Spain’s Progressive Biennium Reforms 1932-1933

Posted on Mar 31, 2025 in History

Progressive-Reformist Biennium (1932-1933)

During this biennium, a progressive policy of reforms was initiated to address the serious problems affecting Spain:

Military Reform

  • Professionalization and democratization of the army (reducing divisions).
  • Azaña Law (Law of Retirement of the Officer Corps): Allowed officers early retirement with full pay.
  • Suppression of the Captaincies General.
  • Creation of the Assault Guard (Guardia de Asalto), a police force loyal to the Republic.
  • Subjection of military jurisdiction to civil power.
  • Opposition: Many military personnel opposed these reforms, leading to conspiracies (e.g., General Sanjurjo’s failed coup attempt in 1932).

Religious Reform

  • Secularization of education (removing religious instruction).
  • Dissolution of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and confiscation of their property.
  • Authorization of civil marriage and divorce.
  • Law of Congregations (1933): Limited the activities and property ownership of religious orders, including taxing church activities.
  • Opposition: These reforms provoked strong opposition from the Catholic Church, leading to anti-republican campaigns and counter anti-clerical campaigns from the left.

Land Reform

  • Goal: Eliminate large landed estates (latifundismo) and create a class of small peasant landowners.
  • Method: Expropriation of poorly cultivated estates. Creation of the Institute of Agrarian Reform (IRA) to distribute land to peasant communities.
  • Results: The reform faced strong opposition from large landowners. Its implementation was slow and ineffective, causing disappointment among landless peasants.
  • Opposition:
    • Right: Landowners strongly resisted.
    • Left: Increased rural unrest, strikes, and radicalization of unions due to the slow pace of reform, leading to social conflict (riots, demonstrations, repression, uprisings).

The resulting social chaos contributed to the resignation of President Niceto Alcalá-Zamora and Prime Minister Manuel Azaña, leading to new elections in 1933.

State Structure Reform

  • The 1931 Constitution allowed regions to seek autonomy.
  • Statutes of Autonomy were pursued:
    • Catalonia: Statute of Núria (approved 1932 after modifications).
    • Basque Country: Statute of Estella (drafted 1931, approved 1936).
  • Goal: Move towards a decentralized state.
  • Opposition: The Catalan statute faced cuts, and the concept of regional autonomy was rejected by conservative and military sectors (including parties like Renovación Española and the CEDA).

Social and Labour Reform

  • Led by Minister of Labour, Francisco Largo Caballero.
  • Law of Labour Contracts: Regulated working conditions.
  • Law of Mixed Juries: Established boards to resolve labour disputes.
  • Creation of unemployment insurance.
  • Reduction of the working day (in some sectors).
  • Strengthening of trade unions.
  • Opposition: These reforms faced strong opposition from employers.

Cultural and Educational Reform

  • Goal: Reduce illiteracy, especially in rural areas, and end the Church’s dominance in education.
  • Principles: Education to be mixed-gender, compulsory, free, and secular.
  • Actions:
    • Increased education budget by 50%.
    • Creation of 10,000 new schools and 7,000 new teaching positions.
    • Establishment of Pedagogical Missions (Misiones Pedagógicas) to spread culture (traveling libraries, theatre, concerts, museums) and promote democratic values (conferences, talks) in rural areas.
  • Opposition: Faced rejection from the Church and conservative sectors.