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Going back to 1919, the owners of hydroelectric Barcelona (Canadian capital) reduced salaries unleashing huge and successful general strike of 44 days, in which more than 100,000 people participated (in a number of sympathy strikes ) and was known as the Canadian strike. Employers immediately tried to respond militarily, but the strike had spread too quickly. The strike was caused by the dismissal of 8 workers of The Canadian .Immediately his colleagues called a strike at the factory, and by extension the various Unions Enjoy Barcelona strike in solidarity were calling one another other. Almost a week later, all the textile workers took to the streets.

  Barcelona was placed under martial law, while the strike continued. The union of the printing of newspapers warned the owners of the newspapers that Barcelona would not publish any criticism of the strike, which was known as the "red censorship." The Madrid government attempted to destroy the strike to all workers call to military service, but the call was ignored because it did not even reach to be published on paper. When the call came to Barcelona to rows, the answer was a new strike of all workers in the rail and trams.

  Barcelona institutions finally had to yield to the strikers, as indeed the Catalan economy (then, the main economy of the Kingdom of Spain) had been seriously affected. The demands of the workers were: 8-hour working day, union recognition and reinstatement of the dismissed workers. All these demands were accepted, which was already unprecedented success. The release of all detainees were also required during the strike. The government agreed, but refused to release those who were still awaiting trial. The workers responded with cries of " Freedom for all! " and warned that the strike would continue for 3 more days if this demand was not accepted. As expected, this was what happened. However, they were immediately arrested the different members of the strike committees and many other trade unionists and the police managed to stop the second strike before it went any further.

  The government then tried to appease the workers, who were already clearly on the verge of insurrection. Tens of thousands of strikers were forced back to work. But in return the government of Count Romanones signed in early April the 8-hour workday for all workers. Thus, Spain became the first country in the world to approve a labor law 8 hours daily, the result of the general strike of 1919.

  In literature, this strike is reflected in The Truth About Savolta case , as part of the final chapters.

  The Bolshevik triennium in Andalusia, 1918-1920

  Bolshevik Triennium

  The Andalusian countryside had lived for almost a century peasant uprisings every decade (The Arahal 1857, Loja 1861, First Republic 1873-1874, 1882-1884 Jerez, Jerez 1893, 1902-1903 Strikes, Strike peasant 1913, now 1919 -1920, and later from 1931 to 1933 culminating in 1936). Originated in the confiscation and privatization of communal lands of the nineteenth century, which caused frequent famines and a permanent state of misery in the camps.

  In 1918 in Andalusia, a new era of protests in which thousands of landless laborers held land occupations and sabotage considering the feasibility of a revolution in Spain began. His organization had its origin in the National Farmers Federation (formed in Córdoba in 1913).In 1917 numbered 13,852 members and joined CNT in 1918. But as we have seen, the impact of the general strike of 1917 and the Russian Revolution opened an era of social struggles throughout Spain that infected the Andalusian countryside, in the hope of an imminent social revolution emancipation. The Andalusian CNT and would count in 1919 with about 100,000 members, mostly in the field.

  The second strike and, between autumn 1918 and summer of 1919 the highest level of mobilization was achieved with numerous strikes, and the general strike in the province of Cordoba peasant congress convened by the Castro del Río (October 1918) General March 1919, which spread throughout Andalusia. At that time the demonstrations were radicalized by occupation movements land claim for division of the property (including broadcast slogans were union is strength and the land for which they work ), burning of crops, occupation of municipalities , passage of the Civil Guard, etc.. The fear spread among owners and patrons brought their refuge in large cities, while accepting wage increases (Diaz del Moral estimated a nominal increase of 150% between 1917 and 1921, although data on wages that can not mowing generalized). From May 1919 mobilizations laborers were repressed harshly, declaring a state of war. Workers' societies were outlawed and their leaders imprisoned. The Andalusian labor movement began a phase of decline and union membership declined a lot. Diaz del Moral says thereafter a transfer of membership is from the CNT to the UGT.

