No State Solution: CNT Members on Catalonia, Spain, and the General Strike

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

In the past month, millions have taken to the streets of Spain as part of an independence movement to break with the Spanish State and form and autonomous Catalonia government. After massive police repression took place during a voting referendum, anger grew at the government crack down and it looked like the nationalist movement might become overshadowed by a broader rejection of State authority in general. In this context, anarchist groups and anarcho-syndicalist unions in Spain pushed for a general strike, while mainstream and business unions called for polite protest.

In this episode we talk about the general strike that took place in Spain earlier this month, as well as the complicated situation anarchists and anti-authoritarians find themselves in. We discuss if anarchists have a dog in the fight of secessionist movements, and how autonomous anti-capitalist politics can find a foothold in a period of rising reactionary far-Right parties. At a time when open conflict grows between Catalan and Spanish elites and there is talk of a Kurdish State being on the table, the need to articulate a non-State solution is greater than ever.

Speaking with us are two members of the CNT (National Confederation of Labor), which is one of several anarcho-syndicalist unions in Spain. The CNT has a rich history in the country, and we talk broadly about the pre and post-Franco CNT, as well as its strategies for building support among Spanish workers. We also discuss how the CNT views participation alongside other anarchist groups, as well as the possibilities for a continuing global anarchist discussion between organizations, networks, formations, and individuals.

More Info: CNT, background article here, here, here, here, and here.

Music: Uprise