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Trotsky, Leon

English

University of Central Florida (UCF): STARS (Showcase of Text, Archives, Research & Scholarship)

University of Central Florida STARS PRISM: Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements 1-1-1931 The Revolution in Spain Leon Trotsky Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/prism University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Book is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in PRISM: Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact STARS@ucf.edu. Recommended Citation Trotsky, Leon, "The Revolution in Spain" (1931). PRISM: Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements. 814. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/prism/814 h a  tile S&& monard~y~ like Bosaian & drew iCI relative st- from the iaapotmee of the old &aten and citiea. In this Eies ib indubits& proximity b A&& -0 T B e p r e d ~ o f k h e ~ ~ y o v e r t b s  d @ a I  ia economy aa dl ~II in politim a n d e d  t a e p U d ~ t h S ~ ~ T h e ~  e f t h e & o ~ u p o n t h e ~ b h d a ~ v e c h a r -  d w :  dFuing the k t  eenhry ele&& d-y p m  gwemnent s majority.  beam^ t h ~ ~  C H u  [thb @pmW hembly]  f d  i t d  d e p d d  upaa she d h ~  &.iqgn d t r i e q  &e mhbth '- 4dl inbp dqpdam apon the mommhy. M&id made the ~ b a t t h e p m e . r ~ a p p a r e d i n t h e ~ a b f b s ~  The mommhy am daddy m r y  to the dkmumkd a n d ~ ~ r a l i n g ~ ~ p a b k d g o ~ t h   bad^^^,^ * ~ d ~ ~ $ w ? , w u - b h e n t r r o 6 a e r -  ~ * w b & ~ ' a F * h e  pYe?lmdal n*: *!4Wk'k4Mwa@@~yhp of millime r * w~dha-+&-~d -.  he -- &'-- - i - - t  W e 8 I t h r r a d a p b r ~  m a e r r r m s b e x b f d  m d n € € # h a a a D e e t a ~ , ~ * ~ d ~  ~ ~ d ~ ~ W ~ 0 f c d f q p  .tadanbe b i t r w e d i r ~ ~ & t i i d t b m f & p  B v e ~ ~ f ~ p Q * ~ s s n ~ ~ ~ ~ P  Tklzlai a a e a o f ~ ~ i s m n E d m h & $ . C ' ~  u t d ,  5 sev3lage. T f t a e p e a s M t r y i n t h e e p o h o f ~ r h ~  (Cdq3 pined Btle fmm the mi@ of the Spami& mnph, ft reu emkquently burdened wi th  the hea* wrtle4qamFes uf ih deche. For c e m b ~  it led a mioersbh, a d  in f T h e  S p r s i ~ b  A r m y  i n  P o l i t i o r ,  ' - - ,' . . ent from time to tis# , , are o h m .  16,000 marinen sbdd .b:dd to thb, Beiog the weapon of the ruling c b m  . . . . ; ~ ~ , ~ o n t r y , t h e ~ & r r f 9 & o d m g ~ t h e x &  , &a* army into its p w .  .TI& creaks the coditionm for ;*;ipdepeodent m~-t of the ~ l d i e ~ d .  A h 4 p  in -- - s i d  ofllaero, bur&. into politice, aithoat ;W.a&em and %ga% them. Ln 1836,.the 0 0 1 0 . ~  ofscere of the llBsdrid garrison, m m up*, eom- f led the qaeen to pnanulgah a constitution. In 1888, the artillery s m n b ,  &-tided ~ 5 t h  the -=tic or- &m in the a k y ,  rose b inrmrreetion. Nevedheh, the bgr62einthepasthseremrinedwiththeoflic%ra. The d d h  followed their &atidid ammmdera the dhatiafaction of the uoldh, psPtidy Id*, w &hatered by other, deqm tdd fo-. The c o n t r a d i ~ ~  in the & m y  w d y  c o ~ ~ ' t o  t . & e  branch of emice, The more- a d d  the t~ rpe  ef m, that im, the more i n t & m  it requiree the part of &e m l b  and 6ilicers, the more eascepW khay are, ,-dly to rewlutiomry ideau. While the w r d r y  is mdly inclined to the monarchy, the artdhhta famish s big pe~entage of the repnblicam. No wunder the am, piloting the modern type of war mPehiae, .a- on