Anarchists in Spain

By: Alejandra Baez

March 26, 2015

The streets of Salamanca are full of history. On my way to class each day, I walk past the beautiful sixteenth century Old Cathedral and through the Plaza Mayor, which was finished in the eighteenth century and currently displays the faces of past kings and important Spanish figures, including Miguel de Cervantes. But these sites and monuments are not the only indicators of Spain’s past that you will see in the city. On the walls of some buildings, you can find street art and graffiti, a few of which offer insight into Spanish society and allude to the country’s current and past political state.
After two months in Salamanca, I began noticing the frequent repetition of an "A" symbol, spray painted on walls and even carved into the streets. I decided to dig a little deeper. This "A" which is drawn into a circle is actually a symbol of anarchy. With a little more research, I learned just how much of a role anarchism has played in the history and development of Spain.

Anarchists prescribe to the ideology that a state, higher central authority or hierarchical organization is undesirable, unnecessary and/or harmful. Anarchists have existed in Spain since the late nineteenth century in response to the political instability that favored the aristocrats and bourgeoisie and disenfranchised the rural, working class. At that time, Spain was predominately rural and agrarian with little industry; the majority of the population illiterate. The laws in place tended to benefit merely the merchant and noble classes, meanwhile not protecting the rights of the laborers and exacerbating the harsh working conditions of the rural peasants. Growing social discontent led to anarchist movements and revolts. These movements were consistently repressed by the Spanish government, but the ideology remained popular among the labor class and rural peasants. There were several violent attempts at revolution by the anarchists over time but all failed; as an alternative, labor unions were created in the early twentieth century in an effort to fight for and defend workers’ rights. With the establishment of these unions came the rise of anarcho-syndicalism, which maintains that an anarchist society can be achieved through large-scale mobilization of workers.

The anarchist body in Spain would go through various transformations (with numerous organizations being formed and disbanded) until finally the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo, the National Confederation of Labor, was created in 1910 in Barcelona. The CNT was quickly declared an illegal organization. In general strikes in both 1917 and 1919 concentrated mainly in Barcelona, workers with CNT overtly protested the rising cost of living and poor work conditions; both manifestations were countered with military response and violent repression. These incidents are not isolated. Throughout the following years, even during both the World Wars, members of CNT would rise up in protest in Northern Spain, including in Asturias and Zaragoza. During Franco’s regime, CNT continued to operate clandestinely, opposing the dictator by conducting activities from exile and through guerilla warfare. Despite continuous persecution, CNT remains active in Spanish politics today and holds demonstrations each year. The organization has maintained a large following, particularly in Barcelona, Catalonia, and the Basque country.

I found myself surprised by the reality of these anarchist movements in Spain. Anarchy always seemed like an abstract political concept that I learned about in class. All theory and no practical application. But anarchy is very real and a significant amount of people in Spain aspire to achieve it. I find CNT’s promotion of workers’ rights and individual liberties admirable but I have a hard time imagining a successful and functional anarchical society. Perhaps my difficulty in picturing this society is a result of 20+ years of enculturation in the ultra-democratic, capitalist United States. I think the topic and the CNT’s platform are worth researching further in order to understand how a country’s economic inequality and political instability can lead its people to want to completely dissolve the governing system and prefer a stateless society instead.
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