Spain’s Monarchy Decline and Primo de Rivera’s Dictatorship
The Decline of the Monarchy (1917-1923)
The years between the crisis of 1917 and the military coup of Primo de Rivera were marked by political instability, social unrest, and the deepening of the war in Morocco.
Governments of Concentration
Between 1917 and 1923, thirteen different governments were formed, highlighting the lack of parliamentary support for the ruling parties. The crisis of 1917 effectively ended the peaceful era, leading to the formation of successive governments of concentration (liberals, conservatives, and Catalan nationalists) that failed to stabilize the system.
Political instability was accompanied by significant social conflict. The unions saw increased membership: in 1919, the UGT had 211,000 members, and the CNT had around 700,000. In 1921, the most radical sectors of the PSOE created the Communist Party of Spain (PCE).
Social Unrest
Trade unions and radical leftist political groups intensified their positions and boosted labor mobilizations. In the Andalusian countryside, between 1918 and 1920 (the Bolshevik Triennium), laborers occupied and divided land, and strikes paralyzed crops.
The workers’ struggle was particularly intense among industrial workers, especially in Barcelona and its industrial area. The strike at the Canadian electric company in 1919 shut down industry and services in Catalonia for forty days.
In response, the government and employers hardened their stance, leading to a serious escalation of social violence. Employers’ organizations favored the creation of more docile unions (Free Trade Unions) and armed counter-revolutionary groups that terrorized and murdered labor leaders while violently suppressing strikes (gangsterism).
The Defeat of Annual
In 1921, at Annual (Protectorate of the Rif), the Spanish army suffered a resounding defeat, with over 12,000 soldiers killed. The leftist opposition called for an investigation into those responsible for the defeat (Picasso File).
To prevent the presentation of the report to Parliament, which accused some military leaders and even implicated the monarch, certain military sectors led a coup to seize power.
The Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1931)
In 1923, the Captain General of Catalonia, Miguel Primo de Rivera, with the consent of Alfonso XIII and the support of employers’ organizations and conservative political groups, staged a coup that established a military dictatorship based on Italian fascism.
The coup was justified on the grounds that the parliamentary and constitutional system was discredited and unable to ensure social order and curb the social revolution.
The new regime instituted a military dictatorship, suspended the constitution, dissolved parliament, and banned political parties and trade unions. It also removed all elected representatives (MPs, mayors, etc.) and established rigid censorship of the press.
The regime also abolished the Commonwealth of Catalonia and suppressed all public expressions of Catalan nationalism. There was also a major crackdown on intellectuals, academics, and leftist organizations.
The military dictatorship managed to stay in power due to a favorable economic situation, the positive international climate, and the end of the Moroccan conflict (Alhucemas landing, 1925). However, from 1929, the impact of the international economic crisis began to be felt, and opposition to the dictatorship increased significantly.
Lacking support, the dictator resigned in January 1930. Alfonso XIII then appointed General Berenguer as prime minister to prepare for elections and a return to constitutional legality.