Catalonia’s Statute of Autonomy of 1932: History & Politics
The Generalitat’s Formation and Catalonia’s Statute (1931)
The Generalitat’s formation and the status of the Order’s constitution in 1931 provided a legal framework for the development of Statutes of Autonomy. Self-governing governments and parliaments emerged in communities such as Catalonia, Euskadi, and Galicia.
In Catalonia, the victory of the nationalist and republican coalition, *Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya* (Left Republican Party of Catalonia), accelerated this process. The 1931 elections resulted in a significant shift in Catalonia’s political and social landscape, with a large number of Republican councilors elected. This demonstrated substantial support for leftist republicanism.
On April 14, Lluís Companys proclaimed the Spanish Republic. A few hours later, Francesc Macià proclaimed the Catalan Republic, assuming sovereignty in Catalonia. However, after negotiations with the Spanish government, the Catalan state was deproclaimed. This led to the creation of a provisional government composed of leftist, Republican, and Catalan nationalist parties, known as the *Govern de la Generalitat* (Government of Catalonia). This government prepared a Statute of Autonomy.
The Statute of Núria (1931)
The Statute of Autonomy was adopted after the Nuria meeting on June 20, 1931, and received widespread popular support. The Statute of Núria envisioned Catalonia as an autonomous state within the Spanish Republic. It declared Catalan the official language of Catalonia, established the Generalitat’s authority, and allowed for the possibility of a federation of Catalan-speaking regions. The Generalitat was granted powers over direct taxation, education, culture, and the police force. It was an ambitious statute, supported by the majority of Catalan political forces.
The Statute of Autonomy in 1932
In late June 1931, general elections were held for the Spanish Constituent Cortes. In Catalonia, *Esquerra Republicana* achieved a major victory. Francesc Macià presented the Statute to the Cortes in Madrid on August 18 for discussion and approval.
In Catalonia, some sectors opposed the Catalan claims, organizing rallies, demonstrations, boycotts of Catalan products, and manifestos. Discussions in the Cortes began in May 1932, with three main positions:
- Catalan representatives demanding broad regional autonomy.
- Opposition advocating for a unitary state.
- The head of government (Manuel Azaña), whose position was positively influenced by a right-wing coup attempt led by General Sanjurjo in August 1932.
The Cortes approved the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia on September 9, 1932. The final text showed differences from the Statute of Núria:
- Catalonia was defined as an autonomous region within the Spanish state.
- Both Castilian (Spanish) and Catalan were declared official languages.
- Full competency was granted regarding Catalan civil law.
- The Court of Cassation of Catalonia was created (separate from the Statement of Policy).
Political Forces in Catalonia
Major Catalan political forces included:
- Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC): Led by Francesc Macià and Lluís Companys, representing the petite bourgeoisie, the proletariat, and the middle class.
- Lliga Regionalista (Regionalist League): Supported by agricultural industrialists. In 1933, it became the *Lliga Catalana* (Catalan League).
- Marxism in Catalonia: A fragmented movement including the *Unió Socialista de Catalunya* (Socialist Union of Catalonia), PSOE, *Bloc Obrer i Camperol* (Workers and Peasants’ Bloc), *Esquerra Comunista* (Communist Left), *Partit Català Proletari* (Proletarian Catalan Party), and *Partit Comunista de Catalunya* (Communist Party of Catalonia).
- Labor Movement: The CNT, *Bloc Obrer i Camperol*, and the POUM would later form the PSUC (Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia).
The Republican Government’s Work
The adoption of the Statute marked the end of the Provisional Government. The first step was the announcement of elections for the Parliament of Catalonia (November 29, 1932). *Esquerra Republicana* won decisively. Lluís Companys became President of the Parliament, and Francesc Macià became President of the Generalitat until his death on December 25, 1933.
The first actions of the Generalitat focused on:
- Statistics: Statistical Services, Institute of Economic Research.
- Finance: Savings Banks.
- Agriculture: Creation of cooperatives.
- Social Welfare: Support services.
Education and Culture
In the field of education and culture, the government established schools, introduced coeducation, organized summer camps, created public libraries and museums, and promoted pedagogical renewal movements. To normalize the Catalan language, a dictionary of the Catalan language by Pompeu Fabra was published, bilingualism was established in primary schools, and Catalan was introduced at all levels of education.