Pablo Iglesias Posse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pablo Iglesias
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| President of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party | |
| In office 25 August 1888 – 9 December 1925 |
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| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Julián Besteiro |
| Member of the Congress of Deputies | |
| In office 10 June 1910 – 15 September 1923 |
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| Constituency | Madrid |
| Member of Madrid City Council | |
| In office 1906–1910 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Paulino Iglesias Posse
18 October 1850 Ferrol, Galicia, Spain |
| Died | 9 December 1925 (aged 75) Madrid, Spain |
| Resting place | Madrid Civil Cemetery, Madrid, Spain |
| Political party | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party |
| Other political affiliations |
Nueva Federación Madrileña Conjunción Republicano-Socialista |
| Spouse | Amparo Meliá (m. 1921) |
| Children | Juan Almela Meliá (stepson) |
| Occupation | Typesetter, Syndicalist |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Pablo Iglesias Foundation |
Pablo Iglesias Posse (born October 17, 1850 – died December 9, 1925) was a very important Spanish leader. He is known as the "father of Spanish socialism." This means he was a key figure in starting a movement that aimed to improve the lives of working people. He founded two major organizations: the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) in 1879 and the Spanish General Workers' Union (UGT) in 1888. These groups worked to fight for workers' rights and a fairer society.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Pablo Iglesias was born in Ferrol, Spain. His parents, Pedro Iglesias and Juana, were not wealthy. He was called Paulino as a child. He went to school from age six to nine. His father, who worked for the city, died when Pablo was nine.
After his father's death, Pablo, his younger brother Manuel, and their mother moved to Madrid. They traveled with their few belongings in a small cart. In Madrid, his mother had to beg to survive. Both boys entered the Hospicio of San Fernando, a type of orphanage. There, Pablo finished primary school and learned the skill of printing.
At age twelve, Pablo left the orphanage to work. He wanted to help support his mother. He worked as a printer and slowly earned more money. During a time when he was unemployed due to a strike, his brother Manuel sadly died from tuberculosis.
Learning and Activism
Pablo Iglesias continued his education by attending evening classes. He learned to speak French. This skill was very important. It allowed him to read important books about politics from France. He could also translate works by French socialists. This helped him take part in international meetings.
In 1870, he was invited to join the printers' section of the International Workingmen's Association (AIT). This group was protected by the Spanish Constitution of 1869. They held many talks in Madrid. Pablo also started his long career in journalism. He wrote for Solidarity, the newspaper of the International.
Founding Key Organizations
In 1873, Pablo Iglesias joined the Association of Art Printers. The next year, he was chosen as its president. From this position, he worked secretly for several years. His goal was to create a new political party for workers.
On May 22, 1879, Pablo Iglesias and twenty-four other people founded the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). They started this party at a secret meeting in Madrid. This was a very important step for workers' rights in Spain.
Pablo's political work often led to him being jailed. He was first arrested in 1882 after a strike. His last arrest was in 1910 when he was sixty years old. He always refused offers to be set free early. Because he had been in jail, some employers would not hire him. Often, the only thing that kept him from starving was the newspaper The Socialist. He had founded this newspaper on March 12, 1886, and worked as its printer, editor, and director.
On August 12, 1888, the Spanish General Workers' Union (UGT) was founded in Barcelona. Pablo Iglesias suggested its name.
Political Career and Legacy
In 1889, Pablo Iglesias was named president of the UGT's national committee. He held this important position for 36 years, until his death. In 1890, he led a large demonstration in Madrid on May 1st. This was the first time the "day of struggle" was celebrated there. He presented demands to the government for new laws, like an 8-hour workday.
In 1905, he became a member of the City Council of Madrid for the first time. Republicans had often been against Iglesias. However, an alliance between Republicans and Socialists helped him. In the 1910 elections, he became the first socialist representative in the Spanish Parliament.
After 1914, his health got worse. This meant he could not attend many parliamentary meetings. He was elected as a representative for the last time in 1923.
Even though he did not have a lot of formal education, Pablo Iglesias wrote many important articles. He published over two thousand newspaper articles in Spain. His first article, "The War," was in Solidarity on December 5, 1870. His last, "The Working Class Will Win," was in Freedom on December 5, 1925.
Pablo Iglesias was known for strongly defending his ideas and attacking unfairness. His writings always called for positive change and hope for workers.
When he died, a drawer in his office held 1,000 pesetas. This was a gift from Iglesias to The Socialist newspaper, which he had helped create. Many people honored him after his death. More than 150,000 workers joined his funeral procession in Madrid. They walked with him to the civil cemetery.
The Spanish thinker José Ortega y Gasset called him a "secular saint." Even Ernest Hemingway mentioned him in his book For Whom the Bell Tolls. Hemingway wrote that Pablo Iglesias was "one good man" among Spanish leaders.
See also
In Spanish: Pablo Iglesias Posse para niños
