National Syndicalism in Spain
Erhard Kruse
IN
the past few m o n t h s W e s t e r n
Europe has t u r n e d its interest
a g a i n on Spain a n d above a l l , on
the economic s i t u a t i o n in
Spain.
The economic development of Spain
has assumed importance since the
move to m a k e Spain a member of
the O E E C .
T w e n t y years have passed since
the
N e w State was
founded by
Franco,
a n d the
"Falange", the
o n l y a d m i t t e d p a r t y in Spain, has
t r i e d for t w e n t y years to overcome
the chaotic s i t u a t i o n i n w h i c h Spain
had been left after the extremely
cruel
civil war of
1936-39.
An
i m p o r t a n t agency of the
Spanish
Government for its
economic recovery p r o g r a m m e was the " s i n d i catos"
w h i c h have been in existence for n e a r l y t w e n t y years. These
"sindicatos", f o r m e d b y t h a t p a r t
of population w h i c h participates
personally in the p r o d u c t i o n process,
f o r m the subject of this article.
I n the m i d - t h i r t i e s , the solution
of the problem concerning the cooperation of employers a n d employees and other social a n d economic
questions were so extremely difficult
in Spain t h a t finally a
situation
was reached w h i c h led to the outbreak o f the c i v i l w a r . I t should
be
remembered
that
numerous
social riots in Cataluna, the h i g h l y
i n d u s t r i a l i z e d north-eastern province,
i n the n o r t h e r n m i n i n g areas a n d
i n M a d r i d h a d kept the
country
busy for about t h i r t y years already.
In spite of reforms, the social conflict could not be
b r o u g h t under
c o n t r o l . A t the end,
Communist
circles t o o k over leadership
and
prepared a r e v o l u t i o n of the whole
system, so t h a t the
m a j o r i t y of
Spain's population was ruled by an
anarchy-psychosis. T h e n , on J u l y
18th, 1936 General Francisco B a h a monde, later called F r a n c o , took up
a r m s i n Morocco a n d m a r c h e d f r o m
the
south against the
Spanish
c a p i t a l . T h e n began a terrible w a r
w h i c h b r o u g h t the c o u n t r y t o the
verge o f complete r u i n .
Ley de Unidad Sindical
I n the 19th century, the r i g h t o f
free association h a d been conferred
to the Spanish w o r k e r s by a decree
of June 20th, 1869 a n d by a l a w
of June 30th, 1887.
So the first
t r a d e u n i o n , anarchistic t h o u g h i t
was, was founded i n 1881; this was
f o l l o w e d by the foundation of the
U G T ( U n i o n General de T r a b a j a dores) as a M a r x i a n trade union, in
1888; the first catholic u n i o n in
1897 and the
anarcho-syndicalist
(Confederation General de T r a b a j o )
w h i c h was based upon the principles
of Georges Sorel. In 1931 the " s i n dicatos" of the J O N S ( J u n t a de
Ofensiva
Nacional-Sindicalista)
were founded
w h i c h , after t h e i r
association w i t h the Falange, sponsored the "Spanish N a t i o n a l Syndicalism",
W i t h the foundation of the
Falange in a M a d r i d theatre by Jose
A n t o n i o P r i m o de R i v e r a on October 20th, 1933 the n a t i o n a l s y n d i calist principles were f o r the first
t i m e claimed as basic principles of
Spain's
social and economic life.
These
were the principles w h i c h
became
d o m i n a n t after
Franco's
and the Falange's v i c t o r y
in the
c i v i l war, when the so-called l a w of
syndicalist u n i t y was enforced (the
" L e y de U n i d a d S i n d i c a l " was issued
on J a n u a r y 26th, 1940.) A l l trade
union organizations were b r o k e n up
and t h e i r property t a k e n over by
the new n a t i o n a l syndicalist organization, any k i n d o f
"outsider"
unions being prohibited. N a t i o n a l
syndicalism, buttressed
by several
other l a w s passed d u r i n g the i m mediate postwar years, became so
strong a . political and
economic
factor t h a t it m i g h t be
called
unique in the w o r l d .
