Spanish Colonial Decline & Primo de Rivera’s Dictatorship
The Decline of the Spanish Overseas Colonial Empire
Important Spanish overseas colonies, Cuba and Puerto Rico, based their economy on agriculture for export. Due to tariff laws, these territories became a “captive market.” Catalans, who hurt the islands, could be found in U.S. products, which were cheaper and of better quality.
The Cuban Problem and the Spanish-American War
The long war (1868-1878) settled with the peace of Zanjón. Insurrections began again in 1895 for independence in the Philippines. The unexplained explosion of the American ship Maine in Havana harbor led the U.S. to declare war on Spain. The conflict was a cakewalk for the U.S., which quickly conquered Cuba and Puerto Rico. From an economic perspective, 1898 was a disaster (capital repatriation). The loss of 50,000 soldiers roused Spanish society. There was a reform proposal known as Regenerationism. Joaquín Costa based it on criticizing the *cacique* system. Spain signed the Peace of Paris in 1898, ceding the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam to the USA. Cuba achieved independence. The loss of the colonies led to what is known as the “Disaster of ’98.”
The Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera
Causes of the Coup
Several factors explain why the military dictatorship began to be viewed as a solution to the crisis in the country among the gentry, a large part of the middle classes, and the Army:
- Discontent in the army after the disaster of Annual and the desire to avoid the consequences of the Picasso file for some important generals, among them General Berenguer.
- The rise of peripheral nationalisms and the rise of Republicans and the labor movement.
- The triumph of fascism in Italy after the March on Rome in 1922 and the rise of Mussolini.
Military Directory (1923-1925)
After the coup, the dictator Primo de Rivera was incorporated as a single minister, going to be advised by a Military Board of Directors. The new government represented the same block of power that had dominated the country during the Restoration: the oligarchy of landowners and industrialists. The Military Directory took swift action:
- Ban on the Catalan flag and anthem.
- Restriction of the Catalan language to private land.
- Policy of “iron fist” in all matters relating to public order.
- Formation of the Patriotic Union, a single party under the leadership of a soldier. It was to follow the pattern set by Mussolini’s fascist Italy.
The great success of the Directors took place in Africa. The Landing of Al Hoceima in 1925 ended the resistance of the tribes of the Rif. Their leader, Abd-el-Krim, surrendered to the authorities of French Morocco. The end of the war in Morocco gave popularity to the dictator.
Civil Directorate (1925-1930)
In late 1925, a civilian government headed by Primo de Rivera replaced the Military Board. This was to institutionalize the dictatorship. In 1927, he created a National Consultative Assembly, formed mostly by members of the Patriotic Union elected by restricted suffrage. Primo de Rivera again followed the Italian model, in this case, the Council of Fascism. The Assembly quickly failed in its attempt to draft a basic law to act as the Constitution of the dictatorship. He also imitated the social model of Italian fascism, establishing the Corporate Labor Organization, a sort of union trying to arbitrate between employers and workers. Again, the attempt to institutionalize the regime of Primo de Rivera failed. After his resignation, Berenguer became Chief of Government.
In August 1930, Republicans, Socialists, and other opposition groups signed the so-called Pact of San Sebastian, which undertook to overthrow the monarchy and establish a democratic regime. Berenguer resigned on February 14, 1931, giving way to a new government headed by Admiral Aznar. The Republicans won the elections, declaring the Republic.