Spanish Second Republic: History and Reforms
The Second Spanish Republic
Following the end of the dictatorship and the proclamation of the Second Republic.
The dictatorship fell in January 1930. The country lacked normal political life. Dámaso Berenguer led the ‘Dictablanda’. In August 1930, a pact was established in San Sebastian between republican parties, Catalan nationalists, intellectuals, and PSOE members (the PSOE had an internal division between Republicans and Socialists), and former monarchists. The aim was to organize a revolutionary committee to hasten regime change and ensure the new regime considered Catalan autonomy.
Admiral Aznar replaced Berenguer. Municipal elections were held on April 14, 1930, resulting in an urban Republican majority. Alfonso XIII went into exile.
The Reformist Biennium of the Second Republic
Francesc Macià proclaimed the Republic in Barcelona. Macià also proclaimed the Catalan Republic. Later that evening, the Republic was proclaimed in Madrid.
The first government of the Republic was a coalition government, chaired by the moderate Alcalá Zamora, bringing together all the anti-monarchist forces from the Pact of San Sebastian:
- Former Monarchists
- Republican Parties
- PSOE
Elections were held on June 31. The new government was headed by Azaria, a Republican. This government faced opposition from landowners, the army (due to reforms), the Church (due to reforms), and peasants (due to agrarian reform). The Republican-Socialist government, led by Manuel Azaña, undertook a major reform program:
Military Reforms
- Ending army interventionism.
- Reducing the number of official soldiers (economic cost).
- Transforming the army into a professional and democratic force.
- Official retirement law.
- Creation of a plug-in scale, totaled exam.
(Right felt attacked); 1932 – Sanjurjo attempted a coup (sector shows discontent).
Religious Reforms
- Limited influence in society.
- State trust.
- Suppression of budgets.
- Strong marriage.
- Dissolution of the Jesuit order.
- Congregations Act, limiting the ownership of assets and dissolution if they represented a danger to the State.
(Religious discontent) Anti-republican campaigns.
Agrarian Reforms
- Ending large estates.
- Decrees for better conditions.
- 1932 Agricultural Act, but not compulsory collectivization of estates.
- Settlement and peasants expropriated without INDEM.
IRA (near Big descont. and farmers)? Slow, low budget, resistance (CasasViejas)
Cultural Reforms
- Education (+50% investment).
- Ensuring liberal and secular education for all people.
- Secular, mixed, compulsory, and free schools (dissemination of culture in general).
The Right Biennium (1933-1935)
In June 1933, Azaña resigned because he lost support in parliament when the Socialists left the government. In November 1933, the right generally won. The 1933-Lerroux Government stopped the reformism of the previous biennium: brake agrarian reform (land nolbes back, – salary) budget approval worship and clergy; amnesty to soldiers involved in the attempted coup of General Sanjurjo ; – educació.34 budget input to government ministers CEDA / left? unequivocal sign routing towards the fascist regime.? general strikes?
State of War
Asturias-mining-rev.social CNT and UGT, Catalunya-6/10/34-Companys declaring Rep.Catalana within Rep.Fed.Esp. Autumn 35 – to uncover corruption cases involving the P. radical political crisis worsening differences between coalition partners guvernam.PR? CEDA 2 / 36? New elections at the polls generals.1er confrontation between two distinct and irreconcilable sides (political and social polarization of society esp.) Left (Popular Front? Coalition of Republicans desquerra + Socialist + Communist wide State); Rights (Frente Catalan Order? accompanied League + other conservative options) (National Bloc? CEDA + + traditionalist monarchists).