligned with the bourgeoisie, sending a message to the Queen Regent in defense of Catalan rights.
Regionalist League
The failed regenerationist government project of Silvela-Polavieja = economic corporations and civic leaders formed a group of a more political nature in Catalonia: Unió Regionalista. The confluence of interests between the Unió Regionalista, a group with a social base but lacking a clear political project and leadership, and the Centre Nacional Català, which had a feasible program and expert leadership but lacked social support, favored the union of the two groups. The electoral success of the united regionalist candidacy = creation of the Lliga Regionalista.
Civil War (1936-1939)
Proponents justified the action by claiming it was necessary, considering the government illegitimate and guilty of a purported “bolshevization” of Spain and the collapse of national unity caused by the Statute of Catalonia. Thus, it was an action planned for some time against the democratic system. General Mola was the director. The immediate goal was the occupation of the centers of power. The police and some part of the army acted to prevent the triumph of the rebels. Consequently, this action became a long civil war. (Nationalist faction (Franco) vs. Republican faction)
Britain and France, influenced by Hitler, chose a false neutrality, creating a Non-Intervention Committee that tolerated the fascist powers aiding Franco and prevented the legitimate republican government from obtaining arms and oil. Only the USSR supplied material. Franco received assistance from Italy, Germany, and Portugal.
Stages of the War:
- 1936-1937: Battle of the North + Battle of Madrid
- 1937-1939: Fall of Catalonia / Final stages
- 1939: End of the war
Franco’s Government: Dictatorship, only one party (FET-JONS) and National Catholicism. The corporate state prohibited political parties and strikes, considered workers’ demands subversive, and repealed the Statute of Catalonia.
War Repression: Systematic, planned, and comprehensive, with the intention of punishing the Republicans to purify society and consolidate the “New Spain.” The first action was the concentration camps. The second action was the Audit of War = official repression through courts that held prisoners of war and executed them. (People went into exile)
Revolutionary Dynamics
Politics
The anti-fascist unity was formalized among the Republican forces in 1936 in terms of government actions: Largo Caballero formed a government with republicans, socialists, and anarchist ministers. The government moved to Valencia due to the Francoist attack on Madrid. Caballero created an alliance between the Republican forces, the bourgeoisie, and workers, the militarization of the militias, and the formation of the Popular Army.
Economy
Process of collectivization of companies: Many businessmen fled, and workers’ unions took over to restart Catalonia’s productive activity. The creation of the Business Council designed an ambitious plan for the socialist reorganization of the country = Decree of the Government to legalize the collectivization process that had already begun. Thus, there were companies that remained collectivized and private ones, fiscalized by workers’ committees. This economic system was regulated by the government in part to maintain activity and meet the needs of the population. However, due to ineffective measures, living conditions worsened.
Events of May 1937
Tensions between the different anti-fascist political forces erupted violently when government forces evicted anarchists occupying the telephone building.
Two issues were highlighted by the events:
- Tensions between the anti-fascist forces regarding the direction of the war: military or revolutionary process.
- Differences between the central government and the autonomous republic (the government doubted whether the Generalitat could govern and lead the war effort effectively).
Consequences:
- The government suspended public order powers and diminished the power of the Generalitat.
- Political and social decline of the CNT-FAI.
- Dissolution of the POUM and prominence of the PSUC.