IN SPAIN in 1936 when the civil war broke out the anarchists had enormous influence in the working class and the peasantry. And among the anarchist leaders none stood out more than Buenaventura Durruti.
Barcelona on 23 November 1936 was attended by over half a million people.
For the revolutionary masses of Catalonia Duraspirations. Unlike the Stalinists the right Prieto be was not repared wing socialists such subordinate the need for social change to a pact with the liberal Republicans.
He had no illusions in the capitalist government of the Popular Front. He said:
'No government in the world fights fascism to the death. bourgcoisie sees power slipping Its grasp, has recourse to fascism to maintain itself.
"The Liberal nent of Spain could have rendered the fascist elements powerless long instead it temporisand compromised and dallied.
'Even at this moment, there men government who want to go casy wiln the rebels.' This statement made on › August 1930 was to be tragically confirmed by the bloody events of the next three years. Nor did Durruti think that the Spanish revolution should hold back in the interests of the Soviet bureaucracy's peaceful co-existence with capitalism.
He pointed out, 'the workers of Germany and China were sacrificed to fascist barbarism by Stalin' because this policy. He explained how the Spanish workers were 'setting an example to the German and Italian working class how to deal with fascism.
Whether he expected any help from France or when Hitler Dillai Mussolini began to assist the rebels he replied: *I do not expect any help for a libertarian revolution from any the world: sovernmen I recognised 'the conflicting interests of the different Impertaisine Dallas Wednesday 13 April, .
8.10, BBCI JR, having arrived in LuDa, has been thrown into Hollywood's idea of a Cuban jail. This stupid plot would be completely hilarious if it weren't for the fact that some people will actually believe it.
Could there any link between the timing or unis and kcagall s cur rent activities in Central America? alyway. the plot thickens when Bob.
by discovers a box of Cuban cigars ...
The Paras Thursday 14 April, 8.30, BBC1 IN THE FINAL part of advertising series for the most brutal the British CATCHE Army, the lads finally get to see some action. But after having been psychAfter his death at the front his funeral in might have some influence on our struggle.
doing his best to drag Europe into He will not hesitate to pitch Germany against us. But we expect no help, not even from our Owil govellllica...
Unfortunately the workers' organisations did not heed Durruti's words. In the interests of unity with their own capitalist class and in an attempt to win the favour the Western 'democracies' Incy strangica une and prepared the way for Franco's victory.
When a reporter told him he would be sitting on pile ot. ruins the workers won he retorted:
•We have always lived in slums and holes in the wall. We will know how to accommodate ourselves for a Lufic. ror vou must not forget, that we can also build these palaces and cities nere in Spain America everywhere. We, Durruti ed up to blast the Argies, they find themselves sent to the North of Ireland instead.
Perhaps this is where their particularly vicious training is thought to be put to the best use, as the residents of Derry found out on Bloody Sunday in 1972.
The War about Peace Thursday 21 April, 9.00. ITV THIS IS Central TeleviSONS S 'balancerestoring' answer to John Pilger's recent film, "The Truth Game'. That was the one they refused to put out until 'Journalist of the Year' Max Hastings could be workers.
'We can build others to take their place. And betWe are not in the ter ones. bourgeoisie might. blast The bourgeoisie might its own before it leaves the stage of history. we cane world in our hearts.' aus only denied the Republicans military leader but it denied the revolution an authentic and credible voice of opposition the compromisers.
Later, when the anarchists' leaders entered the government justifying this on the grounds of exceptional circumstances', they were able to overcome opposition in the ranks of the It is hard to imagine that Durruti would have sanctioned such a move, would he have been likely to have accepted binding the interests of the workers the brokendown machine of Spanish hoeralism Abel Paz's. book tells the story of Durruti's life and explains his role in the civil war.
Anyone who interested Spanish revolution must ruti. This anarchist biography about an allal chist revolutionary helps to do just that. Zapata and Villa meet in Mexico City 6 December 1914 EN But to achieve their would take time. The capitalist rule through the
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By Abel Paz. Published by Black Rose Books. £4.95.