The indignation within you and I is a cross-cultural experience, fruit of capitalism in desperation.

On the 15th of May a movement started in Spain, still active now almost a month later. In this article I will look into the reasons for the movement, these are embedded in history but are also a fruit of the capitalist system. The indignant who claim to be “autonomous” and “a-political”, have been left unemployed by the austerity measures imposed by the IMF. The autonomous and a-political nature of the protests though can be seen as a threat. They are tags imposed on the protesters by the media, protesting is political and the idea of autonomously and coincidentally coming together for the same cause is irrational. Wanting a better future is being  political and mass strikes are one of the many ways to achieve it, what this better future looks like and who envisages it is the key. I will argue that only socialism can achieve a better future for the working class and the majority of the people, but to do this socialists have to be not only involved but also leading the movement with their ideas and experience. This movement is currently not present in Spain to a significant enough degree. As a last point I will talk about socialism’s role in the future struggles of Aotearoa.

This movement did not spring out of nowhere, Spain has a long history of mass movements. In the ‘far-left’, anarchists, communists and socialists had successfully put their ideas into practice on a large scale in the 1930’s. In 1931 Spain got rid of the monarchy and within a couple of years had put the foundations of one of the most ambitious social projects in Europe, with reforms to industry, education, marital laws, religious laws... The government though, intent on keeping control of the power void it created tried to put restrictions onto the social revolution that was taking place. Whole communities became fully independent of the state and fully self-sufficient too. Individuals were no longer subjugated to the orders of the nobility and the church. The government though, run by the new bourgeoise class, was mired with corruption and inefficiency. Ministers were being sworn in and out continuously. Its inability to hand out the benefits Spanish society had been promised and so eagerly needed led to widespread dissatisfaction. Anarcho-syndicalist, socialist and communist ideas were spreading, promising a better society. The rising number of strikes and the powerful union movement derived from these ideas became objectives of a government which had quickly failed. The Spanish republic relied heavily on the old military apparatus, thanks to this the generals, who had interests with the old sources of power saw an opportunity to take control of a state which was on the verge of breaking up, economically (as 7 million Spanish were living in communes by 1936 and factories had been appropriated by the working classes) and politically, as Catalonia and the Basque Country threatened to become independent. The military organised a wide-spread coup d’êtat in August 1936. Even though the Anarchist movement had foretold of the date and time, thanks to its spy network, the Republican government was caught by surprise. The efficiency of workers councils, organised by Anarcho-syndicalists and socialists stopped the fascist coup on its tracks but lead to a bitter civil war.

In short the civil war was a failure on the behalf of the Republic. At the time the European powers were wary of the costs of war so the Republic was left to recuperate a country it never fully controlled by itself- until the USSR got involved. As Franco’s military possessed more arms and had the aid and support of Mussolini and Hitler, the Republic called for the military aid of the USSR. Stalin was opposed to the more democratic nature of the anarcho-syndicalist and socialist troops fighting for the Republic. He actively fought against them, instead of actually fighting the common enemy: Franco. Many anarchists and socialists were executed, if not by Stalin by Franco once he won the war. This decimated the number of Trotskyist and anarcho-syndicalist groups working around the country. The fascist dictatorship, which lasted as long as 40 years in some parts of the country imposed a culture, a history and sense of unity which have only started to be questioned now. To understand Spain now we have to be aware that it has only had 30 years worth of ‘democracy’, moreover its transition to a democratic state took place when the UK and the USA were jumping onto the ideas of neo-liberalism. Spain has had low-salaried jobs for decades, unions have never had much strength since the late thirties and the introduction to the EU in 87 forced it to become even more of a low-wage economy with few incentives for a higher education. Nowadays a ‘good’ job in Spain is one earning a 1000 euros a month and the minimum wage is 624 euros, incomparable to the rest of Europe. In France the minimum wage is above 1350 euros a month. Housing in Barcelona or Madrid can easily cost around 600 euros, add on to that the relatively high price of food, the price of electricity, transport, education... It is no wonder Spanish youths live at home until they’re thirty. Low-paying jobs, high rents, an awful system of education and the constant bombardment of capitalist products makes it difficult, but more so if unemployment is at an average of 21%, 45% for youths. In this aspect Spain resembles Northern Africa, the series of governments have happily abided the orders of the IMF- making Spain a heavily poor and indebted society- a lapdog of US interests since Franco’s time. In the last couple of years there have been job losses in the public sector, cut-backs in education, a raise in the retirement age and some unemployment benefits have been done with.

