The Anarchist Collectives Workers’ Self-management in the Spanish Revolution 1936–1939

237 Pages·1974·8.69 MB·English

by  Sam Dolgoff

THE ANARCHIST
COLLECTIVES

THE
aHaRCHIST
MS
COLLECT
Edita:J Dogoff
~Som
Workers'
Self-ma~nt
in~~nish
RevOlution
"1936-1939
Introductory
Essay by
murroy
Bookchin
THE ANARCHIST COLLECTIVES:
Workers' Self-management in
the Spanish Revolution (1936-1939)
Copyright© 1974 by Sam Do Igo ff
Introductory Essay© 1974 by Murray Bookchin
All rights reserved, Free Life Editions, Inc.
First Edition
Published 1974 by Free Life Editions, Inc.
41 Union Square West
New York, N.Y. 10003
Canadian edition published by Black Rose Books by arrangement
with Free Life Editions, Inc.
Black Rose Books
3934 St. Urbain
Montreal 131, Quebec
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 73-88239
ISBN: 0-914156-02-0 paperback
ISBN: 0-914156-03-9 hardcover
Manufactured in the United States of America
Faculty Press, Inc. Brooklyn, N.Y. ~"1"'
To the heroic workers and peasants of Spain!
To my comrades, the Spanish Anarchists,
who perished fighting for freedom!
To the militants who continue the struggle!

Contents
PREFACE by Sam Dolgoff-ix
INTRODUCTORY ESSAY by Murray Bookchin-xi
PART ONE: BACKGROUND
1. THE SPANISH REVOLUTION 5
The Two Revolutions (S.D.)-5
The Trend Towards Workers' Self-Management (S.D.)-74
2. THE LIBERTARIAN TRADITION 19
The Rural Collectivist Tradition (S.D.)-20
The Anarchist Influence (S.D.)-23
The Political and Economic Organization
of Society (Isaac Puente)-28
3. HISTORICAL NOTES 35
The Prologue to Revolution (S.D.)-35
The Counter-Revolution and the
Destruction of the Collectives (S.D.)-40
4. THE LIM/TA TIONS OF THE REVOLUTION
(Gaston Leval) 49
PART TWO: THE SOCIAL REVOLUTION
5. THE ECONOMICS OF REVOLUTION 65
Economic Structure and Coordination
(Augustin Souchy)-66
A Note on the Difficult Problems of
Reconstruction (Diego Abad de Santillan)-69
Money and Exchange (S.D.)-70
6. WORKERS' SELF-MANAGEMENT IN INDUSTRY
(Augustin Souchy) 77
7. URBAN COLLECTIVIZATION 85
Collectivizations in Catalonia (Augustin Souchy)-86
The Collectivization of the Metal and
Munitions Industry (Augustin Souchy)-96
The Collectivization of the Optical
Industry (Co//ectivizations)-99
The Socialization of Health Services (Gaston Leval)-99
Industrial Collectivization in Alcoy (Gaston Leval)-702
Control of Industries in the North (Jose Pierats)-707
8. THE REVOLUTION OF THE LAND (Jose Pierats) 111
9. THE COORDINATION OF COLLECT/ VES 121
The Peasant Federation of Levant (Gaston Leval)-72 2
The Aragon Federation of Collectives:
The First Congress (Jose Pierats)-726
70. THE RURAL COLLECTIVES 129
A Journey Through Aragon (Augustin Souchy)-730
The Collectivization in Graus
- (Gaston Leval and Alardo Prats)-7 35
Libertarian Communism in Alcora
(H.E. Kaminski}-743
The Collective in Binefar (G~ston Leval)-746
Miralcampo and Azuqueca
(Cahiers de L 'Humanisme Libertaire)-150
Collectivization in Carcagente (Gaston Leval)-757
Collectivization in Magdalena de Pulpis
(Gaston Leval}-7 55
The Collective in Mas de Las Matas (Gaston Leval)-760
17. AN EVALUATION OF THE
ANARCHIST COLLECTIVES 165
The Characteristics of the Libertarian Collectives
(Gaston Leval}-766
In Conclusion (S.D.)-170
BIBLIOGRAPHY 177
INDEX 183
Appendices appear on pages 11, 29, 30, 71, and 81.
Photographs and posters appear on pages 4, 15, 25, 34, 45, 64, 72,
97, 103, 104, 110, 117, 141, 142, 157, 158, 173,and 197.
Preface
The Spanish Social Revolution has been long neglected in English
language works. Its importance as a revolutionary event and model, and as
a concrete example of workers' self-management by the people is just not
recognized. My purpose in this collection is to provide an introduction to
this unique experience. In my first chapter and friend Bookchin's
introductory essay, a general overview and context is presented. Most
important, of course, is that this was a real experience for the people who
took part. Through their words and deeds and the observations of the
authors used in this collection, it is hoped that the reader will gain a
meaningful understanding of the aims and organization of the anarchist
collectives.
The material has been divided into two main sections. The first provides
essential background information: the nature of the Spanish Revolution,
the collectivist tradition, the development of the libertarian labor
movement in Spain, and the historical events leading up to and then
culminating in the destruction of the collectives.
The second, and main, section deals with the actual social
revolution-the overall characteristics of agrarian collectivization and
industrial socialization. It begins with a discussion about economic
coordination, the place and nature of money in the collectives, and
includes statistics on the number of collectives. It then deals with actual
descriptions of life in the collectives, first under industrial socialization,
and then in the rural collectives: how the new institutions were
established, how they functioned, how production and distribution were
handled; about coordination, exchange, relations between collectives, and
between collectivized and non-collectivized areas. The book ends with a
short evaluation of the anarchist collectives with some comments on their
relevance and lessons.
The glossary, bibliography and appendices add to the overall usefulness
of this volume. The photographs reproduced within begin to correct the
visual bias that has left a plethora of war scenes but very little reflecting
the constructive aspects of the Spanish Social Revolution. Most of the