Anarchism in Spain- Summary

From the middle of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, we will find the arrival in our territory of freethinking ideas about the freedom of workers. In this lesson from a TEACHER we will give you a summary on anarchism in Spain that was so important to him labor movement. In this way we will pause to explain the difficult beginning it had in our country and how it became an element of great violence during the darkest stages of our politics.

We start this summary of anarchism in Spain speaking of the beginning of this ideological movement in our country. From the end of the 19th century the ideas of the international I They were reaching our country where it found a great acceptance by the lower layers of the society, since they saw how, even having passed to another form of government, the beneficiaries continued to be the themselves.

It will be from that moment when a series of groups begins to develop, which were never together, that is, each one acted according to its own ideals. This was because

within anarchism we will find some differences that were mainly based on the aggressiveness that they wanted to give to the change, some looked for the improvement of the workers little by little and others were looking for a change that would end the imposed system and place a new one directly.

Thus one of the most important elements that we will find will be the creation of the CNT and the UGT already entered the twentieth century practically, which were the clear backbones of the movement and those who, in addition, promoted the vast majority of strikes and other much more violent movements that occurred during all said century.

In this other lesson from a TEACHER you will be able to access a simple definition of anarchism to better understand this political and ideological thinking.

Continuing with our summary on anarchism in Spain We must stop at the most important stages that this one had from its germ to its moment of maximum splendor:

First stage of anarchism in Spain: from 1874-1880

Are the years known as disorganization, in which secrecy was the order of the day. In 1874 the Congress of Madrid was held in which it was concluded that if changes were wanted in the Government system that promoted improvements for the workers, had to make a strong opposition, even violent.

Therefore we will find a great number of revolts and strikes, that were branded by the governments of the people's insurrection. At the end of this stage the FTRE (Federation of Workers of the Spanish Region) in the year 1880.

Second stage of anarchism: 1880-1889

It was a period also dark for the workers' movement throughout Spain, because in the south, from Jerez we will find the appearance of the famous Black hand, which caused many violent movements in addition to carrying many murders on their backs. To be able to separate from such radical movements and be able to act in a much cleaner way to improve the conditions of the workers, in 1883 in a Congress held in Valencia the murders committed by the Hand were repudiated. Black

On the other hand, although recently created, the FTRE faced its dissolution in 1881, although at that same moment two new organizations, one the well-known Federation of Resistance to Capital and another Bases for the anarchist organization of the region of Spain. On the other hand the most moderate socialist sector of these would create the UGT. Thus, anarchism was once again in a stage of isolation from the political sphere.

This stage of great violence ended with the murder of Cánovas del Castillo on August 8, 1897 at the hands of Michele Angiolillo, an Italian who would come to Spain to avenge the death of the anarchists in Barcelona the previous year.

Third stage: from 1910-1930

Several were the events that occurred during this period, first of all we will find a alliance between the CNT and the UGT for the approval of a general strike in 1917. After this there would be a great distance between these two organizations due in large part to the fact that the CNT was highly persecuted from all Spanish political foci, due to the great intransigence of the members.

Between the years 1922-1923 they were many members of the CNT murdered, initiating by this a series of murders in response to the first, among which there would be political members and members of the Church.

Fourth stage of anarchism in Spain: 1931-1939

They were the most important years for the movement because they participated in the first line of politics, that is, they left clandestinity and isolation, to become part of the governments of the country.

In 1931 the great movements began to end the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera and the monarchy of Alfonso XIII. For this reason, the tensions between the government and said movements and the pressure and manipulation of the ballot boxes that were made to carry out the change of government were famous.

After the entry of the Republic as a system of government, we will see that the pressure from the CNT would continue to be the same as with the previous form of government. Even so, its activity would hardly be diminished by the different ups and downs in its number of affiliates, from the year 1934 the attitude towards the government would begin to change radically.

It was in the last year of the Spanish Republic, in 1936 when members of the CNT were integrated into the government of Spain, being the most outstanding names, Juan López, Federica Montseny and Peiró, which would be in Largo Caballero's cabinet. During that time until 1939 they would fight in favor of maintaining said government apparatus against the advance of the national front.

In this other lesson from a TEACHER we discover a summary of the Second Spanish Republic.

We will end with this summary of anarchism in Spain talking about the movement in its closest stage to our present time. The period of the Franco's dictatorship was a hard blow for the members of these associations, who were very persecuted by the government, so much so that there were many who tried to leave the country.

Would not be until the 60s of the twentieth century when a more or less formed movement was seen again that arose from the workers' unions and who were looking for a certain improvement in the working conditions of the moment, but this time from the legality, reaching agreements with the employers. Still we will find that at the end of the caudillo's life there will be a series of strikes, mostly repressed by the regime and others that were allowed and that achieved improvements for the workers.

After the period of the dictatorship and the beginning of democracy in Spain, a new period for these organizations, which saw their freedoms open. In our time, anarchist movements are closely linked to various movements, such as the LGTB, pro-life animal movements,…. Continuing with the fight for the improvement of the labor world of the workers.