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This July will mark the centenary of a very sad episode in the history of Catalonia: Tragic Week (in Catalan 'Setmana Tràgica'), a popular revolt associated with antimilitarism and anticlericalism. The revolt, centred in Barcelona, was followed by a repression that was both arbitrary and reckless.

The revolt was triggered by Spanish colonial policies in North Africa, specifically in the Rif region. Insisting on occupying the region, the Spanish government called up 40,000 reservists, many of them Catalans, a move that was seen in Catalonia as provocative. The majority were working-class married men with children. Those with money avoided military service by paying a large sum of money.

Furthermore, the conscription took place at a time of considerable social tension, with a privileged industrial bourgeoisie and a proletariat that worked from sunrise to sunset under abominable conditions.

With the situation as it was, a general strike was held on 26 July, although the political forces on the left did not want to take the lead. The strike turned into a violent revolt, without specific political objectives and led to the burning of churches and convents.

At that time, anticlericalism (demagogicically encouraged by certain political parties) had taken root amongst a section of the working class. Furthermore, many people associated the Church with the interests of the privileged classes.