  Despite the name Bolshevik or Spartacist received this movement, there was still Marxist-Leninists in Andalusia. They were taking advantage and this label because it enjoyed great prestige among the workers (and even among anarchists) the Russian Revolution of 1917 and raised a great fear among landowners.

  The dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, 1923-1930

  Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera

  Miguel Primo de Rivera was the captain general of Catalonia when he gave a coup, which was supported by the King Alfonso XIII. As we have seen Catalonia was precisely where the labor movement had gone further, organizing themselves massively in the Single Trade Union of the CNT. According came to power, the September 23, 1923, declared a state of war in Spain, which lasted until March 16, 1925. The King meanwhile was hitting its target at the Military Board was formed to govern Spain.

  Among the many problems of the country, the labor movement had waged an open war with the bosses and their gunmen. The CNT dictatorship reached this exhausted and was not able to react. Many unions chose to close their doors waiting for better times. However, others continue to operate clandestinely, from manual Ateneos and cultural associations. Meanwhile the UGT continued legalized during this dictatorship. It was an attempt to Primo de Rivera that the labor movement has approached the Socialists, who seemed preferable to anarchism. However, the UGT never despuntaría during these years, receiving a boycott spread fairly be seen as the union center of the regime. Taking advantage of revolutionary syndicalism was prohibited de facto numerous cultural anarchist groups who had a more or less free life during the dictatorship (free in both were limited to cultural practices) were formed. Of these groups emerge in 1927 the Iberian Anarchist Federation .

  Meanwhile a large group of militants was exiled in France, Belgium and South America. These were known as militant Buenaventura Durruti, Francisco Ascaso, Juan García Oliver, Gregorio Jover, etc.. that had been part of the "action groups" (The Solidarity). These militants continued involved in various attempts to overthrow the dictatorship. One of them took place between 6 and November 7, 1924 in Vera de Bidasoa. In these events a group of anarchists and Republicans crossed the border armed insurrection to force a situation that was imitated elsewhere. However, poor preparation of the operation gave her to fret.

  Another time residents decided anarchists in France threatening Alfonso XIII, his plot being discovered and disrupted by French police. In less than a year the conspiratorial activities of anarchists made the French authorities against him and it began to hinder their operations and even their residence in the country. Many anarchist militants took refuge in Berlin, Brussels, London, Buenos Aires, etc.. The various anarchist groups who remained in France eventually forming over the decade the Federation of Anarchist Groups of Spanish language in France , the forerunner of the FAI.

  Meanwhile, residents in Spain union after several years of inactivity begin to make contacts with republicans, socialists and Catalan. This will eventually forged an alliance in favor of establishing a republican regime in Spain.These trades are made without basis (it was a secret conspiracy), but over time, to go finding these, renege on the negotiations of the CNT (Tab and Peiro, mostly). Anarchists count at that time with some defection to the Communists in Sevilla (notably José Díaz, head of bakers and port passed to communism) and Asturias (mining).

  The workers Ateneos

  Libertarian venues

  Throughout the first four decades of the twentieth
century libertarian ateneos popular character and multiply, and the people involved in them. In many schools for the children of workers including the most advanced methods of pedagogy based on the proposals of Francisco Ferrer Guardia are created. Some for their quality and constant number of participants have gone down in history of education as the Natura School Clot in Barcelona which ran until the end of the Civil War.

  It can be said that popular or libertarian venues were a real popular university for the working class of all ages, which was acquiring the cultural education that had been denied by their social status. The rationalist impulse release through culture, gives strength and sufficient legitimacy to the working class, who treated the Athenians and public libraries with reverence. They also serve as a meeting between people of the neighborhood, where people debate is known, creates bonds of union and poses problems to others. Also represent the first time that many working women find a place where they are on equal terms with men, where they will learn, and they are making contact with anarchism. The success was overwhelming libertarian venues, creating a working culture and solidarity, can assert that replaced the state or the religious orders in the role of education of his time.

