Barcelona, Spain's Rebel City
Barcelona is a town with a history that like a good Catalan red wine is both rich and dark. Its foundations stretch back to at least the 15th century BC, if not earlier. Like so much of ancient Europe the Romans founded the first semblance of the town we know today as Barcelona. In the centuries that followed Barcelona was invaded by many powerful groups of people including the Visigoths, the Moors and the Muslim ruler Al Mansur. Plundered, conquered, nearly destroyed and under siege for much of its life, it comes as no surprise that Barcelona is also a city with a particular penchant for civil rights and freedom. Where the fight for liberty, and some evidence of both local and national political justice and peace, would eventually lead to Barcelona becoming one of Spain's largest strongholds for those who believed in the idea of anarchism.
In the most basic of essences anarchism is a system of political beliefs which dictates that a society (or group of people) will be free from laws, police, governments and other forms of imposing authority. Instead of this type of governed society anarchists feel that a libertarian culture should be founded around mutual cooperation and help amongst the members of the anarchist society.
When and what exactly planted the first seeds of anarchism in the people of Spain and the city of Barcelona is hard to say. Perhaps it was a result of the industrial revolution or a way of revolting against the stark rules and ideologies of Victorian Europe, not to mention the highly uneven distribution of wealth amongst the rich and the poor of Spain at the time. By the middle of the nineteenth century a visible anarchist movement had sprung up in Spain. At the turn of the twentieth century Spain had the largest anarchist community of any European nation, with the biggest following coming from Barcelona's industrial workers, who in 1911 formed an anarcho-syndicalist trade union called the National Confederation of Trabajo, or the "CNT". This union was the only one that was willing to take on members who were not qualified or able to join other unions.
On the whole, the ideals of the CNT focused largely on overthrowing the ruling Capitalists of Spain. Yet almost as soon as it was founded divisions sprung up amongst members of the CNT, some of whom took to radical acts and crimes that today would be classified as acts of terrorism. A large part of what the CNT and Spanish anarchism were about was demonstrating their opposition to the way that Spanish workers - primarily those in the lower classes of society - were being treated. Strikes and demonstrations, meetings and rallies were exceedingly common ways for the anarchists to show their stances and beliefs.
Towards the end of the First World War, and in the years that immediately followed, Barcelona was home to many strikes and protests against the ever-increasing rate of joblessness and the continual slashes in many workers' wages by factory owners. During this time the memory of a tragic uprising in 1909 which saw 6 people killed, 1, 700 charged with crimes and five executed for their alleged involvement with the uprising - including Francisco Ferrer, a well known Spanish free-thinker - was still fresh in the minds of the people of Barcelona as this is where the event had occurred.
In 1934 the CNT had some 1.5 million members and by the time the Spanish revolution began in 1936 this number had grown even larger. While it is nearly impossible to sum up the events of the Spanish Civil War that followed in a few lines, it can be defined as a conflict between the left wing parties of Spain (including anarchists, socialists, communists, and some republicans) and the right wing Nationalist party which was headed by the infamous Francisco Franco. By the end of 1939 Franco was successful in overthrowing the current Spanish Republican government and creating his own dictatorship. Thus the right-wing side had succeeded in winning the three year long civil war.
The Spanish Civil war may have officially ended, but the Second World War was just beggining and Franco's power in Spain was to remain strong for decades to come. The reign of Franco's government would not be shaken until the 1970's, however by this time a great deal of the country's left wing groups and anarchist parties had either been destroyed during the second world war, transformed into other groups or disbanded on the whole.
In the past thirty years Spain has seen continual freedom and rebirth, albeit with some setbacks, which may be a large part of why membership in groups such as the CNT has greatly declined. However, at the same time the CNT continues to exist today, and Barcelona is still considered to be Spain's "anarchist hotspot". While many thing both tragic and positive have come from Spain's long history of fighting, civil unrest and anarchism, one thing is for sure - the beautiful city of Barcelona will forever be a city with an unshakeable will of its own.
About the Author
Dallas Real Estate News
An offensive 'Impeach Bush' ornament will no longer hang on the White House Christmas tree, no matter what Congress says. Speaking of the Christmas tree, First Lady Laura Bush said Sunday that the official White House Christmas tree was safely ...
ABC News Ann Compton Reports: President and Laura Bush are moving to Dallas once they leave the White House, the First Lady said on Wednesday. Laura Bush confirmed that she and the President are buying a house in Dallas, about two hours from his ...
(December 3, 2008)--First Lady Laura Bush says she and President George W. Bush will have a house in Dallas after leaving the White House. Mrs. Bush's press secretary, Sally McDonough, said the president and first lady are buying a home in Dallas ...