Where Spain doesn’t resemble Northern Africa though is in the fact that Spain is supposedly democratic. Democracy is relative, when the citizens don’t have any actual input into how society should run, when there are only two parties who represent the same set of companies, when the benefits of society are not reaped by those who overwork for little pay and when the individuals ‘participating’ in the democracy are constantly being lied by media sympathetic and benefited by a system advertised as pluralistic and free; democracy starts to resemble an oligarchy, or a dictatorship by a handful of individuals. Spanish are starting to wake up from their somber mid-day nap to realise they are being robbed. These protests, with protesters ranging from high school kids to grandparents, are against the current parliamentary system.

In the squares the protesters almost seem like an amorphous range of individuals with nothing in common but a desire for a job, a flat and some money. There is no actual, concerted, goal. Some groups within the ‘plataformas’ are demonstrating for a better electoral system while others are wanting to create an actual revolution out of the spurs of fury. The media and the politicians have used this to their advantage. It is hard to find objective news articles in the Spanish press that do not call the protesters anti-system, rebels or “ni-nis”, a term used to describe Spanish youths, who “neither work nor study”. It is also difficult to find news on sites such as the BBC, CNN or even Al-Jazeera; there has been an effective media blackout. The anarchist group FAI, present at the protests, says that though the political and media circles were initially shocked: “Naturally, we couldn’t be hopeful, we knew there was the danger of the situation becoming midiatised: criticising the more radical propositions and reducing the situation to a simple critique of bipartisanship and the financial system without shaking the foundations of the state and capital”#. It definitely does look like the media have taken control of the situation to say it is run by the “fringes of society”, this way giving legitimacy to any police or government action. They go on to say that the right has in effect always been in power to differing degrees at different points in time. A case which in Spain is very much true and the Anarchists of FIJA agree, going so far as to say that the current protest movement is “suspicious” and aims to “dissipate frustrations”#.

Although these ideas seem to verge on the side of wacky conspiracy theories, what is true is that political groups and campaigning has been banned. This is because the organisers did not want mainstream parties to use the platforms as a rallying point for the 22nd of May elections (In which by the way the ruling party lost 40% of its vote).FIJA points out that there is an inconsistency with the platforms position as by protesting you are being political, however these protests are not actually imposing too much of a threat to the capitalist system for the time being. The government could simply call for a vote to change the electoral system, thus appeasing many of the present.

These two anarchist groups are calling for a social revolution: “a radical change at all levels to decentralise politics and the economy through direct action”. These two groups have been involved in the protests, the direct action they call for verges on the IST idea of an armed insurrection. At OGNA we agree that political organisations should be able to show a presence at the protests but we disagree with armed insurrection: this will only alienate the majority of the ‘indignados’, who are admittedly apolitical individuals. Socialists though have not had much of a say. En Lucha, a trotskyist organisation, has had some involvement, mainly in Madrid, but other than that there are many groups that are even rejecting to participate- as the ideas held by the organisers are reformist. These groups that are against participating are Stalinist and their position is similar to that taken by Stalinist groups in Greece a couple of years ago. In our view, it is upto socialists to point out the injustices of the system and call for a concerted struggle against the ruling top echelon. We have to point out that unions “signed agreements with the ruling Socialist Party which attacked workers’ rights. [Making] it easier to sack people, attack[ing] pensions and rais[ing] the retirement age.#” At the same time though we have to prove that unions are the only protection mechanism the working class has and that it is through the cooperation amongst unions that we will achieve an educated proletariat ready to confront the government non-violently. What’s more, we have to show that this recession is an inevitable downfall of capitalism, it will happen again in 10 years time and again and again until we defeat the system, worldwide.

Socialists in Spain have hitherto not seen the potential of these protests. One month on and we still have people on the streets, still largely ignored by politicians and the media. Although recently police have been more violent against the peaceful gatherers. The youths in Spain, like in Tunisia and Egypt, have nothing to lose as they admit they cannot see a future as a part of capitalism. The potential lies in how far Marxist ideas can be spread. As a general rule the protesters see the problem as lying in the system. For now though they have been given no alternatives. As the days go on, numbers are stagnating. While the police violence used to get rid of protesters in Barcelona caused them to come back in multiplied numbers, after a couple of hours the protest was back to its usual size#. The failure of socialist organisations to see the importance of these protests and also to show up with significant numbers is a key to the slow decimation of the movement.

