The CNT in the Spanish Revolution

The CNT in the Spanish Revolution documents the history and activities of Spain's largest anarcho-syndicalist labor union during the Spanish Civil War period. The work draws extensively from CNT archives, meeting minutes, and firsthand accounts to chronicle the organization's development and influence. This comprehensive three-volume study examines the CNT's structure, ideology, and tactics as it grew into a major force in Spanish politics and society. Peirats, himself a CNT militant, provides detailed coverage of the union's role in implementing workers' self-management and collectivization in both urban and rural areas. The text presents key debates and conflicts within the CNT, including tensions between revolutionary goals and participation in the Republican government. Peirats includes primary source materials like manifestos, congress resolutions, and correspondence between CNT committees. The work stands as both a crucial historical record and an exploration of how radical labor movements navigate between idealistic principles and practical compromises. Its examination of bottom-up social transformation remains relevant to modern discussions of democratic alternatives to state and corporate power.

Readers describe this as a detailed firsthand account of the CNT anarchist labor movement from someone who participated directly. Many value Peirats' insider perspective and documentation of day-to-day operations, decision-making processes, and internal conflicts. Positive reviews focus on: - Extensive use of primary sources and archival materials - Coverage of both major events and local organizing details - Balanced critique of CNT's successes and failures Common criticisms: - Dense writing style can be difficult to follow - Assumes significant background knowledge of Spanish politics - Some find the organizational minutiae tedious Ratings: Goodreads: 4.29/5 (34 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (6 ratings) Multiple readers note it works better as a reference text than a cover-to-cover read. One Goodreads reviewer called it "exhaustingly thorough but absolutely necessary for understanding how anarchism functioned in practice."

The Spanish Civil War by Hugh Thomas A comprehensive examination of the Spanish Civil War with detailed coverage of the anarchist movements and revolutionary activities during 1936-1939.

Anarchism and Workers' Self-Management in Revolutionary Spain by Frank Mintz A study of the collectivization movement in Spain focusing on the economic and social transformations implemented by workers during the revolution.

Vision on Fire: Emma Goldman on the Spanish Revolution by Emma Goldman First-hand accounts and analysis of the Spanish Revolution from an anarchist participant who documented the CNT-FAI's role and the social revolution of 1936.

The Spanish Revolution by Burnett Bolloten A historical analysis of the revolutionary movements in Spain with focus on the power struggles between anarchists, communists, and republicans during the civil war period.

Free Women of Spain: Anarchism and the Struggle for the Emancipation of Women by Martha Ackelsberg An investigation of the Mujeres Libres movement and women's participation in Spanish anarchist organizations during the revolutionary period.

🔸 José Peirats was not just a historian but an active participant in the events he documented - he joined the CNT at age 14 and worked as a brickmaker while fighting for workers' rights. 🔸 The CNT (National Confederation of Labor) managed to implement worker self-management across much of Spain during 1936, with factories, farms, and public services successfully run by the workers themselves. 🔸 The book was originally published in Spanish as "La CNT en la revolución española" between 1951 and 1953 while Peirats was living in exile in France following Franco's victory. 🔸 During the period covered by the book, the CNT grew to include nearly 2 million members, making it the largest anarchist organization in history. 🔸 The English translation wasn't published until 2001, with additional volumes released through 2006, finally making this crucial historical account accessible to English-speaking readers.