Valencia floods: people rescue people as the Spanish state fails
Thousands of volunteers mobilise in Valencia, Spain, amid state inaction. The slogan 'only the people save the people' sparks a debate over the response model.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Valencia catastrophe: when the people save the people and the state fails
The flood that devastated the Valencia region of Spain left an unforgettable image: thousands of citizens with shovels and buckets crossing bridges to help the victims. But that mobilisation, far from being a mere act of generosity, has sparked a battle over the narrative. While the slogan "Only the people save the people" went viral, part of the press and the political class dismissed it as "reactionary". The paradox is obvious: horizontal solidarity becomes suspect precisely when the state is conspicuously absent.
The help that never came from the institutions
In Paiporta, one of the hardest-hit towns, residents organised spontaneously. It was not politicians or civil servants who arrived first, but the people of the town itself. This reality contrasts with the accusations made by some media outlets, which see in this self-organisation a far-right manoeuvre to delegitimise the state. But those who were on the ground are clear: "'Only the people save the people' has stopped being a slogan and has become a tangible reality".
The management of the catastrophe has raised an uncomfortable question: is the Spanish state prepared to respond effectively to emergencies of this magnitude? The comparison with the 1957 flood, cited by some, suggests that, despite technological advances, institutional coordination remains deficient.
The antiestéticar of political exploitation
On the other side, there are those who warn that the "failed state" discourse is a smokescreen for dismantling the public sector. They point out that the same narrative praising the people who save themselves is the one used by liberal and reactionary sectors to justify shrinking the state. Reagan, Thatcher and the Falange are mentioned as reference points for that current. The antiestéticar is that outrage over the poor management will end up further eroding state capacity.
A widening divide
The positions seem irreconcilable. On one side, those who defend popular action as the only response to an absent state. On the other, those who believe that this very defence undermines trust in institutions. Meanwhile, the volunteers keep clearing rubble without waiting for the debate to be resolved. How long will society have to compensate for the system's shortcomings?
The flood that devastated the Valencia region of Spain left an unforgettable image: thousands of citizens with shovels and buckets crossing bridges to help the victims. But that mobilisation, far from being a mere act of generosity, has sparked a battle over the narrative. While the slogan "Only the people save the people" went viral, part of the press and the political class dismissed it as "reactionary". The paradox is obvious: horizontal solidarity becomes suspect precisely when the state is conspicuously absent.
The help that never came from the institutions
In Paiporta, one of the hardest-hit towns, residents organised spontaneously. It was not politicians or civil servants who arrived first, but the people of the town itself. This reality contrasts with the accusations made by some media outlets, which see in this self-organisation a far-right manoeuvre to delegitimise the state. But those who were on the ground are clear: "'Only the people save the people' has stopped being a slogan and has become a tangible reality".
The management of the catastrophe has raised an uncomfortable question: is the Spanish state prepared to respond effectively to emergencies of this magnitude? The comparison with the 1957 flood, cited by some, suggests that, despite technological advances, institutional coordination remains deficient.
The antiestéticar of political exploitation
On the other side, there are those who warn that the "failed state" discourse is a smokescreen for dismantling the public sector. They point out that the same narrative praising the people who save themselves is the one used by liberal and reactionary sectors to justify shrinking the state. Reagan, Thatcher and the Falange are mentioned as reference points for that current. The antiestéticar is that outrage over the poor management will end up further eroding state capacity.
A widening divide
The positions seem irreconcilable. On one side, those who defend popular action as the only response to an absent state. On the other, those who believe that this very defence undermines trust in institutions. Meanwhile, the volunteers keep clearing rubble without waiting for the debate to be resolved. How long will society have to compensate for the system's shortcomings?
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (22 replies).
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