The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1939)
I. INSTAURACIÓ N OF THE SECOND RPCA and the Provisional Government
After the fall of Primo, Alfonso attempted the transition to constitutional monarchy. In this context, rpcanos, Catalan of izdas and PSOE signed the Pact of San Sebastian to overthrow the monarchy, the municipal elections of April 12 became a plebiscite and the triumph of the Republicans in large cities led to the abdication Alfonso XIII.
• a provisional government then arises, concentration, reflection of the Covenant, led by Alcala Zamora and composed of members of the R rpcana (Alcalá Zamora and Miguel Maura), the Paseo Radical (Lerroux and Mtnez Barrio), the Radical-Socialist (Albornoz and Marcelino Domingo) of Rpcana Izqda Azana, the PSOE (Indalecio Prieto Signed Rivers and Largo) and Basque nationalism, Catalan (d’Olwer), Galician (Casares Quiroga).
• Its main tasks were a series of reform measures and call elections constituents:
a) The first problems they must face the Rpca come from both his enemies, r. Church and monarchy, and its supporters-Catalan and working classes. The day he proclaimed the Republic, April 14, Macias, Rpcana Ezquerra, proclaimed in Barcelona the Catalan Rpca independent. However, Macia put an end to the government’s commitment to seeking a solution for Catalonia, and thus arises the Government in April. The other source of tension was seen by the Cardinal Segura, Archbishop of Toledo, who in a pastoral letter attacking the Rpca.
b) The reforms began with legislation designed to improve the employment situation and planning rural education reform. Also carried out measures to reform the army and ensure their loyalty. The reforms had the opposition of the army and the oligarchy, but, above all, of the Church. This fueled anti-clericalism and were burning churches and convents.
c) On June 28 were convened
GENERAL ELECTIONS Constituent Cortes of the results follows: a) the dominance of Republicans pos, b) the displacement of the electorate to the left formed by the PSOE and the left post of rpcanos c) the fragmentation of the political landscape: the R, disunited, was in the minority and the Center formed by the P º Radical and won 119 seats.
1931 N constitutionally.
The composition of the Court explained the democratic character and progress of the new Constitution. Was adopted after the controversial debates on nationalism and religion, that case involved the resignation of President and absence of 89 voting members. Its main features are:
A
Nature socializing, in defining the state as a workers Rpca, moderate expression for the phrase, – under pressure from the R-, “all classes”
B
Exaltation Republican, establishing a republican state by universal suffrage.
C
Significance liberal and pacifist orientation to “renounce war and proclaim” the observance of International RHS “as opposed to resorting to war of the European dictatorships.
D
State regional or comprehensive. Neither unitary or federal, if not between, open to autonomy and status of some regions. There is talk of regions rather than nations, as a concession to the Conservatives.
E progressive, significant in the extensive statement dchos and freedoms. Also picked for the 1st time, groups such as dchos dcho work, education, health and housing.
F secular state, recognizing freedom of conscience, civil marriage, divorce, secularization of cemeteries .. And prohibited the Church exercise industry, trade and education to the Orders not faithful to the Rpca.
G
novelty by creating such bodies as the Court of Constitutional Guarantees or the Permanent
H
Division of powers, strengthening the legislative chamber, compared to other powers and creating a room, the chair of the Rpca, elected by Parliament.
Days after the constitutional government was formed.
Two Progressive
II.On
December 31 to December 33
II.1 was established a government led by a Republican-Socialist coalition that passed the Law for the Defense of Rpca. The mayor was Azaña (Rpcana Left, the party of intellectuals and professionals, in favor of modernizing and democratizing Spain with reforms carried out without violence), which given the alternative of a pact with the radicals of Lerroux (center) and the PSOE, does it the latter. In a conciliatory gesture was handed the presidency to the conservative Rpca Alcala Zamora. This government, Biennium Reform, undertook an extensive reform program:
A. LAND
REFORM
It had three objectives: economic, increase production and income for peasant political, eliminate the power of large landowners, and social, gain support and avoid conflict. Already during the Provisional Government took a number of measures to protect tenants and laborers: prohibit landlords who evicted the peasants now are given Crops Intensification Decree laying two years would give up farming, uncultivated land farmers and the Agrarian Reform Law (1932). IRA is created, the Agrarian Reform Institute, responsible for expropriation with compensation, underexploited or unexploited estates directly, then divided among the landless.
B. Reform of Central
State
The Constitution mentioned the possibility that the regions could have access to autonomy. The government recognized the Government and people started to prepare the Catalan Statute, Statute of Nuria, April 31, under the initiative and approved Rpcana Ezquerra at 32. In the first election won Ezquerra Macias led to the presidency of the Generalitat and the Parliament Companys.
C. MILITARY REFORM:
Azaña as Mtro War, wanted to end the macrocephaly of the army and its political role, democratizing it. Therefore wanted to reduce its troops, ending the military justice system and ensure their obedience to civil power. By Act Azana retirement of officers, could move to the reservation with full pay which do not have the take-up.
D. RELIGIOUS REFORM
Established the State and non-denominational religious freedom, the removal of budget of worship and clergy divorce, civil marriage and the secularization of cemeteries, the dissolution of the Order of the Jesuits and the ban on teaching religious orders. Also in 1933, Law of Religious temples and monasteries were becoming public property.
E. SOCIAL REFORMS were the work of Largo, Prof. Of Labor to improve working conditions: the strengthening of trade unions in the country, Labor Contract Law, 8-hour day, extension of social insurance jurados, Law of municipal …
F. EDUCATIONAL REFORMS promoted a co-educational, secular, compulsory and free. It was a great effort
school construction, university education is supported (Ciudad Universitaria de Madrid) and increased the education budget by more than 50 percent.
