The limits of Destalinisation: The Spanish Communist Party 1956-1965 Beatriz Anson Submitted for the degree of PhD London School of Economics and Political Science University of London 1 October 2002 UMI Number: U615238 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U615238 Published by ProQuest LLC 2014. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 rouncAL AND T^es^s 2 ABSTRACT This thesis seeks to demonstrate that the process of liberalization started by the PCE in 1956 was of a very limited nature and never managed to change the party’s Stalinist internal structure. This in turn obstructed the success of the party’s policies, its programmes and campaigns inside the country, as the leadership in exile, far removed from the Spanish reality, imposed from above its views on underground activists, thus limiting their influence and impact. I demonstrate this by looking mainly at the relationship that flourished in 1956 between the leadership in exile and the intellectual and student organizations inside Spain. Just as it had happened in the 1940s with other underground Communist organizations, this relationship soon started to deteriorate and eventually led to one of the most important purges ever to take place inside the PCE. My thesis thus concludes that the party’s lack of internal democracy, which became evident during this period, in the long term discredited the transformation attempted through Eurocommunism and hence, sheds new light into one of the reasons behind the party’s failure during the transition to democracy in Spain. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study was made possible by the generous financial support of the Fundacion ICO in Madrid and the International History Department at the London School of Economics and Political Science, as well as the space and help provided by the Canada Blanch Centre. I would like to express my gratitude to Victoria Ramos for helping me to find my way through the labyrinth of documents held at the Archivo Historico del PCE that she knows so well. Of great assistance was also Maria Jesus Nieto. I would also like to thank the staff at the Archivo de la Agencia EFE. I am indebted to a number of friends, particularly Samar Abdul-Hadi, Jerry Blaney, Richard Baxell, Angela Cenarro, Thomas Christiansen, Andrew Dowling, Chris Ealham, Carlos Fernandez, Zyab Ibdfiez, Margarita Le6n, Pilar Ortuno, Ivan Pliego Moreno, Sonia Rodriguez, Francisco Romero, Sandra Souto Kustrin, Regina Tolosa, all who have helped me in numerous ways that I will never be able to repay. My friends and family in Madrid have also been a source of great emotional support, particularly my parents and my two sisters, Leticia and Marta, without whom I could have never finished. I would also like to thank those interviewees that were kind enough to offer their time and advice for this thesis. Santiago Carrillo, Luis Goytisolo, Enrique Mugica, Amaya Ruiz Ibarruri, Fernando Sanchez Drago, Adolfo Sanchez Vazquez Carlos Semprun, Jorge Semprun and Ramon Tamames opened up the world of the Spanish Communist Party for me and managed to bring to life their past stories and 4 adventures. Javier Pradera deserves special mention for his support and orientation all along. On an academic level, I wish to thank first of all my supervisor, Professor Paul Preston, for his guidance and support which was essential to the shaping of this project. I would also like to mention the help given to me by Thomas Christiansen, who read the first draft of this thesis and made very relevant suggestions. Many thanks to Pilar Ortuno for the effort and interest she has always shown during the innumerable times I have asked her for advice. Margarita Leon has been inspiring and always a friend. I also owe a clear debt to Gregorio Moran, not just because his work on the Spanish Communist Party sparked my interest on the subject, but for the valuable tips he provided me with on how to carry my research. Francisco Romero was patient enough to read my first attempts at chapters and with his dark humour helped me to deal with those extra aspects involved in writing a PhD. Andrew Dowling, a shoulder to cry on in moments of frustration, has also contributed immensely to the quality of the final product as the proof-reader of this thesis. At the Cafiada Blanch Centre, Marisa Flatt would always find the right words in difficult moments and made my life, and that of other students, much easier and fun. Also, my thanks to Sebastian Balfour, who always gave me good advice. Finally, my deepest gratitude goes to Hans Kribbe, not just for his emotional support, but for raising my standards and help me see the light at the end of the tunnel. Without him this thesis would have not been finished. Although the assistance of all the aforementioned have improved this study, it goes without saying that any errors or misjudgements contained within are my own. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT................................................................................................................... 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS............................................................................................ 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................ 5 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................7 I. THE FIRST YEARS IN EXILE........................................................................ 1 8 A. Introduction..................................................................................................18 B. The aftermath of 1939...............................................................................21 1. From unity to confrontation........................................................................................................21 2. The Party in Spain......................................................................................................................25 3. The fight for power: Hernandez v La Pasionaria........................................................................29 C. The Second World War...............................................................................31 1. The Party in France.....................................................................................................................32 2. The Aran Valley invasion...........................................................................................................37 3. The downfall of Jesus Monzdn...................................................................................................40 D. The Beginning of the Cold War...............................................................44 1. The PCE and the Republican forces...........................................................................................44 2. Titoism and the PCE................................................................................................................... 50 3. The PCE in France. Anton..........................................................................................................55 E. Conclusion....................................................................................................60 II. FROM APATHY TO ACTIVITY.......................................................................6 2 A. Introduction................................................................................................. 62 B. The dormant years.....................................................................................63 1. Peace........................................................................................................................................... 63 2. The V Congress..........................................................................................................................68 C. The breaking of the deadlock.................................................................. 74 1. Spain's incorporation into the............................................................................................... UN 76 2. The XX Congress of the CPSU..................................................................................................80 3. The young guard wins.................................................................................................................83 D. Conclusion....................................................................................................90 in. THE BIRTH OF A NEW OPPOSITION.......................................................9 2 A. Introduction................................................................................................. 92 B. From Culture to P olitics...........................................................................93 1. The PCE and the intellectuals in the 1940s................................................................................93 2. The early stages of a new opposition........................................................................................105 3. The Congress