Unity, Totality and Hierarchy
The f u n d a m e n t a l l a w o f
work
(the "Fuero del T r a b a j o " , issued on
M a r c h 9th, 1938) gives in its article
X I I I a first definition a n d charact e r i z a t i o n of the n a t i o n a l syndicalist o r g a n i z a t i o n as f o l l o w s :
"The n a t i o n a l syndicalist o r g a n i zation o f the N E W S T A T E i s based
upon the principles of u n i t y , t o t a l i t y a n d h i e r a r c h y . A l l the economic factors are j o i n t i n the v e r t i c a l
"sindicato"
sections of p r o d u c t i o n
a n d service. Independent a n d techn i c a l professions are organised in a
similar way
corresponding to the
provisions of the l a w . The v e r t i c a l
"sindicato" is an i n s t i t u t i o n of the
public l a w w h i c h is constituted by
the i n t e g r a t i o n in a u n i t a r y o r g a n ism, effected by a l l the i n d i v i d u a l s
w h i c h take p a r t i n the p r o d u c t i o n
process; these elements are unified
1145
corresponding to determined
services a n d
branches of production
under the supreme direction of the
Government, The v e r t i c a l " s i n d i cato" is the state's
i n s t r u m e n t to
realize its economic policy. The
"sindicato" has to t a k e care of the
problems of production and is supposed to m a k e proposals for t h e i r
solution, a l w a y s bearing i n m i n d the
supreme
national
interest.
The
v e r t i c a l "sindicato" is able to i n t e r .
vene by means of special organs in
the regulation,
consideration a n d
realization o f labour c o n d i t i o n s . . . . "
I n a d d i t i o n hereto,
another
law
says t h a t every 'sindicato" official
has to be member of the Falange.
A s f a r as we can see
now the
essential
characteristics
of these
provisions are as follows. N o t o n l y
the n a t i o n a l syndicalist organizat i o n but the whole
N e w State is
b u i l t on the basis of " u n i t y , t o t a l i t y
a n d hierarchy". T h a t is, u n i t y and
t o t a l i t y determine the structure of
n a t i o n a l syndicalism b u t t h a t does
not mean "equality". On the cont r a r y , there is a v e r y s t r o n g hierarchical g r o u p i n g i n t o superiors a n d
inferiors. A "sindicato" is v e r t i c a l
as f a r as the h i e r a r c h i c a l grades of
a certain
b r a n c h are
concerned.
These grades include u n s k i l l e d as
w e l l as skilled w o r k e r s , and departm e n t a l heads a n d employers
who
are
also organized in this
very
"sindicato". This is the most significant feature of n a t i o n a l syndicalism.
There are no unions for
employees on one side and for employers on the other.
The m a i n
task of a "sindicato" is to find proper solutions f o r the problems w h i c h
arise in t h e i r special sector, a n d to
promote social cooperation. It is
to be noted t h a t not o n l y the w o r k ers are unified in the n a t i o n a l s y n dicalist system but also the independent and
technical professions.
The reader should also note
that
every "sindicato"
official has to
belong t o the Falange.
A l l that
means t h a t the n a t i o n a l syndicalist
o r g a n i z a t i o n has—or could h a v e become a most effective a n d powerf u l i n s t r u m e n t f o r the Government,
as by means of "sindicatos" every
i n d i v i d u a l can be checked by the
Government.
Organization and Activities
The
f o l l o w i n g is a
simplified
scheme of the n a t i o n a l syndicalist
THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY
A u g u s t 15, 1959
1146
THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY
organistion a n d
a description
of
the activities of the different institutions.
T h e structure and opera-'
t i o n o f the w h o l e s y s t e m represent
t w o lines r u n n i n g i n t o opposite direct i o n s : ( a ) the " p o l i t i c a l " l i n e a n d ( b )
the " r e p r e s e n t a t i v e " l i n e ( b o t h expressions are t a k e n f r o m t h e official
national syndicalist literature).
The peculiarity of the " p o l i t i c a l "
l i n e arises f r o m the v e r y p o l i t i c a l
n a t u r e o f the w h o l e n a t i o n a l s y n d i calist o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t i s
defined
i n t h e p r e a m b l e o f the f u n d a m e n t a l
law of "sindicatos"
(the ' L e y d e
Bases de la O r g a n i z a c i o n S i n d i c a l "
w a s issued on December 6 t h , 1940)
a s the " p o l i t i c a l f o r m o f
Spain's
entire economy".