Only with the spread of socialist ideas can the movement increase in size and span.Youths are unemployed and furious. Quite reasonably, Spanish workers are disenchanted with unions, it is up to socialists though to prove the unions’ worth. Spain has been hit hard by the IMF, but only because it is in the interest of capitalism to seek for profit instead of humanity. Socialists should use the platform to spread their ideas to youths and to workers, this way we can achieve a conscious working class. Socialists must also promote ideas of tolerance in terms of sex, sexuality and immigration- the inability of Spanish society to accept these is a remnant of fascist Spain. It is curious to see how little immigrant involvement there has been, compared to their percentage of the population. We must also see the spread of ideas as the only way to achieve an equal and fair world system. Spreading the ideas through Spain will push the ideas to Portugal, France and Central Europe. For now Greek and Italian ‘indignados’ have already started to protest.

For OGNA, the only way forward for Spain is to keep the protests strong and to remain non-violent. Non-violence attracts more followers and non-violent direct action is much more difficult for governments to confront. There has been talk of dismantling the platforms, in Barcelona there was a decision to pack up. Even then, 80% of tents are still pitched#. We think this is a mistake, these platforms provide the opportunity to express the widespread dissatisfaction society feels and the symbolic presence in central squares of cities across Spain will be like a thorn constantly jabbing the ribs of the politicians. It will be a forum for debate. Breaking up the presence counts as a victory for the ruling class, a pat on the back of the policemen who have brutally battoned protesters, this way showing the true nature of democracy in Europe.
In New Zealand the situation would be treated much the same by the media, for this reason it is up to unions and revolutionary organisations to lay the seeds for revolution and disseminate the truths of who does and who should hold the power in society. The large number of revolutionary organisations and the emergence of working class oriented unions and parties such as Unite and Mana is a significant development. The situation here is not too indifferent from that in Spain, youth unemployment is at 26% and there are some obviously underprivileged sectors of society, namely Maori and Pacifica. As socialists we have to break down ideas of racism and unite forces across Aotearoa. The government is not supplying jobs and is raising the hurdles to get in to education and for decent health care, it is time for Kiwis to protest too.

If we want a true democracy socialists have to direct the working class, history has shown that privilege belongs to the rulers but it is being handled by the working class, we must take grasp of this privilege and distribute it fairly to society as a whole.

Spain: No time for siesta, we need true democracy first!

Just before Summer, Spain has taken onto the streets under the banner of revolution. Spain is the first European country to take onto the new craze- we need a better revolution and we in the West are entitled to an Arab Spring too! This 2nd Spanish revolution though will not achieve its goals unless it has a clear idea of changing the system though and for the moment, it is only being legal.

Spain was under Arab hands for 800 years in some areas. Although they are, for now, still very racist, I will argue that this is due to the sense of nationalism that has been instilled into Spaniards since the end of the 15th century. Most notably though, this sense of nationalism is a fruit of Franco's many trees which still exist in Spanish society- trees planted to shade and suffocate the saps of Communism and Anarchism, that were not only present but blooming before 1939- the end of the Spanish Civil War and Franco's consolidation into power.

I have talked about Franco's legacy before so if you're interested read here, where I talk about the reasons Franco won, or here where I talk about Spain still being under his influence. Briefly I'll say that, Franco appeared as the second 'great' Spanish dictator in the 20th century and he continued Primo de Rivera's objective of keeping Spain culturally united but speechless. As I've said many a time, Spain is not a country, it is an amalgamation of nationalities, many of which strive for freedom still. During the second republic these nationalities were being given increasing autonomy as the economy was swaying dangerously to the left. The old sources of power: Clergy, nobility and the military; were being slowly pushed out of politics. The nobility was taken down and many churches were burnt as the penitent turned against their priests, the military was also becoming minor but due to the complicated landscape of Spanish unity, they were deemed necessary to quell rebellion. This gave the military an open door to control Spanish politics and only 5 years after the foundation of the Republic, it staged a coup d'etat which would end up abolishing the freedoms of the Spanish people and reintroducing nobility, imposing religion and controlling all autonomy. Franco made it his task to unify Spain under [g]od and design a feeling of unity to keep the industrially more developped, historically independant and socially working class areas of the Basque country and Catalonia in Spanish hands. These two culturally different regions are two of the many, but they have suffered a longer history of suppression; they clung on to marxist and anarchist ideologies as a point of freedom and they fought for it long and hard during the Spanish Civil War.

