The revolutionary left in Comisiones Obreras: an introduction

ABSTRACT

This text introduces the readers of Labor History to the set of articles that make up the special issue entitled ‘Radical projects in the Comisiones Obreras (1958–1991)’. Through this collective work we aspire to outline the global dynamics that the revolutionary left developed in relation to Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) first as a socio-political movement, and later as a trade union confederation. In this way, we offer a general context to better understand the actions carried out by the militants of these organizations. In view of their decisions, we have classified this phenomenon into three major phases that allow us to understand the forgotten history of alternative projects within the trade union. The main lesson of this special issue is that the various strategies did not follow the same historical transformations and yielded different outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Revolutionary left
• communism
• syndicalism
• democratic transition
• Spain

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. There is an open debate in Spanish historiography inaugurated by the publication of A contracorriente. Las disidencias ortodoxas en el comunismo español (1968–1989). Valencia, Universidad de Valencia, 2022, by Eduardo Abad. In it he argues that organisations that have traditionally been called pro-Soviet should be referred to exclusively as orthodox. Therefore, throughout this article and in some of the articles in the dossier, the adjective will be used both in a generic sense (as an uncompromising defender of a doctrine) and as a designation for the traditionally so-called pro-Soviet organisations.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ernesto M Díaz Macías

Ernesto M Díaz Macías PhD in history. He has published books such as Los últimos chinos. Historia del Partido del Trabajo de España (PTE) (1967-1980); El Movimiento Comunista (MC). Historia de un partido (1964-1991); and more recently Socialismo y democracia with Michael Löwy.

Eduardo Abad García

Eduardo Abad García PhD in history. He has published works such as ‘Ortodoxos, disidentes y revolucionarios. El proyecto político de los comunistas españoles fieles al campo socialista (1968-1980)’, and more recently ‘A contracorriente. Las disidencias ortodoxas en el comunismo español (1968-1989)’.

Jon Las Heras

Jon Las Heras PhD in International Political Economy. He focuses on the political economy of labor, industrial relations, labor organizations and capitalist dynamics. He lectures at the University of the Basque Country, and is member of various national and international associations.