Pablo Iglesias Posse


Category: Ideologist, founder of Spanish socialist party
Birth Date: 18th October 1850 (†9th December 1925)
Birth Place: Ferrol (A Coruña)
 Curriculum

When his father died, he moved to Madrid with his mother and brother. As they arrived in Madrid, they realized that her mother's uncle had died. Poverty made his mother beg and get her sons into St Ferdinan's Hospice. Here he finished primary Education. When he was twelve he ran away from the hospice and began to work as printing trainee. He began to earn more and more money, saving to buy books and improve his education. In 1874, he was elected president of the Art of Printing Association Pablo thought about the idea of creating a working-class party to defend their interests. That is why in a fraternity meeting (2nd May 1879) Pablo and his followers decided to found the Spanish Socialist Working-class Party (PSOE). In 1882, the General Art of Printing Association, whose president was Pablo Iglesias, went on strike and he had to go to prison. The General Workers Union (UGT) was created on 12th August 1888 at the National Working-class Congress. Pablo attended several congresses in different European cities. In 1904, the First Galician Socialist Congress was celebrated in Vigo. On 1st May 1890, Pablo Iglesias spoke before a crowd of people that demonstrated later claiming the Government the reduction of the number of hours at work (eight hours). In 1892 he visited Ferrol and organized some mass meetings, which were very successful. In 1894, he went again to prison for having gone on strike and again in 1904. In 1910, he was elected as deputy in Madrid.

 Work & Activities

Pablo Iglesias wrote articles for the newspapers La Solidaridad and La Libertad. Besides, he collaborated in other newspapers and anarchist, socialist and republican magazines. His book Propaganda Socialista is a selection of the articles he wrote during the first years. We must also stand out the doctrinal leaflets Consideraciones sobre el programa socialista and Las organizaciones de resistencia, as well as his meetings and parliamentary speeches.