When Franco took over he imposed a culturally Spanish state in order to force the Basques and Catalans to assimilate. History was rewritten but it hung on to the age of a strong Spanish monarchy in the 16th and 17th centuries, where Spain was devoutly catholic but also a vast empire since the 15th. The focus on these latter two undoubtedly forced an idea of superiority in terms of both religion, thus the anti-islamism and culture, thus the anti-arabism. Of course the 16th and 17th centuries were when the Basques and Catalans were surpressed harshest, for this reason the inculcation Franco taught left a bitter after-taste in the mouths of these two cultures. Underground organisations in the two regions, including terrorist ones, kept the cultures alive and the spirits high, even if the languages were prohibited. The majority of the workers though, not forming part of secret literary circles nor holding any strong positions in the hitherto existing regional governments, were in large part left out and the failure of the USSR and the control over unions in already battered workplaces made them lose their ideology, in public.
Of course, when under oppression one will not happily accept the conditions enforced, he'll only comply. What is known as the first Spanish revolution took place with the coup d'etat. As the existing state collapsed and hid in official buildings, the ideology the Spanish had learnt during their short time of freedom of speech was put into practice. Anarchists, socialists and communists took hold of the factories and social life actually changed. Though it was a civil war, workers continued production and many fought for a better world. Education and civil life continued arguably better than it had done at any previous point in time. 8 million Spanish lived this alternative lifestyle, about half the population at the time. So when Spain became an authoritarian dictatorship, these people must've imprinted this burning desire for a better world to their children.

In the streets now we have the children of the children, but one protesters was reported as saying that she'd been waiting for the revolution for 50 years. The reality though is that the revolution in large part is being used by alternative sections of the Labour party, even if it was started off by anarchists especially. Many of those there are demanding better access to university, higher wages, more jobs, better wages but also a change in the electoral system. This is not a change in the democratic system and this is important, because it is this neo-liberal system which is the root of the problem. Much like in North Africa (and may I say, from day one the protesters themselves have linked this as a continuation of the Arab Spring, sympathising with the efforts of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya), this revolution is being run through the social networks- Facebook but also mobile phones. This is where they are easy to control, the political parties can see what the plans are and thus turn up to them and use them. Spain is voting in the Spanish elections in only a couple of days time, so these protesters have come as a shock to the system. The timing is also perfect because the government will have to see them gone in order to have the non-political period of reflexion just before the elections- during this period no political party is allowed to campaign. The Catalan government has already said that it will not forcefully move Catalan protesters, this way contradicting the decision of the supreme court. And if the regional governments push the protesters out, a chance for a real revolution is more possible. The protesters will be able to see that the system goes against there desires.

It is important to note that these protests have followed the Egyptian model of camping in the main square, they are more widespread then the Egyptian ones started out though. Every capital province has had protesters in some numbers, so that is 49 cities plus others. In different regions they have had different directions. In Catalonia they seem to be more anarchist and anti-system- with wide support from university lecturers. They are calling for an all-out boycott of the Spanish elections. They are also Catalan in spirit, with banners for independance as well. In Madrid they seem to be more mainstream and with more main party involvement, from what I can tell so far.

These protests though will not succeed unless they have an ideology behind them that tells the protesters that it is the system that is wrong. As I've said, anarchists are heavily involved in regions where they historically have been, communists on the other hand are staying away from it. I'm planning on writing a letter to the Trotskyist Communist Party of the Catalan People telling them that I think their position is wrong. They say they are not taking part because the ideas of the protesters seem to be focussed in fixing the system. I think that this is the best chance in 80 years to gain support. It is the task of communists to guide the protesters. At the very least what they will get is a bigger base with which to act next time. The anarcho-syndicalists are calling for a boycott in the elections and they are showing a larger than known presence in the demos, why then shouldn't the trots do the same?

The only way these revolutions can spread is by defying presidential and judicial orders, boycotting too but direction is needed to both teach the protesters about communism but also to show them that past revolutions have been succesful. I think these protests can grow, 45% of Spanish youths are unemplyed and the average of the population is almost 1 in 4. My mum is part of that group and so are friends of mine, they are fed up but they are not active. An organisation can provide information and tactics to get these people active.

The words of a Catalan poet from Valencia pop to mind: No et limitis a contemplar aquestes hores que ara venen, baixa al carrer i participa. No podran res davant d'un poble unit, alegre i combatiu.

Don't just sit there and watch those hours here to come, take the streets and participate. They won't be able to do anything against a united, happy and combative people. Vicent Andres Estelles.