DALLAS — His Excellency, Andre Kimbuta, governor of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, along with a 7-person government delegation, visited the U.S. recently on a fact-finding mission regarding possible assistance for infrastructure ...
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has the challenge of managing portfolios of owned real estate that belong to distressed financial institutions it took over. The FDIC announced this week that it has chosen commercial real estate company CB Richard ...
In today's financing world, small real estate projects reign over big deals, and restructure is the new buzz word. With financing at a virtual standstill, some Dallas developers have delayed or shelved projects. Property isn't selling. Borrowers must ...
Commercial real estate deals fell 22 percent in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the third quarter from a year earlier, thanks to the credit crunch and the weak economy, according to a recent report by Environmental Data Resources Inc. Nationwide, deals ...
According to a recent report by Environmental Data Resources Inc. commercial real estate deals fell 22 percent in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the third quarter from a year earlier, thanks to the credit crunch and the weak economy. Nationwide, deals ...
bizspace.com Albany Albuquerque Atlanta Austin Baltimore Birmingham Boston Buffalo Charlotte Cincinnati Columbus Dallas Dayton Denver Houston Jacksonville Kansas City Los Angeles Louisville Memphis Milwaukee Nashville Orlando Honolulu Philadelphia ...
WASHINGTON (AP) - First lady Laura Bush today said she and President George W. Bush will have a house in Dallas after leaving the White House. Mrs. Bush's press secretary, Sally McDonough, says the president and first lady are buying a home in Dallas ...
Dallas Real Estate Links
Dallas Real Estate by VIP Realty. View MLS Listings & Virtual Tours Over 60,000 Homes For Sale. List for 0% commission! Buying? Recieve 1.5% Cash Rebate.
Contact Joan Parma, Dallas Texas real esate agent, offering home buying, home selling, and relocation services for the Dallas Metroplex. Search MLS and take a virtual home tour.
Dallas real estate and Dallas homes for sale by Dallas Keller Williams. View Dallas Homes and Virtual Tours on our website. Keller Williams Dallas is one of the leading companies ...
Information on homes for sale and buyer services for finding real estate in Dallas - Fort Worth vicinity.
Buying or selling North Texas real estate? David Winans GMAC is your source for Dallas Fort Worth real estate information and services. We provide the expertise, professionalism ...
Find Homes For Sale in Dallas. Search Dallas, Texas real estate, recently sold properties, foreclosures, new homes, school information and much more on Trulia.
The Touchstone Team Touching Dallas area Real Estate The Touchstone Team is a Family of Realtors Providing Top Professional Service to the Dallas, Fort Worth Metroplex.
Dallas Texas local community information, including news, resource, links, area guides, and a newsletter.
Dallas Real Estate Brokerage offering assistance buying, selling, renting Dallas Homes, New Homes, Townhomes, Condos, Lofts, Highrises, Apartments. Search our Dallas Real Estate ...
Specializing in Dallas real estate, Plano, Prosper, Frisco, Allen, McKinney, Lovejoy, Celina, and Collin County. Phillis Ergo helping to find and buy the home of your dreams.
Dallas Real Estate Blogs
Home prices in San Diego have not stopped their downward direction because of the continued addition of foreclosed homes to the housing market. In September this year, San Diego’s house prices dropped by 2.4 percent from August and by 26.3 percent compared to September... read more
Apparently a rumor is circulating via email that I was mugged at NorthPark in early November — not true. I did receive an email from a friend who said she had her purse snatched at NorthPark and I posted, reminding us all to be careful, not show off the bling when out and about. MSNBC also reported a purse-snatching at NorthPark. NorthPark’s confused publicity director called me, and I have asked for the facts on their crime stats and security cameras in the parking garages. Information forthco
December 1, 2008 in d/fw real estate, dallas / fort worth real estate, dallas new homes, home buyer, north texas real estate, real estate market | Tags: christmas present, new home for the holidays | by newhomegal We all fall in to the trap of the holidays. Rushing around to decorate, buy the right present, cook the right foods, and be seen at all the right parties. You may think that there is simply no way you can add buying a new home to your to do list in December. With out an agen
ARLINGTON - About 100 Arlington families lose their homes to foreclosures a month. Now, the city is introducing what it has called a “Neighborhood Stabilization” plan that aims to get families back into homes within the next four years. David Easley says he is one of the lone survivors of foreclosure in his south Arlington neighborhood. Click here for the full story… By DARLA MILES / WFAA-TV ShareThis
Uptown Dallas is a 125 year old neighborhood right in the center of urban Dallas. Within this community you'll find Mercer Square, which features 85 new condominium homes. This great Dallas condo community offers a unique balance between work ...
