Second Spanish Republic: Reforms in Military, Education, and Culture
Military Reforms of the Second Spanish Republic
One of the goals of the reformist biennium was to reinforce the authority of the Republican state against the army. The military reforms were encouraged by Manuel Azaña himself, who took over the Ministry of War while he was Prime Minister. He sought to reduce the huge number of professional officers by encouraging voluntary retirement, reorganizing the administration and military training, and modernizing the facilities of the military to civilian jurisdiction. In addition, staff sought to secure the loyalty of the military, forcing them to swear loyalty to the Republic. The reforms in the army did not please many soldiers, who were used to continuously influencing the country’s political life. However, much of the army, including the most modern branches like the navy and air force, remained faithful to the Republic.
Separation of Church and State
The government reforms of the first two years of the Second Republic were also intended to separate Church and State, depriving the deaths that were considered state. The creation of an independent secular state from the Church was done through the constitution and other measures, among which include:
- The Law of Religious Congregations (1933)
- The Divorce Act (1932)
- The secularization of cemeteries
Religious education was no longer compulsory in schools, and symbols like the crucifix were abolished.
Educational and Cultural Reforms
The educational and cultural policy of the Second Republic was marked by the influence of the Institución Libre de Enseñanza. This entity was linked to the socialist university professor Fernando de los Rios, Minister of Education since December 1931. Following the French model, they aimed to create a unified education system that was public, secular, and free (at least for primary education). Co-education of children, hitherto non-existent in religious centers, was also introduced.
Education was considered a right that the state should guarantee to all citizens to achieve equal opportunities. As the Church supported an education system that competed with the state, religious associations were prohibited from teaching. This was very difficult to implement, given the shortage of teachers and public schools. The center-right governments of the following period (1933-1936) discontinued this measure, as well as compulsory co-education, and religious centers remained open.
Although budgetary resources were insufficient, the Second Republic made a great effort in the training of teachers, school construction, and the provision of scholarships so that needy students with more skills could continue studying.
The balance of the Republican regime in education was dramatic when compared with previous periods. More than 13,000 teaching posts and a similar number of primary schools were created, as well as 31 institutes, which joined the existing 80. The educational training of teachers and the dissemination of books were also relevant, providing small communities with public, school, and municipal libraries.
Pedagogical Missions and Cultural Outreach
Cultural policy in the Second Republic was instrumentalized through pedagogical missions. These were made up of people who brought culture to the most neglected rural areas, promoting:
- Theatrical performances
- Choirs
- Mobile museums
- Cinemas
- Circulating libraries
- Dissemination of health and agricultural techniques
In addition, they distributed collections of books in schools and even lent books to villagers. Tania experiments were conducted to socialize culture in rural and working-class areas. University theater groups like La Barraca, promoted by Federico García Lorca, and El Búho, directed by Max Aub, also played a significant role.