The Spanish Civil War: One enemy but no friends.

The Spanish Civil war was one of the bloodiest and most brutal conflicts of the 20th century. It is often untalked about or even unknown, but Spain was the first battleground in which Fascism and the Rest fought out for victory. It started when Franco wanted to reimpose the monarchy with a coup d'etat. The 2nd Spanish Republic was trying to lift Spain out of the feudal system it was still in. Only three regions had been industrialized: the Basque Country, Catalonia and Madrid. The rest of Spain was still agricultural and some parts, still remote. The Republic was in charge of introducing democracy into the country and of passing laws for agricultural reforms. However, because parliamentary democracy is a slow process and the country's peasants and workers had been organized by Anarchists and Socialists in unions or not, within weeks the country was paralysed by strikes and demonstrations. Very soon the Republic was forced to bring in the military, to maintain its power over the people, who were increasingly growing restless. The traditional centres of power: clergy, nobility and military and those close to them saw that the Republic could not control the situation and in 1936 organized a 'secret' coup d'etat. I say 'secret' because the Anarchists in the CNT-FAI (Anarchist Union) had discovered it through their espionage apparatus. So, in part, we could say that the Spanish Republic took part in the coup, as it did nothing to stop it; it ignored the information the Aarchists gave them. The Socialists and Anarchists practically controlled the factories and the fields. So when the military rised in every city in the country two days before the planned time, the resistance replied defeating half of them and giving out the weapons to the citizens. In the Spanish Civil War we can see how amazing workers unity can be and also how sectarian it can become. First of all, they took over half of the military forts of the country and then, when the power of the Republic had dissapeared, collectivised the land. Factories continued to run and communities continued to work, but without the elite in charge. But secondly, the many groups that formed part of the resistance: The International brigade and forces, Catalan and Basque nationalists, trotskyists, stalinists, anarchists and progressive capitalists were the key to the downfall of the movement. There was no cohesion amongst them. There was one common enemy, but the resistance would not fight in unity against it. In the backlines political skirmishes were constant. Barcelona had become the scene of "the civil war in the civil war". Its streets were a battleground amongst all of the resistance factions, even though the enemy was closing in 300 km to the west.
In the end the Republic collapsed and Franco won. 39 years of a fascist dictatorship followed, which caused many people to exile and at the end of the day a lot of suffering.

This lack of cohesion is still apparent in the revolutionary left. We may all have our differences and the way we reach our goals may be different, but it pays to create ties and help eachother every now and then, for specific long or short-term campaigns. The ISO may be trotskyist, Worker's Party Maoist and Beyond Resistance, Anarchist; but we all want to improve worker's rights. We all know that the parliamentary parties will not give us workers any improvements, so we should earn them ourselves, united. This doesn't mean we have to accept every opinion of the other groups, just that we have to remain united for the sake of the workers. This won't dilute our politics, it can only strengthen them. Through debates, arguments and demonstrations.

YFTR.

Spain still struggles.

Still now Spain lives under the shadow of the "great" dictator. There are many city's where monoliths or statues to him still exist. In my town the monolith was taken down only last year. And we were deeply republican, and a marxist stronghold! Three years ago one of the most bombed squares in the city was re-done. 10 years ago they erected a bridge under the name of "Liceu Escolar", the republican school in town which was also bombed. 15 years ago they found a bomb in the castle which never exploded... 35 years ago Franco died.

It isn't that long ago really, we are only a generation away from remembering him alive, and remembering the joys of a failed democracy which we have become. The war was literally fought around the dining room table. Many also have family which they lost not during but after the war, either gone into exile or killed by the dicatator's police.

The other day I saw they are going to make a new show on tv, about the Republic. At last! So much has been kept secret from that time. People who lived under Franco were told that the Republic was destroying the country, its unity. That marxists had taken over and marxists were bad. Now many still believe marxists are bad, simply because that is what their education taught them. This show on the Republic will at least show people how advanced the Republic actually was, bacause it was ahead of its age. Well, we hope. The media is the media and sometimes I doubt we can rely on it.

Consumerism.