NY II.2.LA oposició REFORMISTA at the biennium
The reforms polarized political life and antagonized
both of those most affected (Church, Army, landowners, employers’ organizations …) and the leftist radicalism promoting a wave of unrest, fueled by unemployment and harsh living conditions:
. A)
On the right, the conservative opposition to these reforms did organize themselves into political groupings:
–
The most important was that Gil Robles‘ CEDA, 1932, Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Dchas, which brought together Catholic sectors, traditional and dchas .- The monarchists, Spanish Renewal of Calvo Sotelo, almost fascist supporters of a coup state and P º Carlist or
Fal Traditionalist Count
– La Falange JA Primo de Rivera y las JONS, cut sets national union and fasc, Ramiro Ledesma and Redondo
. B) The opposition took shape in a military coup attempt state, Coded, Varela … That the Rpca passed gently, reflecting his insecurity, though, the uprising was the most dangerous in 1932 Sanjurjo
. C) For the left, the impatience with the timidity of the reforms, triggered a wave of conflicts and strikes:
– Farmers, encouraged by the anarchists, they resorted to illegal land occupation. They took the town hall
declared libertarian communism, they burned the land registry and promulgated collectivization, the uprising ended with the arrival of the Civil Guard or Assault. This happened in Arnedo, and in Casas Viejas Castillblanco
that killed 25. The incident was captured by the R and the left to force the collapse of the coalition and leaving the government socialists. The wear to the point that he resigned and Azana Alcalá Zamora dissolved parliament and set elections for irresponsibly November 193 3
III .- THE TRIUMPH OF THE CENTER-RIGHT
III.1 ELECTION OF 1933:
The President fixed the ballot in 1933, were the first in which women voted. The electoral law favored coalitions: the r. Took the opportunity to compete together-CEDA-and win, while the left went disunited and anarchists made the mistake to abstain.
RADICAL GOVERNMENT III.2-Lerrouxismo DBRE 1933-OCT-1934
After the triumph of the CEDA, followed by P ° Radical Lerroux form government with the support of the CEDA, but without your intervention. The CEDA realized that he had time to govern and waited until 1934, but controlled the reins of power. The Lerroux government enacts an amnesty law for the coup of 32, appoints senior officers to anti-republican army and initiates corrective policy reforms in the previous biennium and cessation of Agrarian Reform. Given these measures and what they considered a cryptofascist infiltration in power, the PSOE and the UGT were radicalized, promising revolution if he entered cedistas.
RADICAL GOVERNMENT III.3-OCT 1934-1936 CEDA
In 1934, the inclusion in the new government Lerroux three CEDA ministers, including Gil Robles, was performed by the left as an attempt to destroy the Rpca. Discontent leads to the October Revolution of 1934. The UGT grales leading strikes in various capitals. The declaration of war by the government and did little organization that had little success except in Madrid, Catalonia and Asturias:
• In Catalonia, Catalan Companys proclaims the State and the strike gral, inviting Barcelona izdas to form a government in opposition. But non-intervention of the CNT and the strength of the army foiled the revolution. Companys and his government were imprisoned.
• In Asturias, the miners organized the social revolution in order to socialize the means of production, was the Alliance
Obrera, an agreement between unions, socialists, communists and anarchists. The government ordered the Legion and Franco after harsh repression, 1500 dead, put down the revolt.
• Ultimately, PSOE and ERC had revolted against the legitimate Republican government, which some of their leaders mourn years later Everything is marked by the revolution, left the campaign for amnesty for the repressed helped accentuate the trend the left to unite in defense of their rights and the Popular Front emerged. Moreover, the government undertakes a reactionary policy and make a blueprint for amending the Constitution which provided for the abolition of divorce, civil marriage, autonomy in Catalonia and the Basque Country, cutting the education budget.
. On May 35 the government is in crisis and includes five members of the CEDA, with Gil Robles in the war ministry (which benefitted the uprising) and Franco as Chief of Staff, also came the EMU, with Sanjurjo, underground organization of officers who conspired against Rpca.
The discrediting of Lerrouxismo in the autumn, on the black market scandal brought down the government. Gil Robles wanted to be prime minister but chose Alcalá Zamora
a centrist, Portela Valladares.
IV .- Popular Front, 1936
Izdas A coalition won the elections, given the disunity of dchas. This coalition had a program: amnesty for prisoners in October, law enforcement reformist reformist biennium, in addition to the commitment that won the elections, would be dissolved and rule the rpcanos Azana. The new government of Azana republicanos.En composed exclusively of May 1936 Alcala Zamora was replaced by Azana as President and Casares Quiroga was appointed head of government. Although political forces were the same (without the PSOE in government) and the objective was to deepen the reforms of the biennium, this did not happen because of the instability. The disappearance from the political scene of Zamora, a great moderator, was a huge failure for Rpca losing an element of moderation, Alcala Zamora and a great head of government, Ana. Meanwhile, in the street the atmosphere was stifling and frequent breakdown of public order by the two sides in which politics had become polarized. To stop the rumors of a coup, the government moved to general more prone to the same far from Madrid. From there take the reins Mola, who was the chief until July 36. It was also a civil frame provided men and money: CEDA Falangists, Requetes, bankers and Juan March, and supported by Italy and Germany. The preparations for the coup were accelerated when the
Assault Guards Monarchist Calvo Sotelo was murdered on July 14 in response to the assassination of Lieutenant Castillo.