It is f u r t h e r a
r e s u l t of a p r i n c i p l e t h a t influences
the w h o l e c o u n t r y ' s economic l i f e :
" A l l social-economic i n t e r e s t s h a v e
to be s u b o r d i n a t e d a n d serve t h e
supreme
national
interest."
On
t h i s the f u n c t i o n o f t h e " p o l i t i c a l "
line i s based.
I t guides t h e o r d e r s
o f the G o v e r n m e n t i n r e g a r d t o t h e
official
economic policy
to those
spheres w h e r e t h e y s h a l l be realized.
Political Line
A f t e r a classification into three
g e o g r a p h i c a l areas
(national, prov i n c i a l a n d l o c a l ) the
"political"
line also shows a s t r o n g h i e r a r c h i cal construction.
T h e f o l l o w i n g are the i n s t i t u t i o n s
w i t h i n n a t i o n a l scope:
(1) T h e N a t i o n a l Delegate is the
chief o f the w h o l e o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d
is responsible o n l y to t h e superior
a u t h o r i t i e s o f the " n a t i o n a l m o v e ment".
(2) T h e S e c r e t a r y G e n e r a l directs
the c o o r d i n a t i o n o f t h e
organization's
different functions
corresp o n d i n g t o t h e o r d e r o f the n a t i o n a l
delegate.
(3) T h e G e n e r a l I n s p e c t i o n
and
Advising Board controls
a n d coordinates
the d i f f e r e n t
national
s y n d i c a l i s t g r o u p s a n d helps to execute these orders.
(4) T h e
Sub-Secretaries
study
economic a n d social p r o b l e m s .
(5) T h e
National
"Sindicato"
D i r e c t o r s t a k e over special charges
w i t h i n t h e i r sectors.
O n t h e p r o v i n c i a l l e v e l , the corresponding
authorities adapt regul a t i o n s o f the n a t i o n a l delegate t o
t h e special needs of t h e provinces.
T h e same applies t o t h e l o c a l level.
Representative L i n e
Opposite t o t h e above, r u n s the
"representative" line
w i t h the f o l lowing sections:
A u g u s t 15, 1959
( 1 ) " S i n d i c a t o " Cells: W o r k s h o p s ,
f a c t o r i e s , f a r m e r , fisher-, c r a f t s - m a n
f a m i l i e s etc.
T h i s section includes
workshops
and
factories
which
cover the w h o l e h i e r a r c h i c a l scale
f r o m t h e w o r k e r t o the e m p l o y e r .
N a t i o n a l s y n d i c a l i s m does n o t b u i l d
up Its s y s t e m
a n a l o g o u s to
the
social s t r u c t u r e b u t combines i n d i viduals of widely differing
social
r a n k i n i t s p r i m a r y cell. Employees
a n d employers h a v e t o get a l o n g i n
the same o r g a n i z a t i o n . I t i s i n t e n d e d t o suppress
immediately
any
social stress t h e r e b y . T h e employee,
f o r instance, c a n s t r i k e e f f e c t i v e l y
a g a i n s t his e m p l o y e r o n l y i f h e i s
financially and morally
supported
by an organization
in which he
finds a g r e a t n u m b e r of
felloww o r k e r s a n d i n w h i c h h e c a n lose
his i n d i v i d u a l i t y so t h a t he represents p a r t o f a p o w e r f u l w h o l e . I n
the n a t i o n a l s y n d i c a l i s t
organizat i o n , however, t h e e m p l o y e r has a
seat a n d v o t e i n the
v e r y same
"sindicato".
Conflicts
cannot
be
m a d e u p o n t h i s level
and other
worker-unions
are p r o h i b i t e d
and
r i g o r o u s l y punished.
The different
" f a m i l i e s " mean
productive unities
to w h i c h b e l o n g the m e m b e r s of a
f a m i l y , apprentices a n d
subsidiary
workers.
These
p r o d u c t i v e unities
are f r e q u e n t l y to be f o u n d in Spain.
(2) L o c a l B r a n c h e s : A g r i c u l t u r a l
cooperatives, guilds,
relief-societies
for
seamen.
T h e second
section
covers
professional
associations
based upon t h e p r i n c i p l e o f m u t u a l
economic assistance. These o r g a n i zations have their origins partly in
the e a r l y M i d d l e A g e a n d they h a v e
been t r a n s f e r r e d to the new system
u n d e r the l a w o f s y n d i c a l i s t u n i t y .
