The Decline of Spain’s Restoration Monarchy (1902-1923)

Posted on Nov 1, 2024 in History

The End of the Restoration: World War I’s Impact

The Regency of Maria Cristina and Alfonso XIII

In May 1902, Alfonso XIII came of age, ending his mother Maria Cristina’s regency. His reign witnessed the crisis of the parliamentary monarchy and the turno party system. By 1917, the army, Catalan, and labor movements disrupted the system, leading to a decline towards dictatorship and the monarchy’s end.

Factors Contributing to the Crisis

  1. Increased Political Instability: Frequent government changes and short tenures destabilized the system. The dynastic parties, Conservatives and Liberals, faced growing threats from both the left and right, including nationalist and labor movements, culminating in the 1917 crisis.
  2. Fragmentation of the Turno Parties: Internal divisions and leadership struggles weakened both parties. Conservative leaders like Antonio Maura (who introduced electoral reform), Eduardo Dato, and Liberals like Segismundo Moret, José Canalejas, and Count Romanones competed for power.
  3. Alfonso XIII’s Interference: The king’s increasing involvement in political decisions further complicated the situation.

Opposition Forces

  1. Republicans: Advocated social reforms, but internal divisions between radical anti-clerical reformers (led by Alejandro Lerroux) and those seeking reconciliation with the existing system hampered their effectiveness.
  2. Nationalists: Catalan nationalists, through the Lliga Regionalista, achieved significant successes in challenging the Restoration’s electoral system.
  3. Carlists: (Text missing details on Carlist activities)
  4. Labor Movement: The socialist UGT and PSOE, along with the anarchist CNT, posed a growing challenge.
  5. Intellectual Opposition: Figures like Ortega y Gasset advocated for modernizing and Europeanizing Spain.

Challenges to the Regime (1902-1923)

Despite the opposition, the Liberal and Conservative parties maintained control, resisting changes that threatened established interests. Several problems further challenged the regime:

  • Morocco: Spain pursued colonial interests in Morocco after losing its American colonies, driven by economic and prestige considerations.
  • Regionalism: Growing regionalist sentiment, particularly in Catalonia, challenged the centralized system.
  • Electoral Corruption and Caciquismo: Continued manipulation of elections undermined the legitimacy of the system.
  • Social Problems: Inflation, rural poverty, urban unemployment, and low wages fueled social conflict and labor unrest, leading to strikes and protests. The National Institute for Social Security (1908) offered limited old-age pensions and disability benefits.
  • Terrorism: Assassinations of political figures like Canalejas and Dato highlighted the growing violence.
  • Religious Tensions: The country remained divided between clerical and anti-clerical factions.
  • Military Issues: Internal problems and high social prestige within the army created instability.

The Tragic Week (1909)

The Tragic Week refers to the violent events in Barcelona and other industrial centers. Initially demonstrations and a general strike, promoted by anarchists and socialists, escalated into a widespread uprising. The Conservative government declared a state of war. Causes included:

  1. Opposition to the Moroccan War: Protests erupted against the deployment of reservists to Morocco.
  2. Anti-clericalism: Fueled by Republican rhetoric.
  3. Economic Hardship: The Barcelona working class faced difficult economic conditions.

Consequences:

  1. Government Change: Maura’s government fell, replaced by Liberal leader José Canalejas, who attempted institutional regeneration.
  2. Republican-Socialist Alliance: A nascent alliance formed against the monarchy.
  3. Repression: Over 1,000 arrests, five executions, and the controversial execution of Francisco Ferrer i Guàrdia, a freethinking educator.

The Crisis of 1917

World War I, while Spain remained neutral, had a profound impact. Economic prosperity from trade masked underlying social problems, including food shortages. The 1917 crisis involved three overlapping crises:

  • Military Crisis: Junior officers formed the Juntas de Defensa to protest low wages and promotion practices. The government conceded to their demands, revealing its weakness.
  • Political Crisis: Economic imbalances and social unrest, particularly in Catalonia, led the Lliga Regionalista to convene the Parliamentary Assembly, demanding constitutional reform and autonomy. While unsuccessful, it forced the government to include Lliga members in a coalition, breaking the turno system.
  • Social Crisis: A general strike in August 1917, organized by the UGT and CNT, highlighted worker discontent. The strike’s violent suppression further divided the labor movement.

The Road to Dictatorship

Following the 1917 crisis, the government became increasingly unstable. The system’s failure to democratize, coupled with the disastrous Annual in Morocco, led conservative sectors to seek a military solution. General Miguel Primo de Rivera’s coup on September 13, 1923, ended the Restoration monarchy.