Barcelona’s Tumultuous Era: Labor Unrest, Gunmen, and the Quest for Autonomy
Social Unrest and Gunmen in Barcelona
The early 20th century in Barcelona was marked by significant social unrest and violence, fueled by clashes between employers and workers struggling to cope with economic hardship, particularly the loss of the Cuban market. Key issues included:
- Renewal of machinery
- Reduction of job sites
- Substitution of women for men in jobs
- Fighting for the maintenance of jobs
- Reduction of working hours
- Demanding a decent wage
This struggle is reflected in the general strike in Barcelona in 1902, which was met with employer intransigence and repression.
The Formation of a New Unionism
The repression led trade unions to create stronger organizations:
- 1907: Solidaridad Obrera – A federation of very diverse trade unions, important in Barcelona.
- 1911: National Labor Confederation (CNT) – A revolutionary and anarchist union with hegemonic power in Catalonia.
The CNT advocated for:
- Independence of the proletariat from the bourgeoisie
- The need to drive workers’ unionism
- The desire to overthrow capitalism
Top CNT leaders included Salvador Seguí, Angel Pestaña, and Joan Peiró.
The CNT and the Canadian Strike
At the CNT Congress of Sants in 1918, the organization sought to gain more strength by uniting all workers and reaffirmed its apoliticism, defending direct negotiation between workers and employers.
In 1919, a strong wave of strikes began with the Barcelona Traction, Light and Power Co. strike (known as “La Canadiense”). This strike lasted a month and a half, paralyzing Barcelona. It ended with:
- The army occupying and militarizing factories
- An agreement with employers for:
- Readmission of dismissed workers
- Release of detainees
- Wage increase
- 8-hour workday
The Years of Gunmen
The failure to fulfill the promise to free prisoners led to a reboot of the strike, which was met with further repression and radicalization of positions. The military authorities took control of Catalonia, declaring a state of emergency between 1919 and 1922.
The fight for union activism degenerated into violent attacks against authorities, employers, and law enforcement. Employers reacted by organizing bands of gunmen hired to assassinate labor leaders and promote a new, non-syndicated Free Union.
The civil governor of Barcelona, Martínez Anido, protected the employer gunmen and exerted strong repression against trade unionists, putting into practice the ley de fugas (law of flight). The gunmen spread throughout Barcelona between 1917 and 1922, resulting in over 800 attacks.
The Decomposition of the System
The crisis of 1917 displayed the failure of concentration governments (Liberals, Conservatives, and Catalanist reformists). Governments were short-lived because parties withdrew support for even the smallest problems. In 1919, the dynastic era returned.
The Campaign for Autonomy
In 1918, the Regionalist League launched a campaign in defense of greater autonomy. This proposal raised issues with the opposition, as government collaboration with the League in coalition governments did not guarantee more autonomy. The League, however, continued to support the government to maintain social order.
The most Catalan nationalist sectors and radical leftist political groups created a new opposition to the League’s stance, including:
- Catalan Action (1922) – An excision of the League, led by Antoni Rovira i Virgili and Lluís Nicolau d’Olwer.
- Catalan Republican Party (1917) – Defended a Catalan folk and aligned with the labor movement, led by Francesc Layret and Lluís Companys.
- Catalan State (1922) – Advocated for independence, led by Francesc Macià.