The Rise and Fall of Primo de Rivera’s Regime

Posted on Dec 20, 2024 in History

Introduction

Captain General of Catalonia, Miguel Primo de Rivera, carried out a military coup with the support of the Catalan bourgeoisie, beset by anarchist terrorism, effective from the Liceo pump.

The significant silence of the King provided the stimulus needed for the coup. Alfonso XIII commissioned Primo de Rivera to form a new government.

Causes

The factors behind the military dictatorship as a solution to the crisis in the country were among the upper bourgeoisie, the middle classes, and the military:

  • Discontent in the army after the disaster of Annual and the desire to avoid the consequences of the Picasso dossier general and Berenguer.
  • The rise of peripheral nationalisms and the rise of Republicans and the labor movement, with numerous demonstrations and riots.
  • The victory of fascism in Italy and the rise of Mussolini.
  • The problems that Spain had been experiencing since the 1917 crisis, with governments constantly changing and numerous elections.

Military Directory (September 1923-September 1925)

After the coup of September 13, a Military Directorate was formed by senior officers. The policy measures taken were the following:

  • Publication of a manifesto to the Spanish setting forth the policy guidelines: the fight against despotism, the restoration of public order, and regeneration.
  • The control by the army of all the springs of American life; former Civil Governors were replaced by military personnel.
  • Dissolution of Congress and the Senate elective and the suspension of constitutional guarantees and other liberal rights, such as the right of association and assembly, and press censorship.

The dictatorship had, for some time, the majority support of the Spanish and the silence of the opposition party (PSOE). The dictatorship was proposed to solve the conflicts that had caused the failure of the political system of the Restoration.

Pure anti-despotism, the Municipal Statute was enacted and intended to empower local councils. In each province, a military governor was appointed with authority to investigate possible corruption cases.

  • To solve the problems of public order, military measures were taken. The ban on demonstrations and press censorship were the two instruments used against workers’ protests. Repression was exerted on nationalism and the CNT.
  • The problem of nationalism was exacerbated. Primo de Rivera removed the flag of Catalonia and the Catalan anthem, and decree measures against the use of Catalan were discontinued; the teaching of Catalan was also discontinued.

The Catalan bourgeoisie withdrew its support for the dictatorship in favor of the republic. In the Basque country, the attitude of the dictatorship was very similar, reaching the point of closing the Basque Nationalist Party’s newspaper.

  • The problem of Morocco was faced with a policy of reducing troops. The African military protests, led by Franco, 2nd head of the Legion, demanded that the dictator crack down on the Waterfront rebel leader Abd el-Krim. The Paris government requested help from Primo de Rivera when the rebels decided to attack the zone of the Protectorate, directing the operation of the landing in Alhucemas, resulting in the defeat of the enemy. Seven months later, Abd-el-Krim surrendered to the French.

Civil Directory (1925-1930)

The Military Directory was replaced by a Civil Directory with a new fact: the dictatorship wanted to stabilize and steady itself. The Civil Dictatorship had support in two key elements:

  • The Patriotic Union (1924) headed by a military officer.
  • The National Consultative Assembly, which aimed at drafting a new Constitution through a referendum, but this failed for two reasons:
    1. It was not legitimate: there had been no constituent elections for the formation of the Assembly, which was not representative because 400 of its members were from the Patriotic Union.
    2. It did not include national sovereignty, but sovereignty shared by the King and the Cortes.

Actions taken during the Board:

  1. Attempt to clean up the economic system. The dictatorship began:

    1. A policy of protectionism and the creation of monopolies (CAMPSA).
    2. The establishment of Water Boards that wanted full use of all water resources in the territory wherever possible. Today, this is the National Hydrological Plan.
    3. The development and improvement of communications and infrastructure: one of the most serious obstacles to the deployment of the national economy was the failure of the road network.

    Following this policy:

    • The launch of private broadcasting began.
    • Railway communications received a significant boost.
    • The extensive road network was expanded by more than 5000 km.

  2. The organization of Corporate Work: Eduardo Aunos set up the world of production depending on the model of the corporate state. This organization had a mixed composition that was organized in joint committees with equal representation of employers and workers, under the tutelage of the state.

    This organization was rejected by Marxists and anarchists, who saw it as an obstacle to the development of class-based trade unions.

  3. Efforts in the development of education: a large number of schools were built.

Opposition and Fall of Primo de Rivera

The opposition included a broad political spectrum: liberal and conservative Republicans, socialists, anarchists, etc. A key element was the growing discontent in the ranks of the Army. After the crash of the stock market in New York in 1929, economic problems spread, and social unrest increased the opposition.

Elderly, sick, and without social support, on January 27, 1930, Primo de Rivera presented his resignation to the monarch. Two months after, the dictator died in exile in Paris.

The Short-Lived Return to Parliamentary Monarchy

The King entrusted General Berenguer with forming a new government. The lack of precision in the process of returning to the parliamentary political system was undermining what little prestige the work of government had begun with.

In August 1930, Socialist politicians, Republicans, and left-wing Catalan nationalists agreed on the Pact of San Sebastian. On December 12, 1930, they were in favor of the Republic, although they were tried and executed. General Berenguer resigned and was replaced by Admiral Juan Bautista Aznar. However, the elections became a referendum on the monarchy. The overwhelming victory in the urban areas of the republican and socialist candidates precipitated the abdication of the king and the proclamation of the Republic on April 14, 1931.

Conclusion

The long crisis of the Canovist system was resolved unexpectedly by the coup of Primo de Rivera. The coup turned into a dictatorship (1923-1930), which promoted economic development and maintained social peace, in exchange for suspending the Constitution, prohibiting political activity, and controlling the press. The final attempt to establish a corporatist state supported by a single-party failed, and Spain returned to the same dilemmas as before the coup. The dictatorship was like a return to nineteenth-century politics where the political leadership went to the army. The dictatorship of Primo de Rivera will have great significance because it is a precedent of the Franco dictatorship; many of the principles adopted by Primo will be used by Franco, while going to learn from their mistakes.