THE CONSOLIDATION OF SHANTYISM. 1940S TO 70S
Post-war period: from the misery of the rural world
to the precariousness of the city
Shantyism: part of the “Barcelona normality”
The shantytowns went on to the tough situation of
the post-war period. Misery and repression expelled
thousands of people from rural areas, people who
came to Barcelona in quest of survival. The rapid
increase of the population brought about a boom in
the traditional forms of substandard housing. The
previously existing shantytowns grew and new ones
arose, such as those of El Carmel and La Perona.
EShantyism created an “informal city”, which was a
substantial part of the “Barcelona normality”. The
shantytowns formed an urban landscape which
the authorities of the Franco regime sought to
conceal. Despite the political repression, however,
critical voices could be heard in some professional
collectives and some sectors of the Catholic Church.
During the “Slum Week” organised by the Church in
1957, it was estimated that there were 10,352 shanties
in Barcelona, a number which grew to nearly 20,000
by the beginning of the 1960s.
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