Spain’s Restoration Period: Politics and Society (1876-1890)
The Spanish Restoration (1876-1890): Politics and Key Events
The Carlist Wars were neutralized, leading to the removal of Basque privileges and institutions (1876). However, the Basque Country retained fiscal autonomy through the Economic Agreement (1878). The end of the war in Cuba was followed by another conflict in 1895, resulting in the island’s independence and war with the United States.
Key Features of the 1876 Constitution
A new constitution, inspired by the 1845 version, was introduced in 1876. Its main principles were:
- A centralist model of state with shared sovereignty between the King and the Courts.
- Catholicism as the state religion.
- Distribution of powers, with the King holding hegemonic power over the Parliament.
- A bicameral system for the Courts. Congress was elected based on census suffrage (and from 1890, universal male suffrage).
The *Turnismo* System
Two main political forces accepted the rules and alternated in power:
- The Conservative Party: Initially led by Cánovas del Castillo (until 1897) and later by Francisco Silvela, representing the moderate right.
- The Liberal Party: Founded in 1880 and headed by Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, representing the liberal left. Sagasta accepted the 1876 Constitution and attracted disenchanted conservatives, former Democrats, and progressives.
The monarch refereed this *turnismo* system. The King appointed the candidate for President of the Government, who needed a solid majority in the Courts to govern. This process was the reverse of a genuine mass democracy.
The power shifts began in 1881 when the King called Sagasta to rule. After the untimely death of Alfonso XII in 1885, his wife, Maria Christina of Austria, pregnant with Alfonso XIII, assumed the regency. Cánovas and Sagasta agreed to cede power during the early years of the regency (Pact of Pardo).
*Caciquismo* and Electoral Manipulation
Caciquismo (chieftaincy) was a system to ensure election victories. Each political group relied on the manipulation of elections. This fraud allowed the King to claim popular support for his decisions.
System Operation
Each party was formed by a network of personal relationships and political clients, exchanging support for favors. Fraudulent practices, known as *pucherazo*, were common. Politicians who carried out the fraud, called *caciques*, held parallel power to the state. This system was more effective in rural, apolitical, and demoralized areas.
Governmental Measures and Social Reforms
During the Long Parliament (1885-1890), Sagasta’s Liberal Party approved liberalizing rules, attempting to introduce individual rights from the 1869 Constitution. The UGT (General Union of Workers) was founded. Key laws included the Jury Law (1888), the Civil Code (1889), and universal male suffrage (1890). The Liberals also established the Social Reforms Commission in 1883 to address social problems.
Opposition and Emerging Movements
The Restoration benefited from the weakness of the opposition. However, new groups emerged:
- Carlists: On the right, divided into those who rejected the system (fundamentalists led by Ramón Nocedal) and those who formed a political party to fight within it.
- Republicans: On the left, weakened after the chaotic experience of 1873.
- Worker’s Movement: With a strong tendency towards anarchism and socialism.
- Regionalism and Nationalism: Moderate or radical movements, notably in the Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia, and Valencia. These nationalisms were driven by factors such as taking advantage of the weakness of centralist patriotic sentiment.