The Restoration in Spain: Monarchy, Dynastic Parties, and Caciquismo
The Restoration in Spain
The Monarchy
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo aimed to establish a stable political regime inspired by the British parliamentary system and Doctrinaire Liberalism. This model granted significant power to the King within a constitutional monarchy. Cánovas viewed the monarchy as integral to Spanish history. The 1876 Constitution outlined the King’s role, including sharing legislative power with the courts, vetoing laws, summoning and dissolving parliament, exercising executive power, appointing the head of government, and acting as a moderating force. The King’s influence extended to party politics, choosing the Prime Minister from the party in power. However, this system’s artificiality and limited connection with the general population were recognized.
The Dynastic Parties
The Restoration’s political system revolved around two major parties: the Conservatives and the Liberals, known as dynastic parties. While sharing fundamental ideological ground, they played distinct, complementary roles. Both parties, representing elite minority interests, drew support from the bourgeoisie and middle class, although landowners dominated the Conservatives, and liberal professions (doctors, journalists, judges, lawyers) were prominent among the Liberals. Each party maintained a network of journalists, institutions, and committees across the country.
Both parties championed the constitutional monarchy, the 1876 Constitution, private property, the capitalist system, and a unified, centralized liberal state. However, differences existed:
- The Conservative Party, founded by Antonio Cánovas del Castillo, united Bourbon supporters during the six-year reign of Alfonso XII (son of Isabella II). It encompassed the most conservative elements of society, including landowners, the financial, industrial, and commercial bourgeoisie, Church hierarchy, the army, and the administration. Conservatives advocated for political stagnation, census suffrage, Church authority, and social order, often restricting freedoms such as press and academic liberties.
- The Liberal-Fusion Party, created in 1881 by Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, brought together former progressives, unionists, and some moderate ex-republicans. Its base included the industrial bourgeoisie and urban middle classes. Liberals leaned towards progressive reformism and secularism.
Caciquismo and Electoral Manipulation
Caciquismo, a system of political patronage and corruption, played a crucial role in controlling elections and ensuring the peaceful rotation of power between the dynastic parties. This system involved a range of fraudulent practices:
- The Minister of the Interior prepared a list of candidates (the caja) to be elected.
- This list was sent to civil governors, mayors, and local bosses, who orchestrated electoral manipulation (pucherazo) to ensure the desired outcome. Tactics included falsifying the census, preventing certain individuals from voting, manipulating electoral records, vote-buying, and coercion.
Local bosses, or caciques, wielded significant power, particularly in rural areas, where their control over resources and administrative processes allowed them to influence voters. Caciquismo thrived on high abstention rates, fueled by voter apathy and the non-representative nature of the elections. The 1907 electoral law further solidified this system by automatically designating candidates without a vote.
Opposition parties (Republicans, Carlists, Socialists, and Nationalists) were marginalized by this system, unable to gain sufficient parliamentary representation to form a government or effectively oppose the ruling parties. The Restoration’s political system effectively consolidated power in the hands of the oligarchic bourgeoisie through the dynastic parties, caciquismo, and electoral manipulation.
The Evolution of the Restoration
The early years of the Restoration under Cánovas’ Conservative government saw reforms such as the abolition of Basque fueros (special rights), restrictions on press and academic freedom, and the establishment of census suffrage. The system of alternating parties began in 1881 when Alfonso XII appointed Sagasta to lead a Liberal government. This practice continued throughout his reign and solidified during the regency of Maria Cristina after the Pact of El Pardo in 1885, following Alfonso XII’s death. This pact ensured support for the regency and a smooth transition of power between the two parties.
Maria Cristina’s regency began with Sagasta’s”Long Governmen” (1885-1890), which implemented reforms such as the abolition of slavery in Cuba (1886) and the legalization of freedom of association (1887). Universal male suffrage was introduced in 1890. The established system began to unravel after the Disaster of 1898, the crisis of 1917, the rise of parties outside the established two, urban growth, and the expansion of the press. The system ultimately collapsed in 1923 with General Primo de Rivera’s coup during the reign of Alfonso XIII.