The Restoration Crisis and the Rise of Republicanism in Spain
The Restoration Crisis (1902-1931)
Reformism Within Dynastic Parties
The period between 1902 and 1931 witnessed a crisis within the Restoration system in Spain. The deaths of prominent leaders and the Disaster of 1898 led to calls for regeneration and reform within the dynastic parties.
Conservative Reformism under Antonio Maura (1907-1909)
Antonio Maura’s reform projects focused on incorporating the middle class into the political system. Key initiatives included electoral reform to promote wider participation and local administration reform to address Catalan aspirations. Maura’s government faced a crisis in 1909 and was replaced by Dato.
Liberal Reformism under José Canalejas (1910)
José Canalejas pursued social reforms to attract popular support. His legislative efforts included the Law of the Padlock to limit religious influence, conscription reform, and the Law of Commonwealths to address Catalan demands for greater autonomy.
The Rise of Regionalism
The Regionalist League
The Regionalist League, a conservative, Catholic, and monarchist party, emerged as a voice for the middle class. Internal divisions arose over the degree of Catalan focus, leading to the formation of the Nationalist Republican Center in 1907. The League advocated for Catalan self-government and greater decentralization within Spanish politics.
The Republican Party
Led by Alejandro Lerroux, the Republican Party held radical, anti-clerical, and anti-Catalan views.
The Tragic Week of 1909
The Tragic Week of 1909 had significant implications. It fueled liberal Republican opposition to repression, while radical Republicans like Lerroux exploited the situation. The events also boosted anarchist syndicalism and weakened the Catalanist-Republican alliance.
The Commonwealth of Catalonia
In 1914, the Commonwealth of Catalonia was established, marking the first Catalan representative institution since 1714. The Commonwealth, supported by figures like Maura and Canalejas, aimed to provide administrative autonomy. Despite limited resources, it achieved notable results in infrastructure development and cultural initiatives, including the creation of the IEC to standardize the Catalan language. Primo de Rivera annulled the Commonwealth in 1925.
The First World War and the Crisis of 1917
Spain’s neutrality during World War I led to internal divisions between pro-Allied and pro-German factions. The war also brought economic challenges, including increased exports and decreased imports, leading to inflation and social unrest. The 1917 Russian Revolution further stimulated leftist movements across Europe. The Crisis of 1917 exacerbated existing problems in Spain, including a strengthening labor movement, calls for greater autonomy in Catalonia and the Basque Country, electoral fraud, and military intervention in politics.
Military, Political, and Social Crises
Military Crisis: Issues within the army, such as unequal promotion systems and inflation-reduced salaries, led to the creation of Defense Councils that demanded better pay and conditions.
Political Crisis: The government responded to military threats by suspending constitutional guarantees and imposing censorship. The opposition, organized through the Parliamentary Assembly of Catalonia, called for the restoration of constitutional rights and greater decentralization.
Social Crisis: The post-war economy worsened social unrest, with demands for higher wages and reduced working hours.
Social Unrest and Gunmen
: k happened in the labor movement? Loss = loss of colony market: reduction of benefit: it tries to compensate by introducing a new monarchy and save the labor of women entering the job …What is the response of unions anarchists? Ny increase was 1 general strike in 1902: politics and repressed xl’exèrcit -> unions were persecuted. In 1907 and appears better organized unions Solidarity worker, k 1 was agreement all trade unions nutrition in 1 macro organization (anarchist, socialist) … try grouped spread throughout Spain -> to 1 was too various ideologies, not work too … Only in 1910 was founded 1 x anarchist union have + strength, and is called CNT, k 1 will be vital in Catalonia and Spain to the Gcivil. The CNT politicisme flight out capitalism with general strikes, insurrections anarchist union CNT …, k revolutionary proletariat wants independence, unity and union to end capitalism.Canadian Strike: 1919 k vaguístic movement lasted a month and a half left in the dark bcn no means … the army occupied the factory and mitilaritzar workers. After 1 agreement was made where the laborers and readmit the day would be 8h. Pistolerismo: the agreement of the Canadian did not comply and was retake the strike: the employer did close businesses and suppress unions. The army took advantage of the state of emergency sitruació by 1 with constitution suspended. The union response was very violent, ix defend employers and businessmen were organized gangs of hired gunmen (killing leaders, create free x union oppose the violence of the CNT) between assessinats Eduardo Dato in 1921.
Primo de Rivera Dictatorship: 1 coup in 1923. Reasons: ending Electoral fraud and political regeneration, warlords / gunmen / nutrition danger of separation … When Primo de Rivera came to power ended with the liberal regime and abolish the constitution, unions … is a dictatorship and distributes different society. 1 will only party ofical (Patriotic Union) ks’hi affiliate: warlords, government officials, church dictatorship … Stages: military directory (23-25) / directory Civil (25.30). Eventually creating a kind of parliament: the National Consultative Assembly (elected members x corporate system. Since 1925 the regime attempted institualització. Institutions are created to strengthen the regime k: ANC Patriotic Union of Business … against Primo de Rivera nationalist , republicans, anarchists, communists, party army. 1929 high army does not want to Primo de Rivera. Who supports him? monarchists, conservatives, some church … Intense to topple the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera military conspiracy (1926) and romantic plot (Fransesc wanted alliverar Macia of Catalonia and dictdura be indpendent).Alfonso XIII, Primo de Rivera asks k resign. 1930: Dictablanda resigns and there is a (time period between the resignation Primo de Rivera and the proclamation of the IIrepública) Dictablanda leaders: General and Admiral Beranguer Aznar (the king receives the order x preparing ground occur in the republic) Summer 1930: the opposition will make TNS Sebastian and the Pact of San Sebastian: XK agree they want a republic in Spain, a new democratic constitution, the Constituent Assembly will k, chosen by the people in elections. Meanwhile govern a Revolutionary Committee (provisional government) elections and will do k agreements. + Months later, Autumn 1930: 2 army officers (Galan and G. Hernandez) will want to give 1 coup in favor of the Republic Jaca (Huesca). But it goes wrong and running. + Repúbliica later proclaims.First step Republican operation and abandonment of the dictatorship: candicatures elections with Republican and monarchist. Some sites and other Republican wins + rural areas, agricultural + wins the monarchy. The people taken to the streets to ask Republican consulting the king and his government and thought: We can save face and the monarchy to all this strength? NO. Thus k king abandons his post and go. Therefore, a republic is proclaimed.