Spain’s Canovist System: Restoration Politics & 1876 Constitution

Posted on Mar 31, 2025 in History

The Canovist System: Political Restoration

Cánovas del Castillo was a pragmatic, liberal-conservative politician who designed a political system intended to secure the Bourbon throne and prevent power struggles among liberal factions. The Canovist system was based on two fundamental principles:

  • The Crown, representing tradition and authority, guaranteeing social order, continuity, and stability.
  • The Cortes (Parliament) and liberty, representing the popular will.

Core Principles and Mechanisms

To ensure stability, Cánovas advocated for:

  • A doctrinaire constitutional monarchy as the form of state and government.
  • Dual confidence: The President of the Government required the confidence of both the King and the Cortes to govern effectively.
  • The establishment of the “turno pacífico” (peaceful turnover): A system of agreed-upon alternation in power between the two main liberal parties: the Conservative Party (led by Cánovas) and the Liberal Party (led by Sagasta).
  • The necessity of parliamentary majorities to govern. If majorities could not be achieved legally, they were often manufactured through the manipulation of election results (electoral fraud) and the influence of local landowners (caciquismo).
  • A degree of compromise regarding freedoms and rights, often adjusted based on the governing party.

Historical Context (1875-1923)

This set of principles and characteristics constitutes what is known as the Canovist system, which structured the political regime of the Restoration. It remained in force between 1875 and 1923, spanning the following reigns:

  • Alfonso XII
  • Regency of Maria Cristina (during the minority of her son, Alfonso XIII)
  • Alfonso XIII (majority rule until the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera)

Reign of Alfonso XII & Regency of Maria Cristina

During this period, the Canovist system operated without major difficulties. The turno pacífico functioned regularly, with peaceful shifts between the Conservative Party led by Antonio Cánovas and the Liberal Party led by Práxedes Mateo Sagasta. The framework for this system was the Constitution of 1876.

The Constitution of 1876

Alfonso XII appointed Cánovas as head of government. Cánovas convened Constituent Cortes to draft the new Constitution that would regulate the Restoration system. The Conservative Party won the elections, aided by electoral fraud. The Cortes approved the new Constitution of 1876, which featured:

Key Constitutional Features
  • Political System: Doctrinaire Constitutional Monarchy.
  • Ideology: Conservative.
  • Sovereignty: Shared between the King and the Cortes. Suffrage was regulated by subsequent laws.
  • Division of Powers:
    • Executive: Held by the President of the Government (appointed by the King) and the ministers.
    • Legislative: Shared between the King and the bicameral Cortes.
    • Judicial: Exercised by the Courts of Justice.
  • State Confessionality:
    • The State was officially Catholic.
    • Freedom of conscience and private worship were recognized.
  • Rights and Liberties: Recognized rights such as suffrage, freedom of the press, and association in general terms. Specific implementation required further laws, allowing for more restrictive or liberal interpretations depending on the government in power.
Monarch’s Powers

The monarch held significant powers:

  • Shared sovereignty with the Cortes.
  • Appointed the government without requiring parliamentary approval.
  • Sanctioned and promulgated laws.
  • Had the power to suspend or dissolve the Cortes.
  • Held supreme command of the armed forces and directed international politics.
The Cortes (Parliament)
  • Bicameral Structure:
    • Congress of Deputies: Members elected by suffrage (the type varied over time).
    • Senate: Composed of senators from different origins (by right, appointed by the King, elected by corporations).
  • Shared legislative initiative with the King.
  • Did not explicitly detail functions for controlling the government.
State Model: Unitary and Centralist

This centralist model led to:

  • The abolition of Basque privileges (fueros) by decree in 1876. Two years later, the government established specific economic agreements (conciertos económicos), setting a quota for tax collection.
  • Government control over local councils: Mayors of provincial capitals and major cities were appointed by the central government.