the side of the revolution and bught into it . -. - -:dhmitb of the hdividudbt &mt& of their prder- f -:. g,-:r The decimive word pemaine with the infantry. . , '3 , , . . A ,  - numhemg. The- . - - :#pdh of the Catholic &ion f d  the k m w  of the o p  -pamidm in tbe mhmitb, invmtiq it with m & . @dd &meter. H@wm, &&ntr do not create r , , * ] [ n t h e i r ~ ~ ~ , t h A S ~ ~  ~ ~ b y m e & m n d y - t h ~ p r c ~ -  p w : . * y  Em? th&r a e d  m predday matiomrp ~ d c a l r t i a g ~ & m g w i t h k h e ~ c f h e y ~  - ' * w q e - ; * & * s t s l l ~ d & &  ~ a b l e , t o m a r & t h e d s £ ~ F r m & J ~ : ~  matlady. I f t t t e c r 8 c k u m ! f l ~ p ~ d ~ ~  i f u d  the M r a  L (putrr thin hi. bo.wity to ths j i ~ t n r s a i n S p a i n * ~ ~ ~ ~ *  -! e b m , t h e ~ r B e L e m o f - ~ d ~ ~  ~ t r b e b t b m , m t h e ~ d t m e f ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  h - ~ l y t b e ~ a l m s ~  - . -.  oftb be^^. . b d m m w i e B - c l r * v & ~  ~aaloafeminmgdformthequi*d~~y.  -* 1 . h r a ~ t h e m ~ ~ f o r t h e ~ ~ ~ f &  1 M . i b g e n a i w m o t h m p p r t  dh.pow- * , . ~ , y r b . ~ ~ a f t b e r H c t ~ t o ~ ~ f P r i m b & ~ ~  y.. m & l ~ h r s ~ t b e g o ~ o f t b e ~  8. T h e  B p r n i r h  P r o l e t a r i a t  and t h e  M e w  B e v o l u t i o n  X n t h b n r s r ~ w e ~ a t & a t v j o n r , t b r r ~ a a  e h d a w e f o r m d i a r & e f ~ ~ : ~  pah ma-; the 8plit-q f& of the mmeP u a ~ a P d ~ d m d + e t h e k i q d ~ w l o m ~  ~ b d o r % h b ; t h e R i & ~ ~ d w a y a r e a d y t a  ~ ~ , d t h e Z R f t ~ a l ~ ~ ~ a d y f o r d ~  ~ ; f b % p l o t t i n a F ~ ~ o f ~ l r a n t a r s p P l b e i s  d o t h e r r a o f l r h o m a p ~ t b n i n ~ ; & ~ t k -  'M* ~todermb, * their fatha vim with rlartn; w y ,  k h e # t r i l d n g w O r k a m , & ~ ~ * d i % ~ ~ t g &  ~ ~ a d t h e ~ ~ o d t a e i r h m b f o r  fitcbfo* a d  twen fur F b  I t : f r r o r J b , h * ~ ~ t a M U l x m e t h r t  & e ~ q & b i r d d & m g - r & n g t m d i n t b e  ~ d & b W p d i t .  Tbelrwtaedm,prrc t @ b d y t h e y - d * - ~ a * r , ~ ~  ~ h a h e ~ y o f t b e c o u a h y a a d i a t h e a o c i a l  . &rtuthmeftBena& O f @ ~ t o d r y ~ p b r e -  ' ~ * t & e t r i l € m d o f E ~ *  N-the- of f i e  bankem, tbe ~~, the B .. dlMa the idustrial t l m h m &  &=&* it r $en& revolution, cap& of -ctiag the dF-- bauiu of national is tmnquemw mhd(f3eff whether &e Spmbh prolatsriat ia caprrbh of hiking a its hm& the Mmbip of the natiwaf We. Them i&-4 o t h e r c & m & l h t h i a d e i n t h e ~ ~ i t i o n o f t h e ~  =tian. Momows, the writ apdewe of Re8,& a e e d e d i n ~ ~ ' * ~ ~ g t h e ~ ~  of the proletariat, uuited by bdwtry in a - i r b d w d  qridtare and amshad m A net o f 3 L  feudal relstiom. ' @  !~k g+h workem, it ie h e ,  a h d y  h k  a 8 ~ ~ l ~ d w w d w h a k p m e r w a a p e n t n p i n d b s  ~ p ~ o f ~ n i s ,  ~ r u e t ~ h l m  + t h m h g  direct u-, broke out in dh r  -ofthe-toa In l9 l9 ,a~ tr i l reo f thedhd  T h e a r P r t r i * l r b e c * a s e B e l d r  o f v * l i u r t p d e t a r h o t m g g b .  