The Restoration Regime in Spain (1874-1923)
The Restoration regime in Spain refers to the long period since the pronouncement of Martínez Campos in 1874, ending the Spanish first democratic experiment in the six-year period, until the coup of General Primo de Rivera in 1923. This period is characterized by marked constitutional stability “for over forty years will be in force of the Constitution of 1876–
By major economic progress and for the removal of military from political life. Although a negative way, this era also distinguished by the oligarchic rule of the bourgeoisie, by the despotism and electoral corruption. On the other hand, the restoration had to face many problems: the expansion of the labor movement in the country, the Republican parties, despite being highly fragmented, “the emerging nationalism in the Basque Country and Catalonia, and the wars in Cuba and Philippines seeking colonial independence. Following the 1898 crisis, is undergoing a turning point with the loss of the last Spanish colonies (Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines), causing a hard crash that will weaken the foundations of the system.
With the political instability that drew the First Republic and, above all, the government of General Serrano, Antonio Canovas del Castillo was used to fund the dethroned Isabel II abdicated in his son Don Alfonso XII. Took advantage of the favorable international context of the Bismarck was prone to moderate solutions, and created the game as a basic tool Alfonsino.
Cánovas, who was preparing his return cautiously, drafted in December 1874 the manifesto of Sandhurst, the prince whose document signed in the same city and picked up the basic ideas of restorative project: openness and integration with the monarchy, support from the Catholic tradition and freedom, and overcoming the previous constitutions of 1845 and 1869. But Martinez Campos anticipated a ruling in Sagunto, proclaiming King Don Alfonso XII on December 29, 1874.
However, Cánovas would have preferred to implement the liberal monarchy through legal means. Thus, the main ideological bases of the restorative system are those of the creator: Antonio Canovas del Castillo, summarized in: The defense of “historical or internal constitution” of Spain, ie, a blend of old and new. The written constitution should respect the basics of it, The King-Cortes shared sovereignty versus national sovereignty pessimism, based on the study of history in Spanish decline, but left open the door to the regeneration of the country’s army should be outside politics. Was outweighed by the civil power Pragmatism (positivism) in politics, away from dogmatic positions (undisputed) and The pact between all political forces that would enable peaceful coexistence. Such a pact would be based on a new constitution that would be widely agreed.
Thus, the constitution was promulgated more effective on the Contemporary History of Spain:
The 1876 Constitution
Emerged as a moderate between the Constitution of 1845 and the revolutionary constitution of 1869. Was prepared by a committee of experts convened by Canovas, who drafted the document with the same remarkable contributions. It was approved by the courts arising from the January 1876 elections by universal suffrage for a large majority. He was finally ratified by the king and was published on 2 July. It was collected theindividual rights characteristic of progressive liberalism: personal security, freedom of residence, conscience, expression and education, as well as the rights of assembly and association. The essential features were the right to vote, which was not set up the electoral law of 1878, returning to the franchise based on census, and 1890, which eventually recovered universal male suffrage, were told the confessional state and introduced religious freedom but limited to private events, there was no separation of powers, and Parliament was bicameral Congress, with one deputy for every 50,000 inhabitants, and the Senate, elected by nomination and vote based on census real.
Cánovas’s admiration to the English parliamentary system was to substantiate the Spanish political life based on two political parties –
Bipartisanship
Which, in turn, alternate in power are called dynastic parties.
Its main objective was to create a retaining wall in front of radicalism Republican and Carlist.
On the one hand, was the Conservative Party led by Canovas del Castillo.
Defending the social order, the public, the values set by the church and property. Relied on the landowner and financial bourgeoisie, the aristocracy and the Catholic hierarchy, and was composed of moderate liberals, unionists and some of the progressives. And on the other hand, the Liberal Party led by Sagasta
Fusionist
Advocating social reforms, education and some secular. Relied on the industrial and commercial bourgeoisie, professionals and officials in more middle class, and was made by progressives, Democrats and moderate ex republished.
Canovist system needed to have the support of both the Crown and the Courts. Thus, establishing a mechanical or shift turnismo ground between the two major parties-Liberal and Conservative, which periodically were ceded power to each other. Consequently, there was fraud in the election: once convened, the Minister of the Interior carried out the “box”, ie the members decided that they would be elected in each district. Then, the provincial governor elections manipulated by agreement with the county and municipal chiefs, buying the votes of ordinary citizens through popular support. If the above failed, it resorted to “rigging”, ie appeared more votes than voters, or even using the invented names of dead people. The turnismo, then, was predetermined by the agreement of parties which had more power, which was called “oligarchy and despotism.” The oligarchy was formed by the political leaders of both parties, especially related to the landlords and the wealthy bourgeoisie. At your service was the chief, a person of great economic power to buy the votes of his people. This phenomenon was the result of a largely rural and illiterate society. Despite the negative part of turnismo, include the contribution of stability that gave the Spanish political life. With the Covenant of El Pardo (1885), on the death of Alfonso XII, an agreement was made between Cánovas, Sagasta and regent Maria Cristina de turns the power to ensure the monarchy to the twin threats Carlist and Republican.
Besides the two major political parties, other parties were marginalized and excluded from political life: the Radical Republicans of Muñoz Zorrilla, the unit of Emilio Castelar and federal Pi i Maragall, showing the fragmentation of republicanism after 1876; stood right Carlism also divided and a loss of importance after the fall of 1876, the margin of the system were the grassroots workers, thus creating socialist PSOE and UGT, and Marxist-anarchist-performing as union actions and violent way, and are deeply rooted in the country, “and also arise nationalist movements in the Basque Country, Catalonia and Galicia, along with the regionalism of Valencia and Andalusia.
Regarding the internal politics of Restoration, include the consensus among the main forces of the nation, the army and the Church, which succeeded in stabilizing the regime. The army left behind the differences arising during the six-year period and the military abandoned the practice of pronouncements, triumphing and the civil power against the military. And the Church, the denominational restored, recover prestige and solved roughness. On the other hand, the Carlist wars ended and the question of Cuba.
Alfonso XII’s army managed to win in the nuclei Carlist Maestrazgo, Seo de Urgel and the North. And with the excellent performance of General Martínez Campos was able to end the Cuban war started in 1868 by Zanjón Peace (1878). In relation to the legislative work of central government, emerged and Provincial Municipal Act (1882) and updated the Code of Commerce (1885) and Civil (1899).
Ultimately, the Bourbon Restoration was to crown pillars, the dynastic parties-Liberal and Conservative-and the military. This regime is characterized by the turnismo ground between the two major parties based on electoral corruption was supported by the oligarchy and despotism. Thus, there is a perceived political instability reflecting on the one hand, the official Spain a constitutional legality, and another, the real Spain supported by the oligarchy and despotism. At the end of the century, with the crisis of 98 caused by the loss of Cuba and the Philippines, social issues and emerging nationalism, the basis of the system is weakened. However, the 1876 Constitution which guaranteed some stability, pervivirá under the reign of Alfonso XIII until 1923, when the general Primo de Rivera dictatorship implanted after a coup.