Time goes faster here. People also seem to look older, more quickly. Not only in Spain but in Europe as a whole, at least when compared to New Zealand. There there are less people, life is more tranquil and the whole way of thinking is different. Many a time have I heard that New Zealand is like Britain 50 years back, if so I don't see why Britons decided to change it and move on. You see, unlike in New Zealand where time is set by clocks, here it's set by fashion, the latest trends and what's en mode.
Everywhere you see this bizarre way of timing the world take place. On tv you see adverts that don't say anything but the name of a brand. They also happen to be the best adverts you'll have ever seen. Made with a certain artiness and with the latest technologies. And like everywhere, people pick up what they see on tv as if it were a depiction of reality which, in the end, they help make. My town Lleida has no malls, but allegedly has one of the longest commercial streets in the world. Ofcourse, as they'd say in New Zealand, it is world famous only here, in Catalonia. Because of the few people that inhabit the antipodes, I now feel slightly stressed around too many people. It doesn't help that all of them are participating in a collective shopping frenzy. They walk in and out of shops buying things they have and therefore don't need but here's the trick, they think they need it. Tv says they need it, through adverts and programs. The Newspapers advertise new stores that have opened and people flock to it, not realizing that yes, it will in fact be here tomorrow too. The apocalypse in Europe happens everyday when shops close. People's faces become sad, as if life suddenly has no meaning.

It is something I don't understand. I understand buying clothes, but once I have some cloth that covers my vital parts I'm done. Moreover, I'd never spend a day's pay on a shirt or some jeans, especially if I'm going to have to throw it out in three months time because it is spring, and we of course have to buy a whole new closet full of clothes that look just like the ones I've just thrown out... People here have been made into these prepotent beings who look down on you if you are dressed with the wrong clothes, last week's clothes. They feel that buying a new shirt will make them happy. It is only a passing happiness that lasts for a second or two after you've bought the item. Looking for the next rush they enter the next store and buy another item which also looks crap on them. But who cares if it's in fashion? It can't look bad if everyone else has it?
I'm sorry but no. I have been asked if I want to go shopping and I never buy anything. The jeans aren't made to last anymore, no matter the brand, and that jacket looks just like the one I'm wearing. When did I buy it? Two years ago. It does the job, it keeps me warm and waterproof. It should last me another ten. That is why I spend money on clothes. I wear them until the holes in the fabric start breathing themselves.
Alas not here. Time is fashion. People keep on trying to look as if they're 22, not realizing that it is about time to buy food and start cooking dinner. In Spain dinner is left til 9. I believe it is so because that is more or less when shops close. It is a shame that we cannot eat cloth because if we could Spanish society would be fixed. People don't have enough money for food or education but they invest in clothes they'll only wear for a short while. Capitalism reigns free and wild here. People shop til they drop, then struggle to find money by the end of the month. We are made to think that we all need this and we faithfully obey.

Venturing into Racist Land.

I left the house to take a few photographs. I walked towards the old national police building, built in Franco's times it is imposing. The arquitecture is a colonial Spanish style, put into a lesser known colony of Spain, Catalonia, as a reminder of who we are and should be. Then I went to the medieval walls and St Martin's church belonging to the 12th century. It limited the jewish quarter, which was destroyed centuries ago when the jews were kicked out. Then I walked towards the Seu Vella [the old cathedral]. The streets underneath it are too small for more than one car at a time and they are shaded. Times have changed, now they are difficult to drive through and the shade is no longer a good thing. While before it would have served as a protection from the sun, now people are scared of walking through them. There are drugs and 'yonkees' in them.
Sure enough, the city centre changed 300 years ago, when the Castillians tore down the old one and converted the cathedral into military quarters. From then on we would live under their eyes, with the shadow of the best of the city, what made it important, turned into a watchdog's. Now the city centre's streets are wide and full of trees, modern. The old part became cheap, because nobody wanted to live there and the only people who could afford to were immigrants. People don't walk around here anymore. People are scared. I have always known that Spain was a racist country, this is one of the reasons why I moved. If you aren't Spainsh here, you are a second-class citizen. "Jobs should be given to Spanish first, then we can give what's left to the rest"- these aren't the words of a white power group, I heard these words from someone who I always thought was pretty tolerant. This is what happens when there are no jobs, for anyone. Even though immigrants are needed in Europe, because society is ageing, in small cities jobs are given to those you know, who tend to be friends from school, etc.
The thing is, Spain is such a mixed land that defining who is and isn't Spanish can't be done by merely looking. There are very dark people in the south, very white people in the north and a bit of everything in between.

