The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1936): Reforms, Conflicts, and Catalonia’s Autonomy
The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1936)
Democratization and Modernization
This period marks the first serious attempt at democratizing and modernizing Spain. A key difference between a monarchy and a republic is the source of power. A return to the previous regime’s dictatorship was improbable due to:
- Loss of prestige and organizational structure of the dynastic parties.
- The monarch’s unpopularity.
- The Pact of San Sebastian (suppression of the monarchy, proclamation of the Republic, provisional government, constituent Cortes).
On April 12, 1931, municipal elections were held. The parties that signed the Pact of San Sebastian viewed these elections as a referendum on the monarchy. While monarchists won in rural areas, Republicans won in cities (41 of 56 provincial capitals). On April 14, the Republic was proclaimed. In Barcelona, Francesc Macià, leader of the recently founded Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), announced the Catalan Republic within an Iberian Federation. ERC had won the Catalan elections. Most senior ministers, the army, and law enforcement abandoned the king. Alfonso XIII went into exile, and a provisional government was established, chaired by Niceto Alcalá Zamora. The Second Republic was met with widespread enthusiasm.
Unfavorable Context and Opposition
The Republic faced challenges:
- The international economic crisis of 1929 and the rise of fascism.
- Opposition from privileged classes to reforms.
- Demographic and economic crises, including unemployment and falling exports.
- Social unrest, particularly among workers and peasants whose expectations were unmet.
- Numerous military conflicts.
- Societal divisions and income inequality.
- High illiteracy rates, poor communication, and inefficient public services.
Two main factions emerged:
- Traditionalists: Landowners and elites who opposed changes to the ownership structure, land reform, and Catalan autonomy. This position was also held by small farmers and wealthy media owners in rural areas.
- Reformists: The urban middle class, intellectuals, industrial workers, and nationalists who advocated for change. They were generally anticlerical.
This clash of mentalities created a volatile atmosphere. Mussolini’s influence was felt on the right, particularly within the Spanish Falange.
Stages of the Republic
· reformer or reformist biennium 1931 – 1933 Biennium · Black 1933 – 1935 / 1936 • The Popular Front in 1936 3.1. The Republic desquerra: THE BIENNIUM reformer (Radical Socialist) 1931-1933, April 1931 Between 14 and 19 November 1933, the republican government was led by center-left forces. In Catalonia, the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) was dominant. (Statute and parliamentary elections) The Provisional Government (June 14 -28, April, Niceto) are produced from burning convents, 11 and 12 May in Madrid (loposició church happens to notice). He called elections for June 28. Work starts in four fronts: a) work in the field, b) education, c) performing, 4) relations with the church. a) established 8hores day, priority is given to the workers to work the farms of his township. Obligations of land owners to work but spent the use of fruit workers b) was decreed the creation of 6,750 schools and teachers 7000places. Bid salaries and creating a network of libraries. C) gave the generals, officers and officials the opportunity to retire with full salary. Shi hosted 84 of 170 general managers and 8650 14000.Lexercit we identified with the monarchy. Azaria Manuel, minister of war ended lacademia Zaragoza military led by General Franco. Ring was obtained all promotions during the dictatorship, this causes the harm be in general. He also created dassalt Guard, armed police force and modern Republican faithful. D) is also linked to the monarchy, stood expectantly. Bise asked the Vatican to respect the new regime. It is worth mentioning two negative aspects. 1 The pastoral of Cardinal Segura (bishop of Toledo) praised the king. The government requested the dismissal, but bishops support Segura. 2nd The burning of convents, monarchist circle members were placing a gramophone in the street, which rang up the royal, the popular reaction was the burning of convents. Catholics began to see the Republic as a regime against their convictions.
