La Revolución Libertaria.

by mitch - Workers Solidarity Alliance (personal capacity) Mon Jul 17, 2006 20:37 wsany at hotmail dot com

July 19th marks the 70th Anniversary of the Spanish Revolution. This was the
first time in history that the anarchist vision of self-management was partially
implemented.

In spite of all the strengths of the anarcho-syndicalist movement
(represented by the CNT-AIT) and the militancy of the anarchist federation (FAI), the
revolution and movement were not without its flaws. In spite of all its flaws and
mistakes, the Spanish libertarians provided the world with a glimpse of what
a self-managed society might look like.

Surely, in the 70 years that have passed since the revolution the world has
changed. Yet, fundamentally, the world has not changed. The basis for militancy
and social revolution remain the same. Domination, economic exploitation,
racism, war and poverty still prevail around the globe. 70 years on the goal of
the Spanish revolutionists, of all anarchists and anarcho-syndicalists
throughout the world, remain fundamentally the same. The desire to build a "new world
in our hearts" is still to be fought for ---and won.

Our Spanish comrades worked tirelessly and unselfishly for decades before the
revolution to build their movement. Their movement did not spring up from
nowhere. Perhaps it will take us generations to build a movement of millions.
Perhaps we will see many highs and lows along the way. Defeats and victories will
come. Nevertheless, the long-term struggle to achieve "the ideal" will
continue until we build a self-managed society.

I am reminded of the some of closing comments made by Sam Dolgoff in his
important and informative work "The Anarchist Collectives: Workers Self-Management
in the Spanish Revolution":

"The contemporary significance of the Spanish Revolution lies not so much in
the specific measures improvised by urban socialized industries and agrarian
collective (most of them outdated by the cybernetic-technological revolution)
but in the application of the fundamental constructive principles of anarchism
or free socialism to the immediate practical problems of the Spanish social
revolution. "

To our Spanish comrades of old, to the revolutionists who constructively
worked to build a new world, a free world based on mutual aid, direct democracy
and self-management, we shall continue to accept the challenge of fulfilling the
dream.

In recognition of the Revolution, please find some links to sites that have
important writings by and about this monumental event.

Salud y anarquia,!

Sites in English language:

http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/spaindx.html
http://www.anarchosyndicalism.net/archive/spain36
(http://www.tvhastingschristiebooks.com/documents/homepage.html)
http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/
http://workersolidarity.org/

In French:

http://www.fondation-besnard.org/

In Spanish:

(http://www.cnt.es/Documentos/cineyanarquismo/home.htm)