1930s
Spilling the Spanish beans - George Orwell
George Orwell's 1937 essay on the deceptions in the British press which obscured the revolutionary character of events in Spain in favour of a simple story of 'democracy vs fascism', written after his participation in the revolutionary militias and his narrow escape from the Stalinist purges.
He concludes ominously with a prediction that such an ignorance of the real struggle can only lead to more slaughter, and predicts World War Two as the 'war against fascism', a cover for implementing a 'fascism, British variety' at home - with hindsight the British wartime economy could indeed be quite accurately labelled fascist (3,000 words).
Spilling the Spanish beans
1919-1950: The politics of Surrealism
A history of Surrealism and its links with politics and, in particular, anarchism and socialism.
1931: Michael Schirru and the attempted assassination of Mussolini
An account of the trial and death of American anarchist Michael Schirru, who travelled to Italy to attempt to assassinate the fascist dictator.
Despite the fact that his "crimes" were not legally punishable by death, Schirru was executed by firing squad.
1937: The Clydeside apprentices’ strike
The strong Scottish strike of apprentices which help turn them from isolated individuals with no employment rights into organised, unionised workers.
Apprentices for some time had felt that they were drastically under paid and no more than a form of cheap labour. Apprentices’ wages ranged from 8/- to 19/- a week. In his first year he would be paid from 8/- to 12/- per week, a last year boy would receive 16/- to 19/-. Apprentices of 23 years of age would be paid 20/- per week.
1934: Queensland canecutters' strike
The history of the victorious strike of mostly migrant cane-cutting workers in Australia. To secure the victory the workers had to overcome the bosses' resistance, the police and the racist trade union.
Like many other anti- fascists, Francesco Carmagnola was forced to emigrate from Italy because of fascist violence. From his arrival in 1922, he was increasingly active and prominent in organising anti fascist activities in North Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne.
1932: Belfast Outdoor Relief Strike
The Falls and the Shankhill united, Catholics and Protestants fighting together. That is the story of the Outdoor Relief Strike launched by the unemployed of Belfast in 1932.
It is important today not only because it is a part of our history that has been denied space in the school books but also because it was a living demonstration that the sectarian barrier can be breached.
1931: Barcelona mass rent strike
The story of one of the biggest rent strikes of the 20th century where more than 100,000 people faced down the landlords and the government winning improvements for many tenants.
The strike laid the groundwork for much more workers' organisation in the community in subsequent years
1930-1931: The Nghe-Tinh Revolt
The history of the uprising in rural Vietnam, still a French colony, which caused the local government to flee. The workers and peasants in the area then began administrating their affairs themselves before being crushed by the French army.
Strikes grew more frequent in Nam Bo in early 1930 and led to peasant demonstrations in May and June of that year. The focus of reaction to the worsening economic conditions, however, was the Nghe An Province, which had a long history of support for peasant revolts.
15. Self-help in Hard Times
The war was hardly over, it was February 1919, the IWW leadership was in jail, but the IWW idea
of the general strike became reality for five days in Seattle, Washington, when a walkout of
100,000 working people brought the city to a halt.
In self defence: I demand an explanation - Jaime Balius
Jaime Balius's - editor of El Amigo del Pueblo, the paper of the Friends of Durruti group - angry rebuttal of accusations that he was a Marxist.
I will not repay defamatory comment in kind. But what I cannot keep mum about is that a legend of marxism has been woven about my person and I should like the record put straight