The8panisbworkmn- & a wan* d p R t i o x 1  from routhe, an ability to ~ p d q t t U l y k ~ t s m d t o m d d h t h e i r t n n l r o , d  #m# in the oftewipe. The kt p t w a r  yeam, or num d y ,  the k t  dt%t the Bwsirn m l n h  (1917-1W), were pan af p a t  bo* for the S@h pmleturiat, Tbe y w  Z817 whemed a general rwoldionarg utrike. Ib defeat, a d  tbe defeat of r nmnber of suboequent movmnents, p* paxed the d t i o n a  for the dictatorebip of Primo & fLip mra. WhtB the c&pe of th+! latter once more wed in ik mrgnitade the farther destiny of the Sp&h peoplt; 9. +h the corardl~ a e a d  for o~ cliqva m d  the imp-t -tiom of t h ~  petty bourgeob mdic& s h e d  dearly w&em, by a ~ r i e s  of courag~ua otrikes, cried out to tht '.2 & : W # M B ~ !  r The %eftg' European bourgeois joumdbb with pre i"'; . - 5 7  1.) '  t & o m t o 3 B a r o i n g , d f ~ t h e u r , t h e ~ h *  t; ::* em& philoaophhe on the theme that Spnip b rimply b u t  ,h'* -5 F .- to @nee the k t  F d  Revolution, dter a d a b ~  of tl =S . a b n t  150 yeam. To expoand &tion to tbsre p p b  d .-- .A b &dent to a@ng with a blind man &out &. 1 '. . i-3 ' With all ito b .ehraMs,  S p i n  h*o pawed far befond . .I hkd from the Rwan]. 'Q8 tuwards 1917. %i amparim ; - - which woald carry oat cumqpdy open the Tbis ia tha way--the d y  way-& queatiio pooed. Cdvl lb  dd Cas Casl it be ap&d that the Spamiah revolutio~~ lrin We period of padhmentariam? -y, ir M ercluded. It ie conceivable that the c 8 v o l u ~ r y  move tlaeat wiII, in a compmtidy short time, attain eueh ~ t h l r t i t d l l e n k t h e ~ ~ w s n e i t b e r t i m e  aor p h  for prliamentsrism. Nemrtheh, BU& a p& npeetme iu rather improbable The Spsnish @&wish i 6 m i k o f i a e 0 r s t c l a u n q ~ f o r ~ ~ B * e a a ~  pmgmm of actian v h i b  to -body, M-1- the ~ ~ o f t h e C ~ ~ i e ~ o a * o * o f ~ ~ *  L= r a@ &og&d cevduti~nri+ prty, nor k iikAhm3-h % ? bra o r m u m .  *rl LLi, i m Q & n o t l m m e m w ~ m d .  lhexebm&m 5 these c o m a ,  it mwt-b asaumd wt tbs 5- &&mahnvetopnnstb+ the stageufpartiandap E h. ~ d & n o t a t d e x d t l d e t b R M e d a b o ~  ' W ' U ;  workers control of indflstry; a d  M y ,  stah *tion of imiwtry. AU &8e d e m d  are bound dtli the tramition from a b o a r p i s  to r proletarisn d- : &me, theJr prepare this tramition in arder aftemardm, fol- &&bag the eontrdctoq constmction of b r i c  d~~ &ma itPevitably from the heterogadty of the problem in- - from the p ~ t .  T o  redace dl the eontradictionm a d  tasb t o  one codlEient--tiub &batorrMp of th6 pol- ddat-in a mmmary operation, but altogether imdei- art. Even if one should run ahed and uasame tbat the . ploletui.n ranguard has p s p d  the ides that only the &&atomhip of the prcr1etarht can wave Spin  fmm f d b r  h y ,  the, preparatory problem muld ~ B B I  mmdn -- k-itjt fgrce: t o  d n m d  the vsngasrd the a g p  for the b a d e  dog&, tb; - it n9-*- : q w i T t b e ~ s a d ~ t h a n r o l m d ~ t h t h g : ~ .  :: r b e h e - %  yf :d imal i .~m,  . . ' t b e , ~ i n 8 ~ n o t f o ~ i n t b e ~ o f t h e O L t b i r d  @d", continned to M o p ,  the hadera of the 6 - * w ~ s b ~ t O p : ~ , @ t W J r & k , . b a n f ~ ~ =  F '  &me. But the J h m h r  eventm made farther rilence im- i , .  .' poesihle, O m  more in rigid conformity wi th  tradithm, ths . - .  . lPader of the Lrrtin wuntrh described an arc of 180 de , - r over !