Spain: From Regeneration to the Second Republic (1902-1936)

Posted on Oct 20, 2024 in History

Internal Regeneration Attempts (1902-1914)

The Policy Review and its Failure

– Espiritu regeneracionalista – revisionism system channel failures. – Alfonso XIII: shared military sovereignty spirit.

Maura (Conservative, 1902)

“Revolution from above” – labor legislation: accident protection, work conditions for women and children, Sunday rest laws, creation (1908) of the National Institute of Insurance (insurance, retirement, subsidies…), electoral law reform: elimination of fraud.

Canalejas (Liberal, 1910)

Social Laws (9-hour workdays, regulation of women’s work, abolition of consumer taxes), recruitment laws -> compulsory military service -> shared (1912), less military influence, Tragic Week (1912) -> order reforms.

Bipartisan Crisis and Turnism

Parties denote, not mass. Maura and less size of political influence. Internal struggles within parties. Maura breaks the pact in 1912 -> Liberals inclined to the left.

The Question of Morocco

Distribution of Africa (Morocco, Spanish colonial goal), Algeciras Conference (1906) -> Spain gains rights in North Africa. Maura’s military occupation (1909). Interest: recover prestige after the 1898 crisis, not to leave France as the only power, maintaining strategic balance in the Strait, ensuring control of Ceuta and Melilla.

The Tragic Week of Barcelona (1909)

Moroccan issue (popular discontent with the quota system, desire for military prestige, Rif mines for capitalists). Mobilization of Catalan reservists and discontent with living conditions -> general strike, anarchists proclaiming a socialist state of war, suppression (fire, barricades, churches…), 1000 arrests, 17 death sentences (Ferrer Guardia). Maura’s resignation. In 1910, the CNT (anarchist) is founded -> general strike, and the UGT (socialist).

Opposition to the Regime

Republicans (Social Justice, Education, Anticlericalism)

  • Radical Party of Lerroux (autonomist, socialist demagoguery)
  • Reformist Party (Melquiades Alvarez): moderate Republican, culture and education
  • PSOE (participating in parliament, Republican-Socialist coalition)

Nationalism

  • Catalonia: Regionalist League (conservative autonomist), Catalan Solidarity (Catalan rights), Catalan Left (mass, radical nationalist)
  • Basque Country: PNV (Sabino Arana, ultra-conservative), Bilbao bourgeoisie, modernization, independence -> broad social base
  • Galicia: promotion of culture and language, Galician Regionalist Party -> poor implementation

Political System Collapse (1914-1920)

Spain and World War I

– Neutral – Supporters of the Allies (intellectuals, liberals): France, England, democracy – Germanophiles (right): Germany, Austria-Hungary -> authoritative order

Economic Euphoria

Spectacular economic growth due to external demand (inflation and product shortages). Corporate profits (no wage increases, rising prices, working class poverty).

Social Crisis and Military Discontent (1917)

Military Defense Boards Rebellion

Assembly of infantry officers (1916) -> defense of interests (generals or NCOs) (promotion based on merit, salaries, no promotion ladder tests) – Romanones’ resignation, arrest of leaders in Catalonia (manifesto of the boards, rebellion) – Alfonso XIII supports military power against civilian power.

Parliamentary Assembly

Regionalist League in Catalonia -> assembly (end of the system, radical Catalan autonomy status) – Parliamentary Assembly (Catalan Republican Socialist): lack of support for joint defense, disagreements over the social revolution, Cambo enters the government, Lliga’s extinction.

General Strike (1917)

– UGT and CNT strike against the regime. Valencia – Railway (Madrid, Barcelona, Asturias, Vizcaya, Zaragoza, rural Andalusia does not participate). Energetic response: 70 dead in the streets, 2000 arrested, death sentences. Moderates in the UGT -> no revolution.

Governments of Concentration (Inability for Internal Renewal)

– Dismantling of movements, but the system is wounded. – Governments of concentration: President Dato or Liberals, ministers from all parties except socialists and Republicans. “Decomposition” of old parties, splits – the system does not integrate new social forces – the king, supported by the military, refuses to open up.

Social Unrest

– Neutrality -> profiteering -> negotiation, increased labor affiliation. – Post-war crisis – hard-line patterns towards unions, dictatorship (myth of the Russian Revolution of 1917) – Dato government: 8-hour workday, Ministry of Labor creation (1920) – Andalusia (1918-1920): misery of laborers, cost of living. Farm invasions, strikes, land distribution – creation of councils (state of war and repression) – Anarchist-syndicalism majority in Catalonia – violence, strikes, sabotage. Business lockout. Gangsterism, Law of Fugitives (civil and military authority).

Division of Socialism

– 1919: III International (Communist) – 1920: Socialist Youth -> PCE (Spanish Communist Party): rejection of parliamentary socialism, party discipline, subordination to the USSR – CNT and PSOE do not adhere. PSOE minority.

Military Failure in Morocco

Protectorate of Morocco. Convention. – Rif area (poor communications, mountainous terrain, only iron mines, rebellious population), Africanist armies <-> Juntista Army (old, outdated war). – July 1921: General Silvestre’s errors – Annual defeat (1300 deaths in Melilla). Criticism from the opposition, Picasso Report -> Primo de Rivera’s coup.

Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1930)

Captain General of Catalonia: Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja -> coup d’état (telephone scam). Alfonso XIII does not oppose the coup – Military Directory.

Causes of the Military Coup

– Crisis of the system – political instability. – Political failure in Morocco – Annual. – Alfonso XIII’s “support” to defend the monarchy; army to restore public order, Catalan businessmen to end anarchists; passivity of socialists and anarchists.

