Primo de Rivera’s Dictatorship: Causes, Policies, and Fall (1923-1930)

Posted on Jan 29, 2025 in History

Primo de Rivera (1923-1930)

1. Causes of the Military Coup (1917-23)

  • Economic crisis impacted mining, steel, and textiles, leading to layoffs and social unrest.
  • Catalan industrialists and Andalusian landowners initially supported Primo due to tariffs.
  • The Annual disaster in Morocco (1921) and the Picasso Dossier (1922) caused outrage among the military.

2. The Coup and its Establishment

  • On September 13, 1923, Primo de Rivera, Captain General of Catalonia, declared a state of war, seizing power.
  • King Alfonso XIII accepted the resignation of the government, passing power to Primo.
  • Primo’s manifesto aimed to eliminate Spain’s “evils,” but the coup became a new political system.
  • The army ended fifty years of constitutional government, establishing a dictatorship.
  • The dictatorship’s ideology shifted from a “surgical action” to a populist approach.

3. Reorganization of the State

  • A Military Directory was formed.
  • Administrative reforms and the development of City and Provincial Charters occurred in 1924-1925.
  • Morocco was a central concern until 1925.
  • Initial repression reduced strikes, forcing the CNT underground.

4. Economic Policy

Focus on agriculture, industry, energy, and public works.

5. The Civil Board

In December 1925, the Council of Ministers was reinstated as the Civil Board, a mix of civil and military personnel. Calvo Sotelo, Aunos, and Guadalhorce joined the government.

6. Opposition to the Regime

  • Republicans remained disunited (Lerroux, Blasco Ibáñez).
  • A new republicanism emerged, led by Manuel Azaña.
  • Intellectuals like Miguel de Unamuno and Ortega y Gasset opposed the dictatorship.
  • Coordinated military opposition began in 1926 with the Sanjuanada coup attempt.
  • The artillery corps was a major source of military opposition and was eventually dissolved.
  • The General Military Academy was created in 1927, headed by Francisco Franco.

7. The End of the Dictatorship

  • The regime was eroded by its own arbitrariness and increasing repression.
  • The Consultative Assembly yielded disappointing results.
  • The economic situation deteriorated, and Calvo Sotelo failed to stabilize the peseta.
  • Primo resigned on January 28, 1930, after a consultation with military commanders.
  • Primo left for Paris, where he died suddenly.
  • The situation remained difficult, especially for the King.

PRIMO DE RIVERA (1923-1930)