(3) D i s t r i c t B r a n c h e s : The same
as in (2) applied here on a b i g g e r
scale.
(4) N a t i o n a l O r g a n i s a t i o n o f V e r tical
"Sindicatos"
According
to
P r o d u c t s a n d Services :
In
this
section a l l the d i s t r i c t branches are
u n i t e d i n the r e a l " s i n d i c a t o s " according to the characteristics of
products a n d / o r services. T h e r e are
i n t h i s section t h e head offices o f
the
"sindicatos"
which
include
statistical and law departments, a
section of l a b o u r - e x c h a n g e , a
spec i a l health-service a n d t h e so-called
"obras" to which
we will refer
later.
Classification
The "sindicatos"
are
corporate
bodies o f t h e public
l a w a n d as
s u c h , t h e y a r e defined i n t h e f u n d a mental law o f w o r k i n article X I I I .
1147
T h e y a r e m a d e v e r t i c a l — a s h a s been
s h o w n a b o v e — a c c o r d i n g to a certain branch of production. In order
t o achieve t h i s the l a w o f classific a t i o n (the " L e y de C l a s s i f i c a c i o n "
was issued on June 2 5 t h , 1941) w a s
enforced to divide the w h o l e econom y i n t o d i f f e r e n t sectors a n d a t t a c h
to each sector a " s i n d i c a t o " . L a t e r
o n other " s i n d i c a t o s " were f r a m e d
so t h a t t o d a y there are " s i n d i c a t o s "
f o r the f o l l o w i n g branches:
(I)
1 Food and grain.
2 Fruits.
3 Olives.
4 Beverage.
5 Cattle-breeding.
6 Fishing.
7 Sugar.
8 Groceries.
( I I ) 9 Leather.
10 C l o t h i n g .
11 T e x t i l e s .
12 Glass a n d ceramics.
13 W o o d a n d c o r k .
14 C o n s t r u c t i o n .
15 M e t a l s .
16 Chemicals.
17 Paper.
18 F u e l a n d c o a l .
19 E l e c t r i c i t y , w a t e r a n d gas.
20 T r a n s p o r t .
( I l l ) 21 Hotels.
22 I n s u r a n c e .
23 B a n k i n g .
24 E n t e r t a i n m e n t i n d u s t r y .
25 Miscellaneous.
E v e r y person w h o w o r k s i n one o f
the above sectors is subject to i n s t r u c t i o n s o f his " s i n d i c a t o " .
He
has also to p a y a c o n t r i b u t i o n of
w h i c h 50 per cent is on the e m p l o y er's account.
Nine "Obras"
A c e r t a i n a m o u n t of
decentralization of the national
syndicalist
o r g a n i z a t i o n is
effected
by
the
"obras".
A l t h o u g h t h e y are a p a r t
f r o m the 2 5 v e r t i c a l
"sindicatos",
they also u n i f y employees a n d e m ployers.
The m a i n task
o f the
" o b r a s " is to s t u d y
special social
a n d economic problems a n d t o t a k e
care o f t h e i r s o l u t i o n .
T h e r e are
nine " o b r a s " , one each i n t h e f o l l o w i n g spheres:
(1) H a n d i c r a f t s : the " o b r a "
11 model workshops;
runs
(2) A g r i c u l t u r e : t h e " o b r a " r u n s
nine model f a r m s ;
(3) C o o p e r a t i v e s : t h e " o b r a " h a s
a
total
membership
of
1,312,000;
(4) " O b r a
of
July
18th":
a
h e a l t h - s e r v i c e t a k i n g care o f
2,760,753 persons;
THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY
A u g u s t 15, 1959
(5) E d u c a t i o n
and
recreation:
the " o b r a " m a i n t a i n s
playgrounds,
sanatoria,
public
p a r k s , etc;
(6) P r o f e s s i o n a l t r a i n i n g :
are
106 centres in
there
Spain;
(7) H o u s i n g :
the
"obra"
b u i l t 52,275 u n i t s in 1955;
had
(8) " F i g h t a g a i n s t u n e m p l o y m e n t " :
u n e m p l o y e d w o r k e r s are m a i n t a i n e d b y the " o b r a " i n special
camps a n d used f o r n o r m a l l y
p a i d w o r k f o r the
Governm e n t , such as
afforestation,
construction
of
highways,
etc;
(9) Social insurance : t h e " o b r a "
works
i n close
cooperation
with
the n a t i o n a l
institute
f o r insurance.
employers themselves are
incorpor a t e d in t h e m as w e l l , a n d it is the
pressure o f the " s i n d i c a t o s "
which
m a k e s the
prohibition of
strike
possible a n d extends the principles
o n l a b o u r discipline.