Military Directory

– Temporary solution, not fascism -> suspension of the constitution, less politics and more management – Restoration of Law and Order: State of war for 2 years, prohibition of associations, meetings, censorship; persecution of anarchists -> underground. – End of the Moroccan War: Military (Africanists and Foreign Legion) – Abd el-Krim attacks the French (1925); Alhucemas landing (Spanish-French attack, end of the rebellion) – end of the war 2 years later -> prestige for Primo de Rivera… and the Africanists.

Civil Directory

End of the Monarchy (1930-1931)

Alfonso XIII wants to restore the parliamentary system. Berenguer government failures. Pact of San Sebastian -> union of the opposition (Republicans, Catalan and Galician nationalists) – Municipal elections of 1931: Monarchy defeated in cities, Republican-Socialist coalition wins in 41. Alfonso XIII abdicates -> leaves Spain -> proclamation of the Second Republic.

The Spanish Second Republic

Effects of the Crisis

New York Stock Market Crash (1929) -> little impact in Spain (isolation, tariffs) – 1933: critical years -> dependence on developed countries, consequences: contraction of foreign trade, collapse of foreign investment, modification of migration, internal uncertainty (boycotts, radicalization) – agricultural overproduction, falling prices. Fall of steel and mining.

The Reformist Biennium (1931-1933)

– Republic proclaimed on April 11. Provisional government of Alcalá-Zamora (right-wing Republicans, left-wing Republicans, Galicians).

Initial Problems

  • Proclamation of the Catalan Republic by Macià (Esquerra Republicana) – autonomous solution
  • Church hierarchy (Cardinal Segura -> anticlericalism) – anticlerical vandalism (assault on the ABC newspaper, attacks on convents in Madrid, fires)

June 1931 Elections

  • 70% participation. Left-wing parties: 279 seats, center-right: 160. PSOE: 116, Lerroux’s Radical Party: 90. Constituent Assembly.

Republican Constitution (1931)

  • Democratic and advanced. (Democratic Republic of Workers) -> transformation of society.
  • Declaration of rights / regional autonomy.
  • Private economy subordinated to national interests.
  • Single chamber -> great power / universal suffrage (women) / non-secular state and republican socialist education -> Niceto Alcalá-Zamora becomes President.

Religious Policy

  • Separation of Church and State (no payment to the clergy)
  • Dissolution of the Society of Jesus
  • Ban on religious orders teaching
  • Recognition of civil marriage and divorce

Education and Cultural Policies

  • Strengthening of primary education: 10,000 schools, 7,000 teachers, religious freedom, no obligation for religion classes, educational missions -> culture to the rural world (cinema, music, libraries…)

Autonomous Policy

  • Statute of Catalonia: Approved by parliament, government, president and parliament -> Generalitat, powers -> culture, public order, public works (military suspicion), Esquerra Republicana -> presidency, majority in parliament.
  • Basque Country: Nationalist and Carlist traditionalist draft statute (rejected by the left)

Army Reform

  • Led by Azaña, not by the monarchist military.
  • Retirement of related captains general; voluntary move to the reserve with full salary (7000).
  • Suppression of courts of honor, Supreme Council of Military Justice.
  • Creation of the Assault Guard -> Public Order.

Agrarian Reform

Agrarian Spain – 50% of the population are peasants (laborers); latifundismo in the south -> misery, unemployment -> social violence.

Action

  • Tenant farmers cannot be evicted at the end of their contracts.
  • 8-hour workday for farmers.
  • Obligation to hire day laborers in the area, continuation of customs and practices -> control (to prevent boycotts by landowners).
  • Law of Agrarian Reform -> peasant frustration (delay in approval).
  • Institute of Land Reform, expropriation, compensation; failure: few expropriations by 1933 -> anarchism -> squatting.

The Opposition Forces

  • Anarchists: FAI (branch of the CNT), Casas Viejas -> repression.
  • Army: military conspiracy -> General Sanjurjo (closure of ABC, involved in expropriations).
  • The Church, Cardinal Segura, the oligarchy.
  • Right-wing political parties: CEDA (Gil Robles, Catholic middle class, bourgeoisie), monarchists, anti-republicans (Traditionalist Carlist Party, Spanish Renovation, Calvo Sotelo), totalitarian Spanish Falange (José Antonio Primo de Rivera, extreme right, violence, gangsterism).

CEDA and the Radical Turn (1933-1936)

Elections (November 1933)

  • Resignation of Azaña (Casas Viejas, prestige…).
  • Anarchist abstention, socialists separated from left-wing Republicans.
  • Women vote for the first time.
  • Victory of the CEDA (115) + Lerroux’s Radicals (102).
  • Anarchist reaction (Aragon, Logroño, Cordoba, Badajoz, Barcelona).

Conservative Policy

(Restoration: Lerroux government until 1934; amnesty law, release of enemies of the Republic (Sanjurjo), against agrarian reform, constitutional reform project (1935) (private religious education, regional autonomy, civil marriage).

Revolution in Asturias

Popular Revolution – Gil Robles = Mussolini and Hitler (uncertainty); CEDA government -> UGT general strike; failed revolution: only victory in Asturias, Barcelona, Madrid, Vizcaya – Barcelona -> Catalan Federal State Republic -> suspension of autonomy – Asturias: worker alliance (Socialists + anarchists). Socialist revolution in the workers’ councils -> Moroccan troops, General Franco. Suppression, 30000 arrests, death sentences.

Political Polarization

After the Asturian Revolution; Calvo Sotelo founds the National Bloc -> enforce the law with the help of the army; Spanish Military Union (Sanjurjo and others) -> end the Republic, Popular Front against European fascism, left-wing parties -> Communist International.

Scandals and Crisis

Sinking of Lerroux’s political party -> scandals (black market, economic corruption) -> new elections.