The Reformist Biennium: Agrarian and Labor Reforms in Spain
The Reformist Biennium (1931-1933)
The period between April 1931 and September 1933 is known as the Reformist or Social-Azaña Biennium. During this stage, the provisional government underwent significant changes, with government policy inclined towards the center-left:
- The adoption of articles 26 and 27 of the constitution, concerning the issue of religion as a cause of division (October 1931) led to the resignation of Alcalá-Zamora and Miguel Maura. Both sought to lead the Republican right.
- The refusal to continue cooperating with the Socialist government led to the resignation of the ministers of the Radical Party, namely neighborhood and Lerroux Martinez (December 1931). The latter aspired to the presidency upon the government, thought that the opposition could be brought in and gain the support of moderate Republican public opinion to gain power.
Still, Alcala-Zamora was elected President of the Republic (December 1931-April 1936) while the government held the presidency (until 1933).
Agrarian Reform
The agrarian reform law sought to carry out a redistribution of agricultural property, as it was deemed urgent to meet the demands of landless laborers. It was adopted in September 1932, but instead of sticking to the problem of the estates of the southern peninsula, it was applied throughout the country simultaneously, unnecessarily disturbing many small and medium landowners, who, especially in Castile, opposed it. The settlements were handled very slowly and amid great resistance. In addition, expropriation claims involved very expensive processes.
Finally, the process was stopped almost completely during the center-right government, from 1934. In total, there were just over 10,000 settlements, far fewer than expected. Nevertheless, the measures on land ownership created alarm among landowners and huge expectations among the laborers, without satisfying either one or the other.
Labor Reforms
These were promoted by Largo Caballero, leader of the UGT, from the Ministry of Labor. This reform aimed to create a new framework for relations between employers and workers and also bring the benefits of labor legislation to the field, where it was virtually unknown.
The main measures in this area were:
- The law of contracts: Giving priority to collective agreements or contracts in companies and industries to establish working conditions. To this end, it was essential that workers in unions were associated with management to negotiate and hold talks with the authorities. This measure favored the UGT, which significantly grew its membership in the 30’s, especially in the field, from the creation of the National Federation of Workers of the Earth (FNTT) in 1930.
- The law of mixed juries: Reinforced the previous measure, it created mixed juries, visions very similar to the joint committees of the dictatorship, in which the state administration, together with unionized workers and employers, arbitrated solutions to disputes. Jurors also benefited the UGT and CNT that was not involved in these political bodies. Other proposed reforms, as the law of intervention workers, which workers should be partners in the management of large enterprises or the creation of an unemployment insurance could not be approved.
Implementing rural exclusively on municipal law (which requires agricultural employers to employ the first of its municipal workers), the forced tillage (provided that the owners made under the supervision of a local commission, how much work was needed to properly cultivate the land), or accidents at work in the field and the imposition of the eight-hour working day in agriculture.
These measures were as relevant disturbing social order in the countryside and land reform.