The Spanish Labyrinth: An Account of the Social and Political Background of the Spanish Civil War

2370 The Spanish Labyrinth: An Account of the Social and Political Background of the Civil War, by Gerald Brenan (read 23 Mar 1991) This is a study of the social and political background to the Spanish Civil War, and has only a chapter--called an epilogue--on the war itself. I did not like the book, not because it was not pro-Franco (it is also not pro-Communist) but because of gratuitous anti-Catholic remarks. Obviously the Church in Spain has dark sides in its past, but some of the author's remarks show his anti-Catholic bias. The book is obviously well-researched, but I suspect there is some bias in his treatment of figures on the right in Spain before 1936 as well. But the book does leave me with a much clearer idea of Spanish show more history in the years before 1936. Brenan treats church-burnings and priests' and nuns' executions as just kind of a trait of Spaniards, rather than an impious evil--he tells his English readers to think of English atrocities against Catholics and so not to be so condemnatory! show less

a classic but not easy read

Given as a silent auction item for 2024 fundraiser Fall of Capitalism

«Lo primero que hay que observar es la fuerza del sentimiento regional y municipal. España es el país de la -patria chica-. Cada pueblo, cada ciudad, es el centro de una intensa vida social y política. [...]
»Así pues, el principal problema político ha sido siempre el de alcanzar un equilibrio entre un gobierno central eficaz y los imperativos de la autonomía local. Si en el centro se ejerce una fuerza excesiva, las provincias se sublevan y proclaman su independencia, si esa fuerza es insuficiente, se retiran sobre sí mismas y practican una resistencia pasiva.»

Brenan fue testigo perplejo y reflexivo de los inicios de la guerra civil españo la desde el pequeño pueblo de Yegen en las Alpujarras de Granada, y en 1943 publica El laberinto español, un estudio sobre los antecedentes sociales y polí ticos del conflicto fratricida hispano. La obra, prohibida en España hasta 1978 fue publicada por la editorial Ruedo Ibérico de París.

Biblioteca de la República, 1

EB-3