This is a study of social protest and repression in one of the twentieth century's most important revolutionary hotspots. It explains why Barcelona became the undisputed capital of the European anarchist movement and explores the sources of anarchist power in the city. It also places Barcelona at the center of Spain's economic, social, cultural and political life during 1898-1937.

During this period, a range of social groups, movements and institutions competed with one another the impose their own political and urban project on the city: the central authorities struggled to retain control of Spain's most unruly; nationalist groups hoped to create the capital of Catalonia; local industrialists attempted to erect a modern industrial city; the urban middle classes planned to democratize the city; and meanwhile, the anarchists sought to liberate the city's workers from oppression and exploration. This resulted in an myriad of frequently violent conflicts for control of the city, both before and during thecivil war.

This is a work of seminal importance in the field of contemporary Spanish history, and fills a significant gap in current literature.