The republican constitution on 28 June 1931 there are elections to Constituent Cortes, the more transparent until then. Earn conjunction Republican-socialist, ie, n and center forces desquerres Members: 116 Members PSOE, Partido Radical Republic in 1990, Radical Party Socalista 56, ERC 36. Total Members 456. The right showed disorganized and was in the minority (Republican and anti-monarchists) saprova The new Constitution on 9 December 1931 Caracateristiques:-values reflects secular, not religious, and most left-Sets sovereignty. We put laconflessionalitat of-state (secular state)-There are individual rights, autonomy law, the regions that we ask We put universal suffrage-commandeering a useful public-goods anticlericalismo (sacusava church in the delay of Spanish society, because monopolize teaching)-There was no consensus in terms of religion: Articles 26.3 and 27 prohibits the teaching religious orders, and dissolved the company of Jesus. The Republican government of the republic was President Alcala Zamora Nieto, Manuel Azana charge that forms government. The new government had gained from using the Constitution to continue the reforms set out by the interim government and make laws of agrarian reform and military lestatut Granting of autonomy in Catalonia. The task of governing a religious issue: separation of church and state: “anticlericalismo-Dissolution Company of Jesus as a confiscation of property-We put the civil marriage, divorce and the secularization of cemeteries Lany-1933 is the law congregation that the church banned religious orders and tasks of teaching and trade. -Names of person: Love, Freedom, Harmony, Dalia-change was the feast of kings for the second week of the child. Modernizing lexèrcit: Minister launches Azaria reform: “The role of the armed forces is the defense Reduction of foreign-chiefs and officers-difference between metropolitan and colonial lexèrcit. -Excessive bureaucracy (officials) Material-anachronistic-created Guardia dAssalt. Closes lacademia general military Zaragoza. From August 4, 1932 concerning the state occurs once led by General José Sanjunjo Monarchist. It creates Lume (Spanish military union) in 1923, right-wing military. 3. Agrarian reform: the year 1932 saprova agrarian reform law. -The population was important agricultural estates and there-distribution of property among the peasants was slow and did not get the expected number of owners, without compensation only occurs lexpropiació land size of Spain. The remaining land (other members of the nobility, gentlemen, grown evil …) with prior compensation · Problems: a) payment of compensation, b) the right to reunification of the law is considered revolutionary, c) and discontent camperal repression (Casas Viejas)-Failure of reform, is blamed for state-Stirring dincompetent field Andaluz 1932-1933-A creates the year 1922 the Catalan peasant union union-Rabassaires The parliament adopted the law of Catalonia and Madrid darrendaments abolition · the. 4. The autonomy – Are the Elimination of state-centralist model respond to the aspirations of the communities dautogovern History: Euskadi, Catalonia and Galicia 4.1. The proclamation of autonomy for Catalonia for the Catalan Republic Francesc Macia, lasted from 14 to 18, April, Arrives lendemà three ministers and the interim government has to give up national sovereignty. Catalonia obtained a provisional regime dautogovern. The Generalitat of Catalonia (21, April) and the commitment to draft a status of autonomy between 10 and 20 June 1931 a committee elected by representatives of Catalan city lassemblea met Nuria was completed and a draft of creating their own lEstatut Catalonia. The Catalan people was adopted in this preliminary reference from August 2, 1931 (adopted by the majority). 4.2. Lestatut of autonomy Lestatut Nuria lautodeterminació proclaimed the right of Catalonia. In Spain and Catalonia as a federal state as autonomous state within the Spanish republic. This text incompatible with the constitution. Lestatut became an award of the Republican Parliament and ceased to be the manifestation of the sovereign will of the Catalan people. On 6 May 1932 to begin the discussion of Les Corts lestatut.The process was very slow with the right attacks and anti-Catalan campaign, Cop destination Sanjurjo, 9 September 1932 was approved lestatut with respect to a very trimmed-loriginal Catalonia was incorporated as a region continued to monitor the teaching-Lestat , but the Government could create their own schools could suspend lestatut-Lestat-Skills: civil law own internal administrative arrangements, legal authority and public order-Statute of the Basque Country (PNV), L1 saprova doctubre-1936 Statute of Galicia (civil war ) 4.3. Francesc Macia, president of the Government on 20 November 1932 elections to the Parliament of Catalonia, ERC-led coalition wins, second is the coalition of the league. All matches were Damba Catalan. Macia was elected President of the Generalitat. He died on 15 December 1933, Lluís Companys, president of the parliament was replaced. Was adopted: “internal functioning of the Government-majority age at 21 years of financial policy and social legislation the workers’ world agricultural ERC (votes) / NCL (anarcho-syndicalists Prorepublica / anarchists integrated into the FAI want to implement this anarchist society ). NLC = National Confederation of Labor union worker orientation, founded in Barcelona in 1911, Nationwide. FAI = Iberian Anarchist Federation, Valencia 1927