The old section of Lleida is said to be that of immigrants because they are either predominantly black, jobless or both. At first I felt followed when walking around, but then I realized that it was stupid. Everyone goes to the same places, and I only felt threatened because people say its a bad area. They say this not because it is, I bet they've never been robbed and they haven't been insulted or anything. It's just that they are racist. This zone, with its 12th century buildings and potentially romantic small streets is bad because they live here. "They don't do anything", meaning they don't work. Likewise then, Spanish people who are from here don't do anything, because there are no jobs for them either. There simply aren't any jobs. Like everywhere, while the CEO's and directors pocket more than ever, the rest, all of us, have to make do with the remains. People die or starve because they can't afford what's going to be thrown out. Spanish people who are white hitherto lived in a priveleged situation, but they are starting to realize that there are no jobs and they blame the Roma, Africans, Arabs, etc. for no reason. How have they stopped you from getting a job? They are in fact in an even worse situation, because they are not 'Spanish'. It is even more unlikely for them to get jobs. You say they don't do anything? What should they do, protest? If they do they'll end up in the prison, or deported. Immigrants have less rights then the rest of people here in Spain and they are only allowed to obey. Moreover, immigrants aren't allowed to succeed. While poor immigrants are considered thieves, richer immigrants are called drugdealers, "because they aren't doctors".Spanish people cannot understand why immigrants recur to crime. The answer: we take away their dignity, give them no chances or opportunities and don't allow them to express themselves. We make them criminals.

I've heard people say that they don't want to fit in, but they can't. In Spain to fit in you have to be white. The underlying problem is reflected here: "before you could walk down the streets and you'd know everyone or at least recognize them"... There is this small town mentality in Lleida, Barcelona and all over Spain. Spanish want society to be like it was but it isn't. I'm sorry, the world has changed. It doesn't stop spinning. Immigrants cannot fit in to this small town mentality because they weren't here before. Spanish on the other hand, can't fit into this big world mentality because they aren't here either. They have to move on and recognize that immigration isn't a problem but an opportunity. We can all learn from each other but to do so we have to be able to accept reality: that we are all the same.
There are no jobs because the system is corrupt. The only people that matter in capitalism aren't important because they are Spanish but because they own Spanish people. In the 12th century society was feudal, in the 21st it has changed little. Serfs revolted then as we should now, but now there are more of us, each one of us different, but the same.

Spain Reverts to Fascism.

Fascism has bever been far off the maps in Spanish politics. For a long time the "Socialists" won elections by calling the right fascist, this time they've shown that they are no better. Both "Socialists" and the right are extremely similar in their politics. This shows that reformism, or the parliamentary way, doesn't work. The 'Popular Party' in Spain, the right-winged, actually descended from Franco - the Spanish Fascist dicatator in power for close to forty years- has done a lot of criticising in the last 8 years the "Socialists" have been in power, but at no point in time have they given any advice or said what they'd do. Zapatero [President] has asked the PP if they would like to help, many a time. He has said that the recession is the worst that has hit the country and for this reason both left and right should work together. The PP, more interested in votes and the subsequent money they'll get from having more MPs in the chamber, have said no again and again. And have not given any advice. What annoys me most is that people actually believe that the PP will know what to do, they believe that the leader has ideas which will improve the country's economy. I think that the PP has not said a thing because it's surprised that the Socialists are doing everything they would have done. A small minority has complained that the "Socialists" are doing the work for the PP, they are giving them extra time to fill in all the laws and resolutions possible to stuff the workers; a majority believes that we are in a recession and therefore must strain our belts.
On Thursday the government again showed its back to its voters and to the Spanish people. It demonstrated that it lost its marxist roots very long ago, and that it in fact could even erase the social part of its name. It put down more austerity measures, now against the unemployed they created. There will no longer be any sort of benefit for those unemployed indeffinetly. So after 3, 6, 12 months or whatever (In Spain it changes depending on the duration of someone's work) people will get no money. This isn't austerity, it is murder. People will die: gas is expensive, water is expensive, rent is expensive, food is expensive and people will now have no money. People aren't stupid. They associate the "Socialists" with unemployment, because they have not done anything to improve the economy, but have instead done everything the IMF has told them. People have not benefited. However, they are starting to look at the right instead of the left. The far left I mean: real marxism, revolutionary politics.

This recession was expected. It is part of the capitalist system. At regular intervals world economies collapse. This allows the richest to get rid of the competition, and swells the number of poor in the world. Recessions allow the rich to keep their hold, keep the money and stay in power. The IMF and the World Bank exist to keep this system 'working'. It will always give more money to the world's richest, because they are the maximum contributors of these two institutions.

