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

by Gerald Brenan

Book Overview

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521398274
• ISBN13: 9780521398275
• Release Date: November 1990
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 414 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

An Incisive Assessment of an Important but Forgotten Historical Episode

Gerald Brenan's THE SPANISH LABYRINTH is a masterful account of the mosaic of the history and immediate events leading to the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Brenan effectively deals with the complexities of Spanish political history from the end of the Napoleonic Wars (c. 1799-1815)to the start of the Spanish Civil War. Brenan is clear that the Spanish Civil War was the culmination of events of the early 19th century to 1936. In other words, he does not provide a "quick fix" to superficially explain these events. Another asset of this book is the fact that Brenan carefully examines the Spanish Civil War based on a precise review of Spanish Civil War. Brenan dismisses the notion that too many lazy historians use in describing the Spanish Civil War as one between righteous "Democracy" and wicked "Fascism." Brenan is one of the few historians who gives the reader an explanation of how geogrpahy and climate affected Spain's political history. Since the 17th century, Spain was geographically and culturally isolated from the rest of Europe. Historically, Spain was forgotten by the rest of Europe. Brenan also gives the reader a geography of Spain's topography and climate regions. Parts of Spain were mountainous while other areas were flat plains. Some areas of Spain get adequet rainfall while other areas are semiarid at best. This geography lesson is important in understanding the reasons for Spain's political instability. Those Spanish farmers or peasants who lived in areas that were semiarid and had poor land were often those Spaniards who were more rebellious against the old monarchy and landlords. On the other hand, those Spanish farmers who lived in areas with decent rainfall and adequet rainfall, were less likely to rebel and were more conservative. Brenan's assessment of the "Spanish character" is interesting. Brenan describes the Spanish peasants as proud, charitible, enthusiastic, excitable, etc. This was probably true of almost all Spaniards regardless of class. These characteritics were assests and liabilities. The urge to rebel against perceived injustice is easier to explain. On the other hand, these characteristics were liabilities that often prevented political unity and a clear program. As Brenan explains, these characteristics and divisions were common for both the Spanish "Left" and Spanish "Right." Brenan explains that there were often instances whereby the Spanish "Leftists" and "Rightists" switched sides because of temporary common interests. Brenan also gives the reader a "scorecard" regarding the different political parties. He describes each party and leader as well as their political program. These parties included the Monarchists, the Liberals, the Catholic parties, the Military, the Socialists, the Anarchists, the Anarcho-Syndicalists, the Carlists, ect. Readers may be interested in knowing the within these political parties there were bitter political divisions. These internal divisions were often ju