Alfonso XIII’s Reign and the Crisis of the Restoration
Theme 5: The Final Crisis of the Restoration
The Disaster of 1898 forced conservatives and liberals to implement a reformist policy. However, Maura and Canalejas’s projects failed because of political wear and the assassination of Canalejas. With Alfonso XIII, a slow process of political disintegration began, culminating in 1923 with the coup of General Primo de Rivera. His dictatorship ended the political system of the Restoration. At the same time, there was economic development and social modernization. The First World War had important repercussions in Spain.
Second Stage of the Restoration: Reign of Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII played an active role and was involved in changes of government and political action. His support for Primo de Rivera was instrumental in discrediting the monarchy. There are two phases:
1st Phase
Assassination of Canovas and Sagasta’s death caused struggles for leadership in both parties. They struggled to find a leader.
A) The Dynastic Parties:
- In 1903, Antonio Maura projected a revolution from the top to prevent a revolution from below. Its aim was to regenerate the political system with social support, using the neutral mass, ousting the chiefs, and preventing the labor movement. He gave greater autonomy to municipalities and made an electoral law to prevent electoral fraud, driving social policy. Within the Conservative Party, two trends were created: Maurists and others.
- Jose Canalejas proposed the modernization of political life and the separation between church and state. He also implemented social policies.
B) The Forces of the Opposition Sought to Mobilize Society:
- Republicans: Main opposition and largest parliamentary group, free-thinking bourgeoisie, and so on. Among Republican parties was the Republican Union.
- The Carlists, whose leader was Jaime de Borbon, joined the political system of the Restoration.
- The Socialists made coalitions with Republicans.
- The union of the UGT and CNT.
C) The Crisis of 1909:
[Top of the war in Morocco]: Spain began its penetration into North Africa, and the powers agreed to create a Franco-Spanish protectorate. This penetration was supported by the African military, who wanted to turn Spain into a colonial power because of economic interests. Spain’s presence in Morocco was not well received by the Berber tribes, who were defeated by Spain.
[Barcelona 1909 Tragic Week]: There was a strong popular movement in Barcelona that had a distinctly anti-militarist and anti-clerical character. Incidents multiplied in the street, with clashes with the police.
2nd Stage
[Spain and the First World War] Spain remained neutral in World War I, lacking political and military strength. Public opinion was divided into Germanophiles and pro-Allies. Neutrality favored Spain economically as a supplier of products.
[Crisis of 1917]: In 1916, there was a significant strike movement, with the UGT and CNT agreeing to sign a joint manifesto. The social conflicts resulted in a general strike in August 1917, with violent incidents occurring in Madrid and Barcelona.
[The Decomposition of the Canovas System] The crisis of 1917 ended with the Restoration, which entered a stage of decomposition until its crisis in 1923. The Republicans were increasingly divided, and the PSOE split into a more radical sector, founding the Communist Party of Spain.