Founding Manifesto of the PSOE: 1879 Analysis and Context
Founding Manifesto of the PSOE. 1879.
Introduction
This text is a political primary source document. The authors, notably Javier Vera and Pablo Iglesias, were key figures in the Spanish labor movement. Iglesias, the founder of PSOE and UGT in 1888, also published the foundational article “Socialist.” His death significantly impacted Spanish socialism. The manifesto targets the Spanish proletariat (working class), addressing their social misery and effective slavery under the bourgeois ruling class. Written on July 20, 1879, it established the Spanish Socialist Workers Party in opposition to the Restoration, shortly after Alfonso XII ascended the throne. The excerpt describes the proletariat’s plight and demands political power for the working class, advocating for the transformation of individual property into common property. The main objective was the emancipation of the working class and the abolition of social classes.
Analysis
The PSOE emerged during the Restoration, aiming to represent the proletariat’s interests. The text reflects the influence of Marx and the First International, emphasizing the need for worker awareness. Marx’s theory involved three tasks: analyzing the past to reveal societal injustice due to class inequality (bourgeoisie vs. proletariat); criticizing capitalism for exploiting workers through profit maximization and wage reduction, leading to class conflict; and proposing a future project—a proletarian dictatorship to abolish social classes and achieve complete emancipation through communism. The manifesto aimed to raise awareness among Spanish workers about existing inequities and the need to seize political power. It represents a shift towards scientific socialism, as opposed to utopian ideals. The dissemination of these ideas began in 1886 with the founding of the newspaper “El Socialista” and the UGT union, facilitating their spread among workers.
Historical Context
The PSOE manifesto emerged within the Restoration period’s labor movement, positioning the party outside the established system. The movement’s origins lie in harsh working conditions, long hours (up to 24 straight), and poor diets, compounded by the influx of internationalist ideas. Early worker struggles included the 1821 Alcoy loom destruction and Spain’s first strike against new looms. In 1840, Barcelona saw the formation of a mutual association of cotton industry workers demanding better conditions and the right to associate. Rural unrest manifested in riots and land occupations, often driven by hunger. While early influences came from utopian socialism, the Spanish labor movement shifted towards anarchism and the First International after 1868, following Giuseppe Fanelli’s propaganda visit. Anarchism, with its ideological proximity to federal republicanism and Pi i Margall, gained more traction than Marxism, advocating popular sovereignty, anti-clericalism, and atheism. The first Spanish Workers’ Congress in 1870 established the Spanish Regional Federation. The 1872 Zaragoza conference confirmed the dominance of anarchist theories, leading to anarcho-syndicalism. In 1872, Paul Lafargue formed a socialist group in Madrid led by Pablo Iglesias, the origin of the PSOE. The socialist-oriented General Union of Workers (UGT) was established in 1888. The PSOE aimed to transform society by transferring power to the working class and converting private property into social property. Socialism’s growth was slow, initially concentrated in Madrid, Vizcaya, and Asturias. Anarchism, with its diverse currents, was more successful, particularly in Catalonia and Andalusia. Catholic trade unions offered a third path, accepting social inequality but seeking to mitigate its effects. By 1900, worker organizations coalesced around anarchism and socialism.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this text is invaluable for understanding the impact of Marx’s ideas on the working classes in Madrid, Asturias, and the Basque Country, leading to actions against social injustices. These movements resulted in the foundation of the PSOE, a party that continues to exist and has held power. The manifesto calls for workers’ rights and property ownership, aiming to end class inequality and establish communism.