LIVING

As such, it’s a wonder how the CNT manages to keep its doors open in these tough financial times. “It’s not easy,” Rello said. “We hold many events to raise funds; but it’s difficult.” Besides a host of gatherings, talks, presentations and classes each month, the CNT also has a bookshop, Llibreria La Rosa de Foc, on Carrer Joaquín Costa in the Raval.

Although the CNT does not share information about its membership, Rello estimated that about 7,000 people are registered as CNT anarchists throughout Spain. That’s not too many considering what membership used to be. The CNT is still often associated with violence in people’s minds, and because of this many in Barcelona are uninterested in the CNT, or have a negative impression of it.

The other problem has been internal bickering between the CNT and its offshoot the Confederación General de Trabajo (CGT). The CNT represents a more ‘pure’ anarchist viewpoint, while the CGT has more supporters nationally (15,000) but breaks some key anarchy rules by participating in political elections. CNT members maintain it’s contradictory to participate in government if you are an anarchist. The two groups have been arguing since they split 30 years ago. Rello and others hope that steps can be taken to heal old wounds between the two groups and that positive collaboration is on the horizon.

Meanwhile, the CNT continues to try and educate people about the history of anarchy in Spain, and host a series of diverse social and special interest events. For instance, last March the CNT offered lectures on anarchic-feminism with topics such as ‘Women in the Workplace’, ‘Violence Against Women’, ‘Self Defence’ and ‘Liberal Perspectives on Prostitution’. On May 1st, the CNT held an event in La Cotxeres de Sants to celebrate the day of the worker, one of the most important holidays on the CNT calendar.

The CNT continues to fight, as it always has, for the rights of the worker, particularly those who are displaced or ignored in society. It is no surprise, therefore, that among the CNT’s hot issues these days are immigration (specifically getting work visas for immigrants), the EU’s Plan Bolonia, which mandates educational reforms across Europe and organising boycotts against big businesses such as Mercadona.

The CNT was the leading representative force of anarchy in Spain in the 20th century, but some would say it’s a has-been, not up to date with the current anarchist movement. Dídac Costa is not a member of the CNT, but he is an anarchist, and is currently writing a book on how to create bartering networks. Costa and others are building a community that supports regional agriculture, communal living, uses a currency separate from the international banking system and, at the same time, is ecologically responsible. Describing his group, which is called EcoSeny, Costa said: “There is liberty and equality at the same time, which is the basis of anarchism.”