In Spain the air controllers decided to go on strike. The union managed to get 90% of workers to call in for a mass sicky. Thus Spanish airports were left without anyone who could organize the runways. For 17 hours there have been practically no planes flying over the Spanish airspace, which is effectively shut down. They are striking about working conditions, their pay and the new austerity measures put in. Their strike is one for the whole of Spain, the union is going against the "Socialist" party it would normally support. The problem is that this strike has come in on the first day of a 5 day holiday. Perfect timing, I'd say. They have chosen the moment they are most needed. But it also means that the year's savings of many have gone down the drain. So most of those affected are indignant. There have been no complaints so far at aeroports because people understand, but people also want a holiday. This is the reason the Spanish government has used to call in the military. The left-wing government have allowed the army to take the jobs of those brave workers striking and they have warned them that if they are still striking by 7pm, they will be arrested. For striking, legally, workers will be imprisoned. People will be imprisoned because they are defending their rights. I hope that this is the 'gota que colma el vaso' [the drop that makes the vessel fall]. It is about time that the Spanish workers go out onto the streets in solidarity. This 'recession' has only enriched the bankers. Subsidies have been given to companies. Money has been given to CEOs, I mean. Workers have been shat on. They have lost their jobs, they have no pensions and will have no unemployment benefit. Meanwhile the government is giving the military power. Soon they will be told to take over local councils and regional governments, and when workers start demonstrating, the government will tell them to shoot the country's citizens. After all, aren't there too many? This government hides itself behing a friendly mask, but it was payed for by the banks and by those old rulers.

This government has shown that it is undemocratic. Soon the military will take over again, explictly. Implicitly they've had power for 500 years. The fascists called Spain 'Una, Grande y Libre' [One, Strong and Free]. It wasn't then nor is it now.

For the first time ever I was flying over this land, leaving its clouds, above everyone else. In a matter of minutes we had crossed 30 landscapes that took me 2 years to discover. Below me were the orange plains, farmland; then the imposing mountains, forlorn with strems diced with ice and valleys unvisited for centuries, if ever; then there was the thin strip I had only visited days ago, the strip of land from which New Zealand is born and to which so many waters flow. The plains, Aoraki and the washed incline had disappeared. For the first time ever I was flying from this land I will permanently be trapped in, or because.

In Munich I was able to hear the catalan rhythm again. I felt excited! For two and a half years I'd only heard my mother tongue from my mum. Now randoms, speaking about weather and politics. It's funny how every culture has favourite topics that spring up again and again when people talk. For Catalans it's these two. I was more than glad to overhear. I ell que es, Catala o Espanyol? [What is he, Catalan or Spainsh?] You see, you can't be both. Again Catalonia is reviving politically, as it did in the late 19th century and in the 1930s. Being Spanish rules you out from being Catalan, but being Catalan automatically, to the eyes of many, puts you in a bullfighters uniform, playing a Spainish guitar. It is a shame and painful. Something many won't understand. There is this pride in seeing your own do well. Catalans have been oppressed for more or less 300 out of the last 550 years, at intervals. A mi no em costa res parlar Castella, pero si m'obliguen em fot dels ous. No em costa res, pero jo se que em podrien entendre. [It isn't an effort for me to speak Spanish, but if they force me it fucks me off. It's no effort but I know they could understand me] For most of the three hundred years the language was prohibited. This has inevitably made it closer to spanish, as it is the language that had to be used in the streets. The influence was unavoidable, like French influenced the proto-English tongue. It is frustrating for Catalans to have to speak Spanish. Simply put, how would one feel about not being able to speak English in England, or Maori in Aotearoa? However, when entering the plane the guy answered the hostess in Spanish, because that is the language he was spoken to. Spanair is Catalan. It is such a cultural thing to do to drop Catalan straight away, when asked. Catalans are bilingual, or tri; Spanish don't give a damn. This is Spain they say. Catalans may always just accept, cot their head down and do as they're told. Of course they shouldn't. Independentist feelings have grown again, for the first time since the late 80's when the resistance movement of the Catalan terrorists Terra Lliure started to dwindle. If we want to be part of a democracy, we should become independant, this comes through fighting and resistance.

"No et limites a contemplar aquestes hores que ara venen, baixa al carrer i participa. No podran res davant un poble unit, alegre i combatiu" - Vicent Ferrer.

[Don't just sit and watch these hours here to come, go on to the streets and take part. They won't be able to do anything against a united, proud and fighting nation.