Analysis of the 1931 Draft Statute of Autonomy of Estella
1. Location
Nature of the Text
This informative text serves as a historical source, offering insights into the political, legal, economic, social, and cultural aspects of life in the Basque Country.
Authorship
The Draft Statute of Estella was drafted by the Basque Studies Society, primarily promoted by Carlist nationalists.
Recipient
The intended audience was the general public, encompassing the entire Basque society and Navarre.
Promulgation
The statute was promulgated on June 14, 1931, shortly after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic. It received approval from 427 out of 548 mayors in the Basque Country, with support from Carlist nationalists, Catholics, and independents.
2. Analysis
2.1. Topic
The central theme is the enactment of a Basque Statute following the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic.
2.2. Main Ideas
Key ideas include the nationalist pursuit of a specific statute for the Basque Country, outlining aspirations related to education, military, healthcare, taxation, economic regime, and relations with the Church. The statute sought significant autonomy for the Basque government, including responsibility for relations with the Church, a point of contention with the central government.
The Catholic influence of the Carlists and Basque nationalists, the main promoters of the statute, contrasted with the secular nature of the Republic. This difference contributed to the central government’s rejection of the statute under President Alcalá Zamora and Prime Minister Manuel Azaña.
Articles 1, 15, and 16 are particularly significant:
- Article 1 defined the scope of the statute and the Basque Country’s political status, proposing statehood within Spain for the Basque provinces and Navarre, with each area also functioning as an autonomous entity.
- Article 15 outlined the powers of the Basque state, including justice, taxation, public safety, health, education, social legislation, welfare, public works, internal communications, and the establishment of relations with the Catholic Church through a Concordat.
- Article 16 stipulated equal treatment for the Basque and Castilian languages.
3. Context
The statute, drafted on June 14, 1931, and approved by a majority of Basque and Navarrese mayors, was rejected by the central government.
The rise of Basque nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly within Carlism, provided the backdrop for the statute. Carlist emphasis on tradition and privileges, coupled with their suppression by successive governments, fueled nationalist and anti-Spanish sentiment. The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), formed in 1895, initially advocated for independence under Sabino Arana but later shifted towards autonomy. Ramon de la Sota, a prominent industrialist, championed the autonomist approach, linking it to economic interests.
The proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic created a more democratic environment for pursuing a statute. The Basque Studies Society’s draft proposed extensive powers for the Basque government, including control over legal, fiscal, economic, and political matters, public safety (including police and military), education, public works, communications, and relations with the Holy See.
4. Conclusions
The statute, approved by a majority of mayors in Estella, primarily from the PNV (dominant in Vizcaya and Guipúzcoa) and the Carlist Party (dominant in Álava and Navarre), was ultimately rejected by the central government. The proposal for agreements with the Vatican was deemed unconstitutional, as relations with the Holy See were considered a prerogative of the central government.
A new draft, emphasizing a secular and republican character, was commissioned but not adopted until 1936. Drafted by Indalecio Prieto and approved during the Spanish Civil War, it was implemented for only about nine months in Vizcaya before being overtaken by Nationalist forces.