Spain’s Political Crisis: Regeneration, Morocco, and Instability
Regeneration and Political Revisionism
The period starting with the ascent to the throne of Alfonso XIII and concluding with the establishment of the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera was characterized by an ongoing political crisis. Several factors explain this situation:
- Political interventionism of Alfonso XIII
- Division matches “turn”
- Weakening of the chieftaincy
- Development of political and social opposition to the regime since the Restoration in 1917
Thus, coalition governments were subject to alliances and continuous changes. In this context of political instability, the country had to face serious social problems:
- Worsening of social struggles
- Protests against the power of the Church, especially in education
- Consolidation of the nationalist movement in Catalonia and the Basque Country
- The “problem of Morocco”
The Algeciras Conference agreed between France and Spain sharing the Moroccan territory. A war started, the War in Morocco, very unpopular in the country. Antonio Maura, the leader of the Conservative Party, came to power with a reformist program, but the project collapsed.
The Crises of 1909 and 1917
The Tragic Week in Barcelona
Barcelona, the focus of Spanish industrialization, had experienced a great surge of workers’ mobilizations since the beginning of the century, which had culminated in the creation of Solidaridad Obrera. There was a strengthening of anti-clericalism and anti-militarism in the city. The government’s authoritarian policies under Maura did not help calm the spirits. However, it was the Moroccan War which determined the outbreak of the Tragic Week.
On July 26, a general strike broke out in Barcelona, called by Labour and Solidarity UGT. It began three days of protests, burning of convents, and clashes with the army. The Tragic Week had a brutal human cost and foreshadowed the end of Maura’s reform program. While the PSOE was getting Pablo Iglesias elected as deputy, José Canalejas held the last attempt at regeneration within the Restoration system. His reformist action brutally ended with his assassination by an anarchist in 1912.
The Crisis of 1917
The poor social sharing of the benefits of the economic boom and rising inflation led to a deep crisis in 1917. We can distinguish various aspects here:
- Military crisis: the creation of the Juntas
- Parliamentary crisis: a National Assembly of Parliamentarians was established in Barcelona
- Social crisis: the general strike of 1917
The general strike, however, brought immediate consequences. The social class struggle had become a major problem in the country.
The Social Crisis and Class Struggle in Barcelona
The application of the “Law of Leakage”, pure and simple execution without trial of detainees, further exacerbated the conflict. The anarchist answer was the assassination of Eduardo Dato, the prime minister. Two years later, Salvador Seguí, an anarchist leader, was killed.
The Colonial War in Morocco: The Annual Disaster
The disaster of ’98 put an end to Spanish imperialism. After the distribution of most of Africa, the territory of what is now Morocco was one of the few regions spread across the continent. This led to major international tensions. The powers met at the Algeciras Conference in 1906 and agreed to distribute Morocco between France, which received most of the territory, and Spain. France and Spain agreed on a new distribution of Morocco. At the end of World War I, operations resumed against the rebels led by Abd-el-Krim. General Berenguer, in charge of an ill-prepared and equipped army, highlighted the Regulars and the Legion, founded by Franco. The Annual Disaster cost more than thirteen thousand lives, including General Fernández Silvestre. On September 13, General Miguel Primo de Rivera led a coup and established a military dictatorship.