
Working Class History E39: Spanish civil war, part 1
Jul 7, 2020
An expert on tensions in Spanish society during the civil war and an expert on the military coup attempt and social revolution discuss the Spanish civil war. They cover topics such as the working class response to the coup, divisions within Spanish society, revolutionary changes in Barcelona and Catalonia, gender equality and discrimination, the role of women in the revolution and LGBTQ history. They also mention upcoming international dimensions of the war and ask for support on Patreon.
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Conflict Of Competing Ideologies
- The Spanish Civil War combined nearly every major 20th-century ideology in violent conflict across the country.
- The episode frames the war as both political struggle and social revolution, not just a military coup.
Land Concentration Fueled Peasant Rage
- Wealth was extremely concentrated: 70% of land belonged to 2% of the population, creating quasi-feudal conditions.
- This agrarian inequality fuelled deep peasant anger, especially in Andalusia.
Africanistas Shaped Coup-Minded Officers
- A distinct military culture of 'Africanistas' hardened officers through colonial war in Morocco.
- That culture produced elites who saw themselves as saviors of Spain and later led the coup.
