The Democratic Six-Year Period in Spain (1868-1874)
The Democratic Six-Year Period (1868-1874)
September Revolution and the Interim Government
Political unrest, along with economic and social issues that had been brewing for years, led to the proclamation of Admiral Juan Bautista Topete in the Bay of Cadiz on September 19, 1868.
In 1866, a coalition of progressive forces, disgruntled Democrats, and Unionists signed the Pact of Ostend. This was the first step in a movement that would ultimately end the reign of Isabella II.
The military uprising led to a new revolutionary movement known as the Glorious Revolution. This revolution had some unique characteristics:
- It was the result of an alliance between Progressives and Unionists, with the approval of the Democrats. The goal was to overthrow the queen, not to end the government itself.
- The Democratic Party brought the true revolutionary ideas. Their demands focused on universal suffrage, the abolition of unpopular measures such as the consumos (a tax on the purchase of basic goods) and the quintas (a system of conscription), and the defense of the middle and working classes.
It was also an organized movement from both a political and military standpoint. Its goals were to end the parliamentary deadlock, sponsored by the queen and her entourage, which prevented progressive rule, and to address the dire economic situation that was affecting the interests of investors in railway companies. The aim of the revolution was to complete the transition, begun in 1833, to a fully bourgeois society supported by a fully functioning capitalist system.
The revolution spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula. On September 28, fighting took place on the bridge of Alcolea between rebel troops under the command of General Serrano and troops loyal to the queen. The rebels won, which caused Isabella II and her court to flee the country to France on the 30th.
On September 29, a revolutionary junta took power in Madrid and was responsible for regulating the revolution. The first juntas were formed in Andalusia, followed by Barcelona, Alicante, Murcia, Valladolid, Zaragoza, Burgos, Santander, A Coruña, and Asturias.
On October 3, the revolutionary junta, led by General Serrano, formed a provisional government. On October 8, after the arrival of General Prim, the government dissolved the juntas on October 13. Many of their members were compensated with positions in municipalities and provincial councils.
In some parts of the country, the revolutionary juntas held a parallel power that competed with the provisional government. Juntas with a majority of Democrats were more reluctant to disband after the government order, so for a few weeks, there was a dual power structure. The interim government was headed by Serrano and included five Progressive and four Unionist ministers. The first measures were aimed at controlling the revolution: dissolving the juntas, reorganizing the National Militia, voluntarily disarming the citizenry, and restoring discipline in the army. Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, the Minister of the Interior, ordered civil governors to maintain order at all costs.
Once this objective was achieved, the government addressed some popular demands: the abolition of the consumos tax, the emancipation of the children of slaves born after the revolution, a decree of freedom of education and reform of secondary education, and a decree of freedom of the press.
On October 25, the government presented its reform program, whose pillars were universal suffrage and freedoms of religion, education, press, association, and assembly. In addition, the peseta was created as the national currency, along with a mining law and a free trade tariff.
The rift between supporters of the interim government and those demanding more advanced reforms radicalized the Republican sector of the Democratic Party. Some opted for a federal republic, while the moderates favored a monarchy.
The provisional government called elections for December, which resulted in Republican victories in 20 provincial capitals. On January 15, 1869, elections were held for the Constituent Cortes, with a majority of Progressives and Unionists, but with a significant group of Republican deputies. Both elections were held under universal male suffrage, with nearly 4 million voters. The political process was outpacing the demands of the urban working classes and the rural world. Disenchantment spread, and Republicans even clashed with the demands of popular leaders. The civil governor of Cádiz, who declared a state of war on December 5, 1868, ordered the disarming of the Volunteers of Liberty and the closure of all publications. This lasted for three days, with the city filled with barricades and the Volunteers facing down the army until they agreed to abandon their weapons. Similar movements occurred in Béjar, Badajoz, Málaga, Tarragona, Seville, and Gandia, while Barcelona experienced labor movements in December 1868, leading to the creation of a central management of workers’ societies.
The Constitution of 1869 stated in its preamble the principle of popular national sovereignty and proclaimed the separation of powers and a broad declaration of rights. Its contents included the following: “It covered all recognized individual rights, including any not specifically listed. These rights included freedom of religion, assembly and association, residence, education, expression, and the inviolability of the home. Religious freedom sparked debate. Universal suffrage was established.” It established a bicameral system, with the Senate elected by indirect universal suffrage, but only the largest taxpayers could be senators. The king had powers similar to those in previous constitutions, but Article 33 indicated that the monarchy was subject to national sovereignty, which emanated from all branches of government, including the monarch.
The adoption of the monarchy as a form of government provoked strong opposition from Republicans and forced the appointment of Serrano as regent, while Prim held the premiership. The executive had to deal with internal and external problems that complicated its future: “a colonial war in Cuba, the active opposition of the Carlists and supporters of Alfonso XII, harassment from Republicans who did not accept the constitution, and the discontent of the urban and rural populace, who saw their social demands unanswered.”
In October 1869, there was a federal Republican uprising, which mobilized all sectors of society, including the labor movement. Behind this popular support was the frustration of the provisional government’s failure to implement the abolition of the consumos tax and the quintas. In July of that year, several Carlist uprisings announced the start of the Third Carlist War. The Federal Pact was signed in Tortosa in May 1869, bringing together the federal party committees of the former Kingdom of Aragon, Andalusia, Extremadura, Galicia, Asturias, Castile and León, and others. On June 30, the Federal Council was created.
For the election of the new king, from a dynasty other than the Bourbons, there were five candidates. Four of them were discarded, leaving only the candidacy of Amadeo of Savoy. Prim accelerated the proclamation of the new candidate and officially submitted his candidacy on November 3. A campaign began, and on November 16, the Cortes voted. The result was a clear victory for the nominee, with 191 votes.