Primo de Rivera’s Dictatorship (1923-1930)

On September 13, 1923, General Primo de Rivera led a coup and seized power backed by the army, the bourgeoisie and the consent of Alfonso XIII. In fact, the system of the Restoration, under the Constitution of 1876, had come from the year 1917 in a crisis would not recover:

• In 1917 there was a crisis that coincided three movements: the military with the creation of a joint defense (partnerships that the Government refused to recognize), the politician with the convening of a parliamentary assembly in Barcelona, ​​claiming an new constitution and the union to call a general strike. Recognition Meetings

Military finally allowed the government to control the situation.

• Between 1919 and 1923 there was an eruption of social violence by decreasing the standard of living of workers and economic crisis. The numerous strikes were answered by the free trade union organizing patterns that weapons used against labor leaders. This led to an escalation of violence.

• In 1921 occurred the defeat of Annual (Morocco), killing about 10,000 soldiers, who shocked the nation and to the suspicion of corruption and ineptitude of the military command created a committee to establish responsibilities.

In this atmosphere of social crisis, peripheral nationalism, republicanism and the labor movement grew among the public, which explains why the powers that be begin to contemplate the military dictatorship as a solution to the crisis in the country. Miguel Primo de Rivera, Captain General of Catalonia, led a coup on September 13, 1923. Declared a state of war, suspended the Constitution and dissolved the Parliament without much resistance.

Once in power, the dictator
Primo de Rivera was established in single minister, becoming the advice of a Military Board. The former dictator’s actions were the repeal of the constitution, banning political parties and unions, to dismiss the elected and to introduce press censorship. Peripheral nationalisms also outlawed and thus banned the flag and anthem Catalan Catalan and restricted to private use.

The policy followed a repressive dictatorship to restore order, which focused on the anarchist union CNT, the press and intellectuals. At the time, was ready to solve the problem of Morocco, which got to the alliance of France: in 1925 there was the Spanish-French landing in Al Hoceima and in 1927 ended the War of Morocco Moroccan control of the territory assigned to Spain in Algeciras Conference (1905). Due to its popularity Primo de Rivera launched a policy of institutionalization of the dictatorship, whose first step was the foundation of the Patriotic Union, a party whose sole purpose was to support the dictator.

In late 1925, Primo de Rivera appointed a new directory that included some civilians, which was started the Civil Directory. The new government continued the policy of giving the dictatorship of enduring institutions and sought inspiration in the Italian fascist model. In 1927 an election called by restricted suffrage to elect a National Consultative Assembly to draft a new constitution, but failed in the face of general indifference.


The years of dictatorship were, overall, economic growth because it coincided with the general economic prosperity of the twenties. In general, the dictatorship’s economic policy followed a nationalist and building public works.

• Nationalism is characterized by traditional protectionist policies affecting imports through tariffs. This practice added the creation of various state monopolies such as Camps, who had the exclusive importation and distribution of petroleum refining, Telefónica and Tabacalera.

• The public works policy of the dictatorship was manifested in the construction of roads, expansion of the railway system and a hydraulic plan that sought to increase irrigation and electrification. All of these works aimed at improving the country’s infrastructure, but also created many jobs. However, he also was responsible for the borrowing of the State Treasury.

On the social side, the dictatorship created joint committees, arbitration panels consisting of entrepreneurs, workers and ministerial representatives to resolve labor disputes.

To make the system work, the dictator drew the participation of the UGT and the Free Trade Unions (sponsored by the right and the church), but are marginalized and persecuted the CNT.

The dictatorship had little opposition at first. In spite of this, censored the press, banned political parties and trade unions and many politicians and intellectuals faced being repressed, as is the case of Miguel de Unamuno who banished. This ended up swelling the ranks of the opposition ranged from the university until some politicians monarchists. In 1928, with the dictator gravely ill, rose plots, demonstrations and social unrest Republican. In 1929, the economic crisis and the end of prosperity deepened the crisis of the dictatorship. In January 1930, the dictator resigned and fled into exile in Paris, where he died shortly afterwards.