Spain’s Second Republic: A Tumultuous Journey (1931-1936)
The Second Spanish Republic
Proclamation of the Republic, the Constitution of 1931, and the Reformist Biennium
On April 12, 1931, municipal elections were held in Spain. On April 14, councilors proclaimed the Republic. King Alfonso XIII left the country and went into exile. Representatives of the Pact of San Sebastian formed a provisional government and officially proclaimed the Second Spanish Republic. The provisional government convened a Constituent Assembly election and enacted urgent measures, including a general amnesty for political prisoners and decrees for army and agrarian reform.
The Constitution of 1931
Adopted in December 1931, the Constitution defined Spain as a democratic republic of workers, a single state with regional autonomy. Unicameral Courts were elected by universal suffrage (including women’s suffrage for the first time). The state was declared secular, separating church and state. Executive power was vested in the Council of Ministers and the President, legislative power in the Courts, and judicial power in independent judges.
The Reformist Biennium (1931-1933)
Chaired by Azaña, with a socialist-Republican majority, this period favored the reform program. Manuel Azaña’s army reform aimed to create a professional and democratic army, but had limited results and was met with resistance from some sectors. The religious question aimed to limit the Church’s influence and secularize society, leading to the prohibition of religious orders from teaching. The land reform aimed to end landlordism and improve farmers’ living conditions, allowing expropriation of land with or without compensation depending on its use. This led to increased social tension between landowners and farmers.
Catalonia was granted the Statute of Autonomy in 1932, establishing an autonomous government (the Generalitat) with competence in culture, public works, and public order. Francesc Macià was elected president. The Basque Country’s draft statute was rejected, delaying autonomy until after the Civil War.
Social reforms, led by Francisco Largo Caballero, included the Employment Contracts Act, the Jurados Act, a 40-hour workweek, wage increases, and social insurance. These measures irritated employers’ organizations. Educational reform promoted liberal and secular education, making the state the guarantor of education for all. Cultural campaigns aimed to improve the population’s cultural level.
The Radical-CEDA Biennium (1933-1936)
General elections on November 18, 1933 (the first with women voting) saw high abstention and a victory for center-right parties. The Radical Party and the CEDA obtained the best results. President Alcalá Zamora entrusted government formation to the Radical Party, supported by the CEDA. The new government, led by Alejandro Lerroux, paralyzed much of the previous reformist project.
Strikes and demonstrations followed the new government’s formation. In Asturias, miners staged a social revolution, suppressed by the Legion. In Catalonia, President Lluís Companys proclaimed the Catalan Republic within a Spanish Federal Republic, but the insurrection failed. The CEDA’s influence increased, leading to tougher government policies. Corruption scandals delegitimized the Radical Party. Gil Robles’s attempt to become prime minister was blocked by Alcalá Zamora, who called new elections for February 1936.
The Elections of 1936 and the Popular Front
Leftist parties formed the Popular Front, advocating amnesty for those jailed after the October 1934 Revolution and the resumption of reforms. Right-wing parties formed coalitions. The Popular Front won the elections by a small margin. The new government, formed exclusively by Republicans, was led by Manuel Azaña (president) and Casares Quiroga (head of government). The government launched the Popular Front’s program.
Left-wing groups advocated revolutionary action, while the Spanish Falange fostered civil strife. A military conspiracy against the government, supported by right-wing forces, was planned. The assassination of José Calvo Sotelo accelerated the coup plans, starting in Morocco on July 17, 1936, and leading to the Spanish Civil War.