This is a study of social protest and repression in one of the twentiethcenturys most important revolutionary hotspots. It explains why Barcelonabecame the undi... » 

This is a study of social protest and repression in one of the twentiethcenturys most important revolutionary hotspots. It explains why Barcelonabecame the undisputed capital of the European anarchist movement and exploresthe sources of anarchist power in the city. It also places Barcelona at thecenter of Spains economic social cultural and political life during 18981937.During this period a range of social groups movements and institutionscompeted with one another the impose their own political and urban project onthe city the central authorities struggled to retain control of Spains mostunruly nationalist groups hoped to create the capital of Catalonia localindustrialists attempted to erect a modern industrial city the urban middleclasses planned to democratize the city and meanwhile the anarchists soughtto liberate the citys workers from oppression and exploration. This resultedin an myriad of frequently violent conflicts for control of the city bothbefore and during thecivil war.This is a work of seminal importance in the field of contemporary Spanishhistory and fills a significant gap in current literature. «