  Among the activities of the popular cultural could be newsletters, publication of books and pamphlets, field trips and lectures, theater, poetry readings, debates, classes Esperanto libraries or repositories, usually these activities were self-financed by the users. Some of these cultural centers, due to some extent to the anarcho-syndicalist influence, rationalists maintained schools where the children of workers escolarizaban in a secular and progressive environment. Attached great importance to hygiene and disease prevention, knowledge of contraception and sexuality.

  Libertarian naturism

  The relationship between anarchism and naturism has always been along time. This link was quite important to the late twenties of the last century, during the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera. The first catalytic role corresponded to the magazine Helios (1916-1939) and after the anarchist group "Sol y Vida" which performed numerous field trips and beach with naturists purposes. This group managed the Ateneo Naturist Eclectic Clot and pulled out a magazine called Ethics , which in 1929 called Start . The magazine will last until the Civil War. In 1934 he was based in Sants, at which time he was burned by a right-wing group.

  Propaganda naturism suited the wishes of break that encouraged theyng libertarians regarding "bourgeois patterns of behavior." Naturism in the broad sense of the word, is a broad doctrine that advocates respect for nature in all areas and involves a natural lifestyle in all its aspects. In anarchism, this belief of life in conformity with nature coexists with the defense of the social revolution to reach a "naturist libertarian communism."

  Libertarian naturism also considers vegetarianism (especially in its variant Trophology, ie vegetarian diet combining food properly to consider their positive or negative polarity), the free-culture (free body culture that advocates physical nakedness as path to moral nakedness) and hygienism (as opposed to the "moral filth" of Catholicism). It was a deeply ethical movement. Thought through nudity, vegetarianism, abstention from alcohol, coffee and snuff the neurosis of society would be overcome. The nudity would be a claim of insurrection because the revolution will bring not alone.

  Between 1923 and the Civil War, proliferate in Catalonia, Valencia and Alicante publications naturist tendencies. The magazine named Initials who will collect the different movements of libertarian naturism in a section devoted to nudism (1929-1931). This magazine defends individualism.

  The international language

  In the late nineteenth century were appearing in Europe's first planned languages. The most important of these was the Esperanto, designed by Dr. Zamenhof, however there were also other internationally rooted as Ido or Volapuk but were less used. The introduction of Esperanto in Spain dates from 1903, when the first groups formed in Madrid and Valencia. In Spain progressive military were the first sector of society that decided to learn this language. Overall some Masonic lodges also adopted Esperanto as an international language.

  But Esperantism also rooted in the labor movement. This root was closely related to the movement internationalism on it. In fact it was created in 1921, a Paris Sennacienca Associo Tutmonda (SAT), ie a Universal anationalist Association . This anationalism was not equivalent to stateless, but internationalist. The anarchist movement soon became interested in the language, being taught in their schools ateneos and rationalists. In a medium in which a large illiteracy reigned (among workers) Esperanto and other artificial languages were seen as a future hope of a better world.

  The first Esperanto anarchist group was Paco kaj Love (Peace and Love), founded in 1907 in Barcelona. During his life he lived with CNT unions and action groups. This group participated in the V Esperanto Congressheld in Barcelona in 1909. They founded a magazine called Semo in 1910. Anyway worked many anarchist groups who learned Esperanto. It gave even the smallest villages. For 1935 he came to found a Ligoj Ibera of esperantistoj Senstatanoj ( Iberian stateless Esperanto League ) as a section of an international anarchist federation Esperanto. During the civil war, the NTC issued a bulletin entirely in Esperanto and had radio programs in this language.

  The FAI

  Iberian Anarchist Federation

  During the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera, some of the leaders of the CNT began to have sex and even political ties with Republicans. Maintained their anarchist ideas but believed that the social revolution would not immediately but would occur in a more favorable policy framework, such as the Republic. The Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI) was not originally formed in 1927 to combat this trend, but it would soon flag. The FAI came from the federations of anarchist groups formed in Portugal (Portugese Anarchist Union) and in exile (the Federation of Spanish language anarchist groups in France), together with existing groups in Spain.

