Second Spanish Republic: Political Stages and Reforms
The Second Spanish Republic
II Republic. After Alfonso XII’s confidence in Primo de Rivera waned, the latter resigned. The governments of Berenguer and Aznar followed, with elections held in February. These municipal elections did not significantly affect the monarchy. On April 12, elections saw a high turnout, with a Republican-Socialist victory. On April 14, the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed, and Alfonso XII went into exile. The Pact of San Sebastian formed a provisional government, representing a range of political views, including Republicans, Socialists, Monarchists, Communists, Anarchists, and Basque Nationalists.
Elections for a Constituent Assembly were convened to adopt urgent measures, facing rejection from large landowners, the financial oligarchy, part of the Church, and the army. The general elections of June 28 resulted in another Republican-Socialist victory. Alcalá Zamora was named head of government, and the Constitution of 1931 was drafted, considered the most democratic and progressive of its time, based on freedom of expression. It was approved by a majority but caused disagreement between the right and left. The religious articles led to Alcalá Zamora’s resignation, replaced by Manuel Azaña.
There was significant political activity in the following years. On the left, the Radical-Socialists, Republican Action, Esquerra Republicana, PSOE, UGT led by Largo Caballero, PCE, and the anarchist federation CNT stood out. On the right, the Radical Party led by Lerroux, the Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Rights (CEDA), the Regionalist League, PNV, Spanish Renewal led by Calvo Sotelo, Las JONS, and the Spanish Phalanx led by Primo de Rivera were prominent.
Political Stages of the Republic
There were distinct stages of government. The first was the left biennium, which began a series of reforms. Among the most important was the limitation of the Church’s influence, separating it from society, barring religious orders from teaching, and limiting the possession of their assets. This hindered modernization and provoked anger from Africanists, who saw it as a threat to military tradition and the army’s power. In agriculture, the most important reform aimed to eliminate large estates in central and southern Spain to improve the lives of peasants. Decrees were introduced to protect poor farmers and increase the minimum wage.
The real reform was the agrarian reform law, intended to modernize agriculture. It permitted the expropriation of property without compensation. This law was implemented by the agrarian reform institute, which had a budget for compensating expropriated owners. In education, secular education was promoted, establishing schools and teacher training centers. Teachers’ salaries were increased, religious education was reduced, and a mixed, secular, compulsory, and free education model was adopted. Largo Caballero initiated reforms in labor conditions, passing the Employment Contracts Act, setting working hours, and increasing salaries.
The Conservative Biennium and the Road to Civil War
The second stage was the conservative biennium. In the 1933 elections, the left was disunited, while the right won. The new government, headed by Lerroux, halted agrarian reform, leading to peasant strikes. As a consequence, the PSOE became radicalized, with Largo Caballero and Indalecio Prieto defending the need to stabilize the republic. The Popular Front won a majority in major cities and industrial zones. The new government was formed entirely by Republicans, with Socialists and others offering parliamentary support. Manuel Azaña was named president, and Casares Quiroga became prime minister.
On the election night, Franco declared a state of war. In March, a group of generals agreed to plot an uprising, but it had little support until Mola took over, giving the coup strong momentum in July 1936. The conspiracy had the support of the Nazis, and the murder of the royalist Calvo Sotelo by leftists accelerated the plan. The uprising started in Morocco on July 17, giving rise to the Civil War.