Barcelona during the Tragic Week.
The century began in the same social atmosphere of confrontation that had characterized previous years Barcelona society. In 1909 there was an event of particular relevance: the Tragic Week. The successive defeats of the Spanish army in Morocco forced the government to recruit new cams to send to the front, which is fed mainly poor people, for the privileged classes could afford the exemption for a small fee. This provoked a popular uprising in Barcelona, which channeled the anger and frustration of the working class by their marginal status. From 26 July to 2 August 1909 the insurgents set up roadblocks and turned to the burning of churches and convents. Finally, the revolt was quelled by the army, with a balance of 2,500 detainees, of which 1,725 were judged militarily. 59 were handed down life sentences and 17 death, which took place five, including the teacher Francesc Ferrer i Guardia, who served as head of turco.30
The years that followed were again social upheaval: the November 1, 1910 was held in Barcelona a workers' congress which saw the unification of anarchists and trade unionists, born the National Confederation of Labour (CNT). The strength of CNT could be seen in the strike of the Canadian (as it was known the utility Barcelona Traction Light & Power), caused by the dismissal of several workers only to be unionized. On February 5, 1919 was declared the strike of electricity and gas industry, leaving Barcelona in the dark and crippling industrial activity. The army intervened resuming the supply, so that the strike was widespread. It declared a state of war, be detained 3,000 strikers. The conflict continued until the April 14 agreement was reached in which, among other things, the government accepted the eight-hour workday. However, the employer, dissatisfied, undertook a twelve-day closure, which affected a hundred thousand workers who become unemployed. Since then exasperated the confrontation between workers and entrepreneurs, starting a series of bombings and assassinations that brought terror to the streets. Soon there were 230 violent deaths in Barcelona, including the union lawyer and the leader Francesc Layret anarchist Salvador Seguí.