  The organization of the FAI was based on small autonomous affinity groups were structured activists in local, provincial and regional federations. The FAI remained a secret underground organization even after the recognition of its existence two years after its formation. Their surreptitious nature makes it difficult to judge the numerical extension of its members. It is estimated that the FAI members around 1933, when encouraged and organized several insurrections against the Republic was 10,173 members. In the plenary session of the FAI October 1933, held in Madrid, attended by 22 delegates from 569 groups. These framed around 4,839. Also received the support of other 632 groups with about 5,334 other delegates, totaling the 10,173 referrals.

  The FAI was tactically revolutionary, with actions including bank robberies to fund the acquisition and the organization of strikes, but sometimes became more opportunistic. Supported moderate efforts against the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, and in 1936, contributed to the establishment of the Popular Front in exchange for the release of numerous prisoners libertarians. Not necessarily had they a tactical unit, having within it from pacifists to individualistic insurrectionary revolutionaries.

  After Franco's uprising, anarchist organizations started to cooperate with the Republican government, not without controversy. Back then the CNT and FAI binding was more evident than ever. While actively propelled the Spanish Social Revolution of 1936 which saw carried praxis their anarchist ideas, (collectivization of land and industries, libertarian municipalism, etc..), Although this led to the couple cases of repression in the Republican rearguard by part of FAI (given the opposition of prominent leaders CNT) not only against supporters of fascism, but even against moderate Republicans, small business owners or the Church.

  The end of the dictatorship and the Second Republic, 1930-1936

  The dictatorship of Primo de Rivera finished exhausted and without project. After several coup attempts against the government (called Directory ), as Sanjuanada 1926 (conducted by military), and due to the poor economic situation (already beginning to be felt the effects of the 1929 crash) and constant disallowanc
e of King Alfonso XIII to the Board, Primo de Rivera resigns January 28, 1930. The power will go to General Damaso Berenguer, whose mandate is known as the "soft dictatorship" by the more open nature of his regime. In 1930 almost all republican organizations, socialists, Catalan, communists and anarchists began a rebuilding process.

  In August 1930 he signed the so-called Pact of San Sebastián, between Republicans and Socialists who eventually have a continuity in the first republican government. The CNT did not participate in this covenant but was aware of it. These organizations have planned a general strike and insurrection to take place on December 15. This had the CNT to the strike they convene in Barcelona. 12 (3 days before the due date) Uprising Jaca, which fails (and does away with the preparations in the rest of Spain) occurs. Jaca's events end with the execution of the captains and Angel Fermín Galán García Hernández, an indignant that will echo throughout Spain in all (including military) classes. The discrediting of the regime was at its peak. Thus politically Berenguer falls. He has been replaced in February 1931 Admiral Juan Bautista Aznar, who according to the King, calls elections for April 12.

  The government held municipal elections on 12 April, which showed Republicans and Socialists in coalition. Soon, the elections took the look of a plebiscite on the monarchy. The victory of the Republicans in 41 of the 50 provincial capitals and in all major urban centers led to the proclamation of the Republic and hoisting of the tricolor in Eibar in the morning of April 14. In the afternoon, followed suit Barcelona, Madrid and other Spanish cities, amid the jubilation street. The members of the Revolutionary Committee became interim government , amid support or no opposition from the Civil Guard and the Army, while the king, Alfonso XIII left the country.

  The CNT initially accepted the Republic as a preferable alternative to the dictatorship, but soon was forced to join the popular claims that the republican regime hoped would produce immediate social improvements. As the new Republican government did not move record, was the people through direct action who impose these improvements (through land occupations, rent strikes and economic strikes). In these social struggles anarchist militants who had trained during the last dictatorship joined. While they were returning anarchists exiled in other countries. The conflict came quickly. On 1 May 1931, the Barcelona demonstration ended with a shootout of the Civil Guard. One of the demands of the republican government CNT was the dissolution of this body. But it was the strike of the Telephone, 1931, in Seville (which caused 30 deaths), which end up breaking the relationship between the CNT and the Republicans. Thereafter a struggle between the government and the anarchists engaged.