An account of a Congress in France of the Spanish anarchist movement in exile. Originally appeared in the Anarchist Federation of Britain's Direct Action (June 1945, 2nd).

Revolutionary history was made in France last month. For the first time a revolutionary movement in exile held a nation-wide Congress. "Delegates representing 35,000 anarcho-syndicalist militants of the Spanish Libertarian Movement from every corner of France assembled to consider the lines on which their future revolutionary activities should be based. The Congress was a great success and resulted in complete agreement on all points of discussion which ranged from an analysis of the part played by the Spanish Movement during the Civil War to the immediate future.

It was natural that a considerable part of the Congress should have been dedicated to a searching examination of the experience gained during the last nine years since the Fascist insurrection in 1936 as a preliminary to laying down future lines of action. Only by fully understanding the successes as well as the mistakes of the past can we be sure to choose the right way to achieve our aims. At the time our Spanish comrades took an active part in all spheres of life in Spain: economic, political, military, educational. Many divergent views exist to-day as to the success or otherwise of some of their actions during that period. All had a hearing at the Congress. Delegates expressed the view that collaboration with the other social and political organisations of the country had been necessary “because no revolution can be successfully achieved by any single sector of Society without implying a dictatorship” while others held the view that political collaboration had been “the greatest mistake and failure of our Movement."

The final interpretation of the experiences of the past was a unanimous decision that only those actions which arose spontaneously from popular initiative were positive revolutionary contributions. Congress went on to ratify the principles and tactics the Movement as expressed by its Congresses and actions of the past and resolved to continue its historical course of revolutionary and anti-State action. The debates showed that Spanish Anarcho-Syndicalism is a dynamic and versatile force, capable of applying the necessary tactics to the problems of the day without utopian sectarianism and in a constructive spirit. To make the action of the working class more effective Congress resolved to pursue a course of syndicalist unity between the C.N.T. and U.G.T. members, as their class interests in the common struggle have more in common than would appear from their different social doctrines.

Congress also resolved to strengthen the links of solidarity among the workers of the world to ensure universal peace and oppose all wars of aggression or conquest. Another resolution demanded the struggle for Libertarian emancipation in Spain without any outside totalitarian or parliamentarian interference. On such subjects as Federalism, Youth Movement, Culture and Education, Press and Propaganda, Solidarity towards the victims of the Civil War and the international struggle lines of future action were determined. The Congress ratified its adherence to the I.W.M.A. and called for the establishment of a section in France for Spanish militants.