Looks like a new restaurant is coming to the hood. We may soon be sipping margaritas at Taco Mundo in the space formerly occupied by Gap Kids (and next door to White House Black Market). The proprietor is Caroline Galvan-Rodriguez (co-founder of Mi Cocina's). So this place should be good. Supposedly, there aren't more restaurants at this intersection because there isn't enough parking to meet restaurant requirements. Guess they'll make an exception for good Mexican food. At least it isn't anoth
If you are a home buyer looking for a maintenance-free lifestyle and would enjoy no commuting hassles, then an urban location in Dallas is for you. The Azure is a 31-story high rise building located in the Uptown Dallas area. This breathtaking high ...
Wonder if Julius chased down coffee here this morning. Kitchen of his Uptown townhome listed for $1.3 million.
Still trying to figure out how Dallas condo prices could have increased third quarter: a faithful and knowledgeable reader offers this explanation: “With all the new supply of nice condos coming online over the last few years, when they sell via the MLS they push up the average, as compared to the days when fewer of these new units were selling via MLS. So I don’t think that the units themselves are appreciating much right now, but rather the mix of units sold now includes these new and expens
Yes. There probably is - whether you know it or not. And I'm not talking about the new Twilight movie. This vampire is the kind that sucks the money from your wallet through 'vampire power'. Vampire Power is the electricity that electronics and appliances use while they are switched off or in a standby mode. It is responsible for electric waste that figures in the billions annually in the U.S. Chances are your home has between 20 and 40 electronic devices plugged in th
In the last post we explored the traditional relationship of a home buyer or seller with a real estate agent. Dallas continues to grow as more and more people discover its many benefits and real estate transactions have escalated as people choose to make this area their home. As we discussed, while the typical real estate relationship is one that is generally beneficial for all involved, there are some circumstances under which a buyer or seller may need other options brought to the table. In
There are many lucrative options for the buyers of Dallas Bank Foreclosures. Dallas Bank Foreclosures are priced at less than half the price of the new houses. Surveys are producing the facts that a lot if money will be saved by investing in Dallas Bank Foreclosures. The range of Dallas Bank Foreclosures is between $65,000 to $ 102,000. When hunting for Dallas Bank Foreclosures one must do proper inspection. Bank Foreclosures In Dallas Bank Foreclosures In Dallas are not speaking good of the e
CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. has landed one of the fattest real estate clients in recent history. The Los Angeles-based global real estate services firm, and the Tri-State’s largest commercial real estate broker, has been selected as a primary adviser for residential and commercial real estate assets the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will acquire as it takes over failed banks. A team led by CB Richard Ellis will be responsible for valuing, managing, leasing and selling FDIC’s real estate in
Understanding FHA By Jason Kotar RISMEDIA, Oct. 21, 2008-With the Federal governments re-emphasis on the FHA as a key vehicle for resuscitating the real estate market, now is a good time to review FHA in more detail. Let’s start with some basics. First, the FHA insures loans that approved lenders make, it does not purchase them as Fannie and Freddie do. If a FHA insured home goes into bankruptcy, FHA pays off the mortgage to the Lender, takes ownership of the home, and then proceeds to sell i
Does Christmas shopping drive you crazy? In one case, it could be a good thing, saving you money. “All our friends and family were continually asking us, ‘I’m looking to purchase this. What’s the best price you can find out there?’” said Shawn Mayeux. Now Mayeux and three friends answer those questions every day for thousands of online bargain hunters through DeaLoco.com, the Web site they started more than two years ago. Click here for the full story… By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA-TV 07:53 PM C
The latest plan announced by the Federal Government is intended to force interest rates to drop and it is working. If you are looking for the lowest interest rates for a home anywhere in Texas, please contact me personally here in Austin at 512-341-2802. We represent almost every lender in the country, handle all the paperwork, and the low closing costs are included in the loan. Please contact me personally at 512-341-2802. Mark Matthews Owner/ www.kmalendinggroup.com 100 E. Main #101 R
Over on Frontburner, Wick Allison posted Case-Shiller’s not-so-gloomy home price numbers for Dallas — down far less than the rest of the world, as I told you. But he also found that average Dallas condo prices were UP by 11.1 percent…which I find just plain curious. That’s third quarter 2008 pricing with an average tag of $148,000 — ain’t exactly the Ritz. Still, any reason why coming on the heels of news that the Stoneleigh Heritage is on ice etc. etc?
Americans have a love-hate relationship with their largest cities, according to a survey of 2,500 employees and small business owners. Human Capital Institute, a Washington-D.C.-based human resources think tank, asked employees and entrepreneurs to name the U.S. city where they’d be most eager to relocate. The winner? New York City. The loser? New York City. Survey-takers who liked New York pointed to its entertainment options, readily available transportation and business opportunities. Survey
Dallas Real Estate Images
Navigation
