Social poetry, or (in its original language) poesía social, is the name of a Spanish poetic movement of the 1950s and 1960s. It was characterized by condemnation of the political circumstances and reclamation of freedom.
Sociopolitical foundation
editThe movement began in the 1950s in Spain, at a time when the scars of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) had not yet faded. As a result of that conflict, a dictatorship was instituted in the country (1939-1977), controlled by the general Francisco Franco until his death in 1975.
There was a forceful crackdown sobre los vencidos during Francoism's first decade, así como un régimen aislado y replegado sobre sí mismo, ya que Franco's allies during the war, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, were among the defeated in the Second World War. During the following decade, however, se producirá a certain liberalism, por el acercamiento of the United States of America dada the strategic importance of Spain. Así, tras el periodo conocido como the lost years (1939-1954) vendrá the end of the autarchy, liberalization, and economic development.
Social poetry coexisted with, regarding the freedom of the press, very restrictive laws. One law, drafted in 1938 and in effect until 1966, permitted censure previa. WHAT DOES PREVIA MEAN?! Every writing was passed through a censor before its publication. The reclamations of liberty of the members of the movement habrán de pasar por la mesa of the functionaries of the regime, who would not hesitate to edit—or to prohibit publication of—works that no afectas the regime.
Social poetry would also influence Spanish culture later, as Francoism came to its end with the Spanish transition to democracy.
History y estatus ideological
editThe members of this movement viewed poetry as an instrument with which they intended to change the world, denouncing the reality that surrounded them and making their readers more aware of social injustice. Social poetry sought protection for the weak and underprivileged.[1]
A most important precedent was set by the magazine Espadaña (1944-1951), in which were published names such as César Vallejo, Pablo Neruda and Blas de Otero. Desde ella se quiso recoger la vanguardia que se había cultivado in the Spain of the Republic y años anteriores, con el exponente de la Generation of '27 y oponerse a more classicist flow (bad word choice!) y afecta Franco's regime.