Education, the labour movement and trade unionism in 20th century Spain

Abstract

In essence this article explores the relationship between the labour movement and formal education and the origins and development of teaching unions. The first part presents the educational proposals and actions implemented by the libertarian anarchist and socialist movements during the first thirty years of the 20th century and then, during the Civil War. It further examines the steps taken by these movements to set up their own schooling network, and the influence exerted by the Soviet education system of the time –either as a model to follow or, on the contrary, one to reject. In the second half, the article assesses the role played by the resurgence of the labour movement under Franco’s dictatorship (1950-1977), including the rise of the teacher movement (1968-1977), and, finally, the reconfiguration of the teaching unions. It is in this context that the article considers the proposal of «an alliance between the forces of labour and those of the arts», as advocated by certain political groups, including the then current debate about the designation of teachers as educational workers, as well as the ‘Educational Alternatives’ that flourished between 1975 and 1977, the nature of which was both revolutionary and reformist.

Keywords

• educación
• movimiento obrero
• sindicalismo
• españa siglo xx