The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1939): A Tumultuous Era
The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1939)
The Fall of the Monarchy and the Rise of the Republic
In 1930, Primo de Rivera resigned, leading Alfonso XIII to form a new government under Berenguer. This government lasted until 1931 when it was replaced by Aznar’s administration, which held power until the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic on April 14, 1931.
The Provisional Government and the Constitution of 1931
The revolutionary committee transformed into an interim committee chaired by Zamora, who governed until October 14, 1931, when he was succeeded by Azaña. The Second Republic had two presidents: Zamora (1931-1936) and Azaña (1936-1939).
This provisional government, composed of figures like Lerroux (Prime Minister), Azaña (Minister of War), Prieto (Minister), and Zamora (President), proclaimed the Second Republic with widespread popular enthusiasm. It implemented various reforms, including updating the census, reforming electoral laws, establishing an 8-hour workday, reducing military service to one year, introducing a minimum wage, and creating 70,000 teaching positions. Most importantly, it called for municipal elections to gauge Republican support and presented a draft of a new constitution to Parliament.
The Republican Constitution of 1931
Following the elections, the courts elected a Constitutional Commission, chaired by Azaña, to draft the Constitution. Drawing inspiration from constitutions like Mexico’s 1917 Constitution, the German Weimar Constitution, and the Soviet Constitution of 1924, the Spanish Constitution was adopted on December 9, 1931. It comprised 125 articles, proclaimed Spain as a republic, established popular sovereignty, outlined a broad statement of rights and liberties, separated church and state, prohibited religious instruction, legalized divorce, established a unicameral parliament (Cortes) with members elected every four years, created a Constitutional Court, and provided for a President elected by Parliament every six years. It also laid the groundwork for the creation of autonomous regions.
This Constitution was highly controversial and faced significant opposition, particularly from Azaña himself, who reportedly stated that it was “a creation of the left but not Socialist.”
The Reformist Biennium (1931-1933)
The Reformist Biennium began after the elections of June 28, 1931, and lasted until November 1933. It was supported by the Republican-Socialist coalition that emerged victorious in the elections. This period was marked by significant social unrest, tensions surrounding church-state relations, and the constant threat of authoritarianism. Despite these challenges, the government attempted to address four major problems facing Spain.
The Agrarian Problem
The agrarian problem was a significant social and economic issue exacerbated by the crisis of 1929. In Spain, it manifested in an imbalanced land ownership structure, low technological development, a large agrarian population (almost 50%), crises in the wine and olive industries, and widespread strikes and protests. In 1932, the Law of Bases for Agrarian Reform aimed to address these issues by breaking up large estates, combating absentee landlordism, and redistributing land. This involved expropriating land from the aristocracy and granting it to peasants. The reform was primarily implemented in Andalusia, Extremadura, Toledo, Salamanca, and Ciudad Real, and its execution was overseen by the Institute of Agrarian Reform.
The Religious Problem
The religious problem stemmed from the Constitution’s treatment of religious matters. Cardinal Segura, the Primate of Spain, issued a warning about the dangers posed by the Republic, which led to the burning of convents and the expulsion of the Cardinal from Spain. The Republican government, through Articles 25, 26, and 27 of the Constitution and subsequent laws, severed church-state relations, legalized divorce, and declared equality before the law. These actions alienated the Church, leading to the formation of a Catholic political party called Popular Action in 1932.
The Military Problem
The military problem arose from the significant role the military had played in Spanish politics during the 19th century. The Second Republic aimed to address two key issues: the military’s technological backwardness and its bureaucratic bloat. Azaña proposed several reforms, including closing the Military Academy of Zaragoza, reorganizing the Ministry of War and the General Staff, centralizing the arms industry, reducing the number of military divisions to eight, demilitarizing Morocco, and abolishing the Supreme Council of Military Justice. These reforms, coupled with a controversial promotion system that favored anti-republican officers (like Franco), led to confrontations and conspiracies against the Republic, including the formation of a secret organization called the “Spanish Military Union.”
The Autonomous Problem
The Constitution of 1931, in Articles 11, 12, and 13, allowed for provinces with shared historical characteristics to apply for autonomy. In May 1932, Catalonia presented its Statute of Autonomy to Parliament, which was approved after heated debate and under the threat of a coup. This led to the formation of the Generalitat de Catalunya, with Francesc Macià as its president and Lluís Companys as the president of the Catalan Parliament.