$a own M: we have in mind the in VDA of Deader 17. The dictatorship of Berengaer, like the dictatomhip of P i m o d e R i v e r a , L p ~ i n t h h a r t i & r ~ ~ t r &  w. Mureolini, M s t b t i ,  Primo de Xvera, MecDonald, Chiang Kai-Shek, Bermper ,  D a e  theee are variatiom of fsscism. Oltoe there ia a ready ward, why tbink? TO be . . tbmngh, there only r e m h  to id& in thin s&n dm the Mftwcist" d g h  of the A b y h  h to th Spmbb prol&a&t, PUTDA informe ua that it ie aot only +e program and d o p w  of the Spami& Caw . d t  Party with increabing @peedH, but that it has d d y  %om comciona of itn Ale of h e p o n y  ia the m l a -  tion". Simultnneously, the oilicial tdepm from Pario n p d  of peasant SovietP in Spain. It is known that under I '  A rn emce and Iight- Compted ta & m . q  m a m w b y t b e L m p l i c y , t b e ' l ~ d " ' n o ~ ~  &!b* d l d r r g  mything! 1 ' .  - J Ip d t y ,  in apite of the Wtj m e q  of t h e e -  ' I i gle, the rdjeetive factorn of the revolu- pz& tb 0-tien of the maurn, al- extramdnqd- . .  ~ ~ t h e t d u o f t h e r n w ~ ~ d i t i ~ W -  &m &at cwetituka khe msin danger Why. 'fhe ~ p o n t M e a u a  m p d  of btrikeu, w w  M - ; bpought vi& and defeats or have c d d  with  mth&i ' .  *bdutely ~ ~ O i d a b l e  stage of the d u t i o n ,  the M, " d t . b e a ~ a l a a i n g o f t e e ~ ~ m o b i k t i o n a o d ~ ~ ~ - ~  1 -try ipto etruggle. For it ie n d  the cream of the d- : , w b  tgke put in tbe ~ ~ m e n t ,  bat & u ' i whole. Not only do factory narkem st*% but .. !, mtbm, dm&- d Wen, a m t m c t i o n ,  inigak1- ; a d  &cultural workera. The vetema~ mold tlr lhb, the new recruits learn. Throagh the medim of k b e  ,, driLes, the &ma b q h  b feel itaelf ae cr dam. Howeyer, tbe spontsndty-whicb at the p@ 8- 1 d a t a  the St@h of the mov-8y in the frttruS 1 : , hama tbe rocme of its &n. T o  armme that th,,. ; ~ a l a o m t b e f u t t l r e ~ k l a f t t o i b e l f ~ ~ .  ! c ~ ~ ~ p l e s * p i e r a X l s ; o t i * e o f ~ ~ ~ - * ~ ~  h w l d k  &-*;;-:b kh8.m at sotbe-ma &mot#  I f & p r e l e b h t ~ ~  t e f d i n t l l e ~ d f b a r d r u g & o f  t h e e -  f S a n t i b t r r s h f & m ~ a m b e e o m i n g ~ r e r t o ~  t 8 * t i b m r m & r ~ b c . ? l g ~ ~ a P d ~  + .  tb6~demqwit ion would w k  it in in ibg own ranks. T b  b d  amwed by the present m-t for t lw M, h e ,  d once more .fall into @ty. Ia the vre- gaarc2,b~~t toWhichthegroand6Eppedoathm &ibfeet,moodsof p a d b l u r a c t s a n d a d v d m h H  v d  W O d d  kgh 6. h 6 ~ C h  -, a R i h  the paurntry nor the city poor would fhd a u k  hh leadership The awdened h o p  would very @cUy b cmwrted into &appointment and exmperatim~ A mom maid be created in Spain reprodnchg m a Eertdh m u r e  the ritmtiw in Italy after the ~~uhmm of 1 m .  U the dictatorship of Prho de Itivera was not fw& bn+ * typiaal Spanish dieta&rship of rr military clique rmp- p t k b g  itu& on c& parts of the wealthy cham, t h  d& the d t i o n a  pointed oat a-the p M t y  and the heaitlrncy of the reuoluti~nary party and the epmhm- eiby of &e movement of the m v h e  fardm Kwld B d  a bane m Spain. The big h& worrld mnqm & ddmcd, disappoiuted, snd dES* petty b geoie -es, and would dired thr revolt a g a w  & pmletarirtt. M mume, we are far from that point get, But no time &odd k In& I Even if we &add ansame for a mmnent that the ~ Y P  ~ ~ r g m o ~ ~ ~ ~ e n t I a d b y t h e L e f t w h g o f t h e b & +  @&dm, Btadenh, repnbhc-I& to -, ~ t h e f d e a n e m o f t b i s v i c h r y m a l d i n t h e W S  b e  equal to defeat. The Spanish r e p a w *  & repubha d 4  the Ihort-Iived d fmihm Au far as the a u a r c h o - d l ~  are oonoemd, thy d head the ~ l u t i o n  only by a b a d m b g  tladr anar& W prejudi-. It ia our duty to