CNT in the Spanish Revolution Volume 2

Description

The CNT in the Spanish Revolution is the history of one of the most original and audacious, and arguably also the most far-reaching, of all the twentieth-century revolutions. It is the history of the giddy years of political change and hope in 1930s Spain, when the so-called 'Generation of '36', Peirats' own generation, rose up against the oppressive structures of Spanish society. It is also a history of a revolution that failed, crushed in the jaws of its enemies on both the reformist left and the reactionary right. Jose Peirats' account is effectively the official CNT history of the war, passionate, partisan but, above all, intelligent. Its huge sweeping canvas covers all areas of the anarchist experience-the spontaneous militias, the revolutionary collectives, the moral dilemmas occasioned by the clash of revolutionary ideals and the stark reality of the war effort against Franco and his German Nazi and Italian Fascist allies. Volume 2 focuses on the battles raging at both the front and rear guards. Additionally, a biographical chapter, "The Life and Struggles of Jose Peirats" gives a great deal of insight into this CNT fighter and historian.

After starting work at the age of 8, Jose Peirats joined the anarcho-syndicalist CNT at 14. He received his education inside the factories, union centres and anarchist-run schools of Barcelona, becoming one of the great 'intellectuals' of the Spanish anarchist movement, publishing a stream of books, pamphlets and newspaper articles on a diverse range of subjects, including history, philosophy, cinema and politics. Chris Ealham currently lives and works in Madrid, where he teaches History at Saint Louis University. He is a specialist in Spanish labor history and movements, especially those of anarchist and anarcho-syndicalist inspiration. His work includes Anarchism and the City: Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Barcelona, 1898-1937, and (co-edited with Mike Richards), The Splintering of Spain: Cultural History and the Spanish Civil War(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005). He also writes in the Spanish anarchist and daily press on topics ranging from soccer to urban planning.

"A landmark in the historiography of the Spanish Civil War. . . . It is effectively the official CNT history of the war, passionate, partisan but, above all, intelligent." --Paul Preston, professor, London School of Economics "For those whose field of study is modern Spain, this is indeed an obligatory purchase. Given that this edition has been indexed and footnoted it may prove more useful to scholars than the original Spanish-language editions." --Kate Sharpley Library A wonderful work and an essential resource for anyone interested in the history of the CNT and the Spanish revolution. Indeed, reading Periats work you see how much other historians (and other anarchists) have lifted from it in their books. It is great to finally have the work available in English." --www.struggle.ws