Ninety years after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, it remains one of the most important and debated experiences in history of the socialist movement. Join Chris Nineham as we discuss that the war was not simply a contest between democracy and fascism. It was also a struggle over whether working people could take control of society and build a new social order while resisting the forces of reaction.

One of the clearest lessons is the power of working-class self-organisation. When Franco launched his military coup, it was workers, trade unionists and peasants who often provided the most determined resistance. Across much of Spain, workers formed militias, took control of workplaces and organised the defence of their communities. For many socialists, this showed that the fight against fascism depends not only on institutions and governments but on the active participation of ordinary people.

The war also raised enduring questions about political strategy. The Republican side brought together socialists, communists, anarchists and liberal republicans in a broad anti-fascist alliance. While this unity was essential in confronting Franco's forces, revolutionary socialists argued that limiting the struggle to the defence of a liberal-democratic republic weakened the revolutionary momentum that had emerged in 1936.

Leon Trotsky reflected on this debate in 1937:
“A successful fight against bourgeois reaction can be waged only with the forces and methods of the proletarian revolution.”

The war further demonstrated the importance of international solidarity. Thousands of volunteers from around the world joined the International Brigades in defence of the Republic, making Spain a symbol of global anti-fascist resistance. Yet the Republic also suffered from international isolation, while Franco received substantial support from fascist powers. This imbalance remains a reminder that struggles against authoritarianism rarely occur in isolation.

Another lesson concerns the dangers of division. Deep disagreements within the Republican camp often turned into destructive political conflict. Socialists continue to debate the causes and consequences of these disputes, but there is broad agreement that fragmentation weakened the anti-fascist cause at crucial moments.

Ninety years on, the Spanish Civil War remains both a warning and an inspiration. It warns of the danger posed by fascism and reaction, but it also demonstrates the courage, creativity and determination of working people fighting for a better society. For socialists today, Spain continues to raise a vital question: how can we build the broadest resistance to the far right while maintaining an independent political programme rooted in democracy, equality and working-class power? The sacrifices of those who fought in Spain ensure that this question remains as relevant now as it was in 1936.