Emma Goldman writes that she is “interested in the constructive work our comrades in Catalonia are doing, the socialising of the land, organization of the industries. They may not be permitted to do so for long. But if they should be defeated they will yet have shown the first example in history of how revolutions should be made.”

“I think it is the first time in history that such stress is being laid on the superior importance of running the machinery of economic and social life as is being done here. And this is by the much maligned, chaotic Anarchists, who supposedly have ‘no program’ and whose philosophy is bent on destruction and ruin.”

The more radical elements of the CNT-FAI (Spanish Anarchist Federation) were not satisfied with electoral politics. In the months after the Popular Front’s rise to power, strikes, demonstrations, and rebellions broke out throughout Spain. The CNT’s national congress in May 1936 had an overtly revolutionary tone. Among the topics discussed were sexual freedom, plans for agrarian communes, and the elimination of social hierarchy.

Much of Spain’s economy was put under worker control; in anarchist strongholds like Catalonia, the figure was as high as 75%, but lower in areas with heavy socialist influence. Factories were run by worker committees, and agrarian areas became collectivized and run as libertarian communes. Even places like hotels, barbershops, and restaurants were collectivized and managed by their workers. George Orwell describes a scene in Aragon during this time period, in his book, Homage to Catalonia:

I had dropped more or less by chance into the only community of any size in Western Europe where political consciousness and disbelief in capitalism were more normal than their opposites. Up here in Aragon one was among tens of thousands of people, mainly though not entirely of working-class origin, all living at the same level and mingling on terms of equality. In theory it was perfect equality, and even in practice it was not far from it. There is a sense in which it would be true to say that one was experiencing a foretaste of Socialism, by which I mean that the prevailing mental atmosphere was that of Socialism. Many of the normal motives of civilized life–snobbishness, money-grubbing, fear of the boss, etc.–had simply ceased to exist. The ordinary class-division of society had disappeared to an extent that is almost unthinkable in the money-tainted air of England; there was no one there except the peasants and ourselves, and no one owned anyone else as his master.

The anarchist held areas were run according to the basic principle of “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” In some places, money was entirely eliminated, to be replaced with vouchers. Under this system, goods were often up to a quarter of their previous cost.

Despite the critics clamoring for maximum efficiency, anarchic communes often produced more than before the collectivization. The newly liberated zones worked on entirely libertarian principles; decisions were made through councils of ordinary citizens without any sort of bureaucracy. (It should be noted that the CNT-FAI leadership was at this time not nearly as radical as the rank and file members responsible for these sweeping changes.)

In addition to the economic revolution, there was a spirit of cultural revolution. Oppressive traditions were done away with. For instance, women were allowed to have abortions, and the idea of “free love” became popular. In many ways, this spirit of cultural liberation was similar to that of the “New Left” movements of the 1960s.

All in all the Spanish Revolution will continue to inspire future generations of radicals around the world. Revolutionaries today must learn from the accomplishments and failures of revolutions past to enhance our ability to transcend oppressive elements in society and build the world that we desire and will soon demand!