reply to post by NoHierarchy
yes.
He was part of the Workers' Party for Marxist Unification (POUM — Partido Obrero de Unificación Marxista), and was part of the fight by the
democratically elected Republican government against the fascists under Franco.
Homage to Catalonia is Orwell's speaks of his involvement in Spain, He was shot and could not fight anymore.
I have read some of his work. I "know about" his involvement in the civil war here, though I never read homage to Catalonia.
Fascists emerged because the Marxist insurgency was still bringing in people into the country to overthrow the government. Elections were not possible
because the same fiasco with the elections as before where they stole them by intimidation and coercion.
The republic was convinced it could stomp out all armed opposition, and the Government forces under Franco thought they could win in less than a few
months. Both were wrong.
The anarchists would have failed in Spain because they failed to produce an even minimal land reform. They had no idea how to distribute land other
than by seizing it for a collective use. What happens when your collective grows and you need more land and there are no more people who have "too
much" to steal from? Do you seize it from a smaller collective or a single person?
That was one of the biggest criticisms of the Republic. It talked a good game but while in power it did NOTHING to address the issues that were
foremost to the common man.
Franco was chiefly concerned with keeping the country together since the Marxist insurgency was stirring things up in Catalonia like is being done
now. It is no secret that most Cataluñians like the idea of independence but prefer to live their lives without such problems. People here make note
that the biggest proponents of independence in Cataluñia are not from there originally.
Franco was also concerned with modernizing the country, building infrastructure and public works. He set up a standardized educational system that
brought education to rural areas that did not have it, as well as other social programs that only benefited the people. He could have been more of a
jerk, but he just wanted his country to prosper. He failed by trying to keep an isolationist policy for the countries economy while trying to promote
just tourism.
All in all, he made Spain what it is. He didn't promise the world and then give them nothing. He kept his word, good and bad. HE was frank....lol.
Franco was....
the Marxists just wanted to stir up trouble and get people killed in their grab for power. Marxism is one of the least favored forms of communism for
its extremism and violent tendencies as well as its advocacy for "anything goes"...even among communists.
edit on 28-12-2012 by zedVSzardoz because: (no reason given)