Therefore the
" s i n d i c a t o s " m a y be r e g a r d e d as an
Instrument of coordination
mainly
c o n t r o l l e d b y the F a l a n g e , a n i n s t r u m e n t w h i c h bridges the
disast r o u s c h a s m between employers a n d
employees.
The n a t i o n a l s y n d i c a l i s t
organization
encompasses the
different
social groups so firmly t h a t social
conflicts do not at least come o u t
i n t o the open
before the
public.
T h e r e are disputes t o d a y
only in
the " s i n d i c a t o " o f f i c e s a n d i n t h e
ministries.
The outcome
of those
Instrument of Coordination
F i n a l l y , the connections
between
the state a n d the n a t i o n a l s y n d i c a l i s t o r g a n i z a t i o n s h o u l d be m a d e
clear.
I t i s necessary t o r e m e m b e r
the f u n d a m e n t a l l a w o f " s l n d i c a t o s "
t h a t every " s i n d i c a t o " official has
to be a m e m b e r of the
Falange.
A c t u a l l y the " s l n d i c a t o s " are t o d a y
a directing organisation
b u i l t up
and controlled by the Falange, The
F a l a n g e , however,
is n o t to be
i d e n t i f i e d w i t h the G o v e r n m e n t ; n o r
the
"sindicatos".
Therefore
the
l e g i s l a t i o n a l w a y s says t h a t t h i s o r
t h a t I n s t i t u t i o n has to be c o n t r o l l e d
b y the G o v e r n m e n t a n d the " s i n d i catos".
T h e u l t i m a t e repositories o f
Spain's economic a n d social policy
are t h e G o v e r n m e n t a n d ,
in partic u l a r , the m i n i s t r i e s f o r
economy
and labour.
These m i n i s t r i e s a n d
the " s l n d i c a t o s " cooperate
through
a special c o o r d i n a t i o n b u r e a u ,
but
there is a s t r i c t d i s t i n c t i o n , l e g a l as
well as technical, and
above a l l
dogmatic
The "slndicatos",
for
instance,
have been fighting f o r years f o r a
b i g rise in wages w h i l e the G o v e r n m e n t keeps wages low.
Generally
t h e " s i n d i c a t o s " are keenly i n t e r ested in the social problems of the
employee a n d t h e y d i d g e t t h r o u g h
a r a t h e r wide social w e l f a r e p r o gramme.
Social i n s u r a n c e , a p a r t i a l s o l u t i o n o f the h o u s i n g p r o b l e m ,
and protection to labour in so f a r
as the l a b o u r c o n t r a c t is concerned,
a n d m a n y o t h e r advances a g a i n s t
the employer's privileges owe t h e i r
success to the a c t i v i t i e s of t h e " s i n d i c a t o s " , O n the o t h e r h a n d , i t I s
n o t t r u e t h a t the " s i n d i c a t o s " are
masked trade unions,
because t h e
1148
q u a r r e i s are to oe seen only in n e w
orders issued by the G o v e r n m e n t ,
The reasons w h y the Spanish econ o m y has n o t recovered as f a s t as
i t was expected s h o r t l y
a f t e r the
c i v i l w a r are n o t to be f o u n d in a
f a i l u r e o f the o r g a n i z a t i o n described above, b u t in o t h e r
economic
spheres (e g, the a n t i q u a t e d t a x syst e m , the policy o f a u t a r c h y e t c ) .
There is no doubt, however,
that
the Spanish G o v e r n m e n t
has had
the o p p o r t u n i t y t o realize t h r o u g h
the n a t i o n a l s y n d i c a l i s t
organization
an
efficient economic p r o g r a m m e f a s t e r a n d m o r e effectively.
This national syndicalist system is
unique a n d does n o t c o r r e s p o n d at
a l l w i t h the l i b e r a l ideas o f o t h e r
E u r o p e a n countries.