Spanish Political Transformations: 1931-1958
1931 Constitution
The 1931 Constitution, authored by the Constituent Cortes representing national sovereignty, was created following the June 28, 1931 elections. The victory of Republicans and Socialists led to the Constitution’s democratic character. This selection of articles highlights key political, legal, and social aspects.
Main Idea: Proclamation of the Republic and its new principles.
- Articles 1-8: Spain is declared a democratic republic of workers, emphasizing popular sovereignty and rejecting a federal state in favor of an integral state with autonomous municipalities and regions.
- Articles 3-26: Establishment of a non-denominational state with separation of church and state. Associations are subject to special laws without state support.
- Articles 25-46: Legal equality for all, eliminating privileges based on social skills, and introducing the right to divorce with justification.
The Constitution’s creation stemmed from the rise of the Republic, fueled by the growing labor movement (UGT and CNT) and Republican parties. The Pact of San Sebastián and a dedicated committee facilitated the Republic’s establishment. The Republican-Socialist victory in major cities on April 12, 1931, led to Alfonso XIII’s departure and a provisional government under Alcalá Zamora. The Constituent Cortes, elected in June 1931, focused on church-state separation, territorial organization, and economic/social regulation.
Political Responsibility Act 1939
The text was written by the head of state which is run by the military and political Galician Francisco Franco, who joined the military academy in Toledo and later at Zaragoza.
Participated in the War of Morocco reaping merits and promotions by acts of war. Following the electoral victory of the Popular Front was appointed as Captain General of the Canary Islands from where he conducted a coup that started the Civil War from 36 to 39 and completed, monopolized a regime known as Franco. Franco was both head of state, government and military, until June 1973 yielded, for the first time the premiership to his right hand, Luis Carrero Blanco. He died in 1975.
The text is historical, legal nature since it is a law and political and social themes. It was written in February 1939 is therefore a primary source text, contemporary to the facts. The text is addressed to the whole Spanish society.
The main idea is to show that retaliation will be carried out against the followers of Red subversion.
Secondary ideas are:
1-9 Online: announcing the measures to be taken against those who impede the activity of the National Movement taking responsibility for everything that happened. The law will serve to clear the faults of those who contributed to hindering the inevitable triumph of the National Movement.
Article 1 º: decreed responsibility of all persons involved in the Communist Revolution in Asturias against aggravating CEDA subversion of the victim was made to Spain.
Article 2nd and 3rd: are outlawed since the 1936 elections, all those parties and groups that opposed National Movement which lose their rights and property in the State.
In other articles, such as 4, the law specified who would be affected by it.
On March 26 nationals began their final offensive, which they called the Victoria. The 28 entered a Madrid exhausted after three years of resistance. In the following days they occupied the rest of Republican Spain.
In February 1939 during the Civil War, the National Movement was in an advantageous position in the domain of much of Catalonia something that was predicted from the nationals won the battle of the Ebro in 1938.
On 1 April Franco signed the last part of war, beginning a harsh repression to the vanquished.
Completed military confrontation, the post-war civilian life was dominated by the winners attending the repression by means such as physical removal, imprisonment, exile or debugging. In the last months of the war began this when Franco adopted the Law of Political Responsibilities of February 9, 1939 to clear the faults of those who had helped build the subversion has red. The first impulse of retaliation was completed with the Debugging Law Officers, who were expelled by the academics, diplomats, prosecutors and judges. They also acted Enforcement Act of Masonry and Communism and the State Security.
NATIONAL LAW MOVEMENT PRINCIPLES
The author of the text is Francisco Franco, military and political Galician, who entered the military academy in Toledo and later at Zaragoza.
Participated in the War of Morocco reaping merits and promotions by acts of war. Following the electoral victory of the Popular Front was appointed as Captain General of the Canary Islands from where he conducted a coup that started the Civil War from 36 to 39 and completed, monopolized a regime known as Franco. Franco was both head of state, government and military, until June 1973 yielded, for the first time the premiership to his right hand, Luis Carrero Blanco. He died in 1975.
The text of a legal nature is historical since it is a law and according to their subject matter is politically and socially. This is a text contemporary with the facts and, therefore, the primary source. It is addressed to the community of Spanish society and was written in 1958 when it is formed the National Movement and Franco took command of this and a leader of Spain.
The main idea is to show the ideological components that would be based on the Franco regime.
“Lines 1-4: Francisco Franco presents the principles that he will appoint and to be followed
“Principle 1: All Spanish should contribute to the unity, greatness and freedom from Spain.
“Principle 2: Joining the church and state established Catholicism as the Spanish religion
“Principle 3: Spain is home to large numbers of people with whom you feel brotherhood and peace for all expected.
-Principle 4: All men and Spanish lands have to be united and the Army has to have the strength to service the country.
“Principle 6: The social organizations are central to the nation, the regime defended families, municipalities and unions.
Late 1939 and early 40 establishing the dictatorship of Franco. The official game of the scheme is the National Movement political party which unites the Spanish who legitimized the uprising against the government of the Republic and that it reflected the ideology of the regime which had a fair share authoritarian and totalitarian. The regime was consolidated with the adoption of a series of laws:
“The Labour Law: Labour relations defined as the state competition.
“The Law Court: Courts were organized as an advisory body, its members are called attorneys and their choice depended on the dictator.
“The Jurisdiction of the Spanish: consisted in a sort of table of rights and duties of the Spanish. His practice was located in the submission to the dictatorship and in the spiritual unity
-National Referendum Act: why Franco was put to a referendum the draft laws approved by the courts.
“The Law of Succession to the Head of State: defined Spain as a Catholic, social and representative was established in the Kingdom. Lifetime sanctioned Franco stay in front of the Head of State and the latter’s capacity to choose his successor.
In 1958 almost 20 years after the dictatorship was written Law Principles of the Movement in which he collected ideals like patriotism, Catholicism and the subordination of individual interests to those of the nation. Movement recognized the existence of different families within the dictatorship:
“The army: the military had a strong showing in the dictatorship with the likes Muñoz Grandes, Carrero Blanco and Alonso Vega.
“The Opus Dei religious institution which increased its influence by helping in areas such as Education, Industry, Trade and Finance
“The Church: represented by Catholic Action
“Traditionalism: the heirs of Carlism preserve its influence in the dictatorship
“The Falange: continued decreasing influence in government.