help them in thh In d t y ,  it may h 4 thst a plut of the a p d i &  ~ w i l l g o o v e r t o t h e ~ o c ~ b o r a i l l b & ~  by the revoIutim: the mnl r e v o l u t i o ~  w i l l  be with w. me maesea dl join the Co ity of the rod&t workers. The  advantage of a rev$~ltionary fact *t the r m r m  learn fast. The wolution of the ma&m wil l  i~evitsbly pruduce n dilFerentiation aad uplib R& only among the socidbts but a h  among the syndicalintr. Practical -enb with r#d&otwrgl e y d c a b b  are fa- evitable in the mume of & m1ution. These sgrsemedr we d l l o y d y  fuML B u t i t w d b e t F a l y  f r t t d t a h -  *ce inh thew agreements * of duplicity, of d,snd deceit. Even in thme day and hourm when +he Commuzht workera have to ttght ride by ride d#-the H kh-e P a r t y  . . - - :<, . ~ s l t e n f C * & ~ ~  * k d t y o f d o m i ~ . ~ t h e  ; "* tk w k e m  rrwe huk?wmdy ; ~ ~ ~ & i n t & e ~ ~  ' W q  &e. On the order of the day in Spain d a d  the . With the prewst state of the prohdat, the b d & q  i !:= : of jQowrar pmuppmea the partieipatiop in of d~ . ,; - .  . ~ u ~ a ,  anamhwydkaliets, &&dm, a d  the a& .' .. *rty I d e m  of the a t f i e  etrngglea. Wo what a k m t  - :.] 'rre want on the participation of the ~ - s ~  ki *sad rocid democrnts in the Soviets? Thb c d  be f8m hld from afar. T%e sweep of the movement wiR u m h k  d y  corn@ many ryndiedi~ts, and perhap a part of dte i -mchli~tr, to go farther than they wiuh, prorided that W@ ~ommnnista are able to pon problem of A' jn~a. &th tbe m r a q  enern. Ln &w of tbe presaare d th : . , .maims, khe practiea.1 queetiona of the hWng nf Sovkb, . j  -the ratio of repmmhtion, the time d mekhd J-dee- ;i .+hm, and ao forth, a n  and &odd b e  the OB$& ,d { .- . -, not d y  of d the ' t f W ' m  : '*, F'. - + -eha, but t % h J  With thou 8- ud 4 w % o d t a t h e ~ ~ ~ a t i o n ~ f j ~ ~ t ~ .  It&- . . d ,.a hddbormld ~ # r o e n ~ t k  eaqny,&uua- aa an a d *  a f k k  and w a n t  - in the course d time '@u For the mlutimary atrike to be vietoriorrs, it M 'bye to bring about the confrontation of the workem -€he m y .  No matter how h p r t a n t  tbe plvdy m W n q  elamenta of much a &h may be,  politic^ o- tbk The mmuea of #oMiws can k won over d y  by poring the acid ta&r of the revolution. But it im p tidy t h e  social tmkn that frightem the ofhem. Xt m na- turd that the proletarilm mlutionistr A d d  dim& the center of attention wen n b l ~  to the soldiem, m+i of conscioue ewl &ring xwolatimbfs in the q h n b ,  The Communint work in the army, politidy n a b o h & '  b the work among the prohriat aad the pemmtq, om be dwdped only on the basil of r clear propam, Bat w&m the &ive moment arrivee, the workern, by the strevR weight of numbera and the force of their aa~alh dl weep a large park af the army to  the side of the p q d e ,  or, at any rate, neutral& it. This broad p i n g  of the quation d o a  not q e l d  a -3ofthea$vanced~ldiemnndr$iioererpptl&hgmi&+U proletarian revohtion, in the periwl #a -1 s t m i  and inmmediop. But uuch a has n o t h i n g i n ~ ~ m m o n l r i t b ~ : i t b ~ h o f ~  remkable ehamchr and d h  of immring the rimby of the proletarian rrprhhg, For a saccewful adtation of all t h e  tmh, thm &om are mpkd: a party; once.- n party; again party* 

The Revolution in Spain

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The Revolution in Spain

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