Jordi Arquer facts for kids
Jordi Arquer (born 1907, died 1981) was a Spanish political leader and writer from Catalonia. He was known for his communist beliefs and his work for social change.
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About Jordi Arquer
Jordi Arquer was born in Barcelona in 1907. He grew up during a time of big changes in Spain.
Early Political Actions
When he was younger, Spain was ruled by a dictatorship (a government where one person has all the power) led by Miguel Primo de Rivera. Jordi Arquer secretly worked against this government. He joined groups that wanted Catalonia to be independent, like those led by Francesc Macià.
He was involved with a group called the Centre Autonomista de Dependents del Comerç i de la Indústria and wrote for a newspaper called Lluita. In 1927, he helped start the Círculo de Estudios Marxistas (Circle of Marxist Studies). This group studied the ideas of Karl Marx, which are about how society and the economy should work. In 1928, he also took part in a secret meeting of the Catalan Communist Party.
Forming New Parties
When the Second Spanish Republic began, Jordi Arquer helped create a new communist party called Bloc Obrer i Camperol (BOC). This party was different from other communist groups at the time. He also supported the idea of a "Working Alliance," which aimed to unite different worker groups.
In 1931, he wrote a book called Los comunistas ante el problema de las nacionalidades ibéricas. In this book, he looked at the history of Catalonia and its desire for self-rule. He believed Catalonia should have the right to decide its own future. He also thought it would be good to have a "Union of Iberian Socialist Republics," which would be like a group of independent socialist countries in Spain and Portugal.
During the Spanish Civil War
In 1935, his party, BOC, joined with another group called the Communist Left of Spain (ICE). Together, they formed a new party called POUM. This party brought together communists who were not happy with the other main communist and socialist parties in Spain.
During the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), Jordi Arquer was an important leader in the POUM army. He helped organize and lead their soldiers on the Aragon front, which was a key battle area.
Life in Exile
After the Civil War ended in 1939, Jordi Arquer had to leave Spain. He went to France, where he started a group called the Moviment Socialista de Catalunya (Catalan Socialist Movement). He continued to share his ideas through many publications and magazines. These included Endavant, L'Insurgent, Quaderns de l'exili, La Nostra Revista (published in Mexico), Ressorgiment (from Argentina), and Germanor (from Chile). These writings were shared in many countries, including the United States.
In 1977, Jordi Arquer returned to Barcelona. He lived there until he passed away in 1981.
Works
Jordi Arquer wrote several books and essays, sharing his political ideas and thoughts on society:
- El Comunisme i la qüestió nacional i colonial (1930)
- Crítica del programa de Gotha (1936)
- De Francesc Pi i Margall al Comunisme (1931)
- Los comunistas ante el problema de las nacionalidades ibéricas (1931)
- L'evolució del problema agrari a Rússia, des de la servitud feudal al Comunisme (1934)
- Las interpretaciones del marxismo (1937)
- El futur de Catalunya i els deures polítics de l'emigració catalana (1943)
See also
In Spanish: Jordi Arquer para niños
- «Arquer, Jordi, 1907-1981» Antics Posseïdors (Universitat de Barcelona. CRAI Biblioteca de Reserva)
