The Second Spanish Republic: From Democratic Hopes to Civil War
The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1936)
Antecedents
Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1930):
- Opposition to the regime from various political factions, including liberals and conservatives.
- Formation of republican organizations and leftist movements.
- Discontent within the army and student demonstrations.
- Attempted military uprising in 1929.
Economic Crisis: The Wall Street Crash of 1929 severely impacted the Spanish economy.
Political Instability: Resignation of Primo de Rivera and the failure of subsequent governments to address the growing discontent.
Pact of San Sebastián (1930): Republican and regionalist parties formed an alliance to overthrow the monarchy.
Proclamation of the Republic
Municipal Elections (April 1931): Republican victory led to the abdication of King Alfonso XIII and the proclamation of the Second Republic on April 14, 1931.
Provisional Government: A coalition government was formed, comprised of republicans, regionalists, and socialists.
Reforms and Challenges (1931-1933)
Constitution of 1931: Established a democratic republic with universal suffrage, separation of powers, and guarantees of individual rights.
- Land Reform: Aimed to redistribute land from large estates to landless peasants.
- Labor Reform: Introduced measures to protect workers’ rights.
- Educational Reform: Expanded access to education and secularized schools.
- Regional Autonomy: Granted autonomy to Catalonia and other regions.
Challenges:
- Economic difficulties: The Great Depression continued to impact the Spanish economy.
- Opposition from the Church: The Republic’s secular policies faced resistance from the Catholic Church.
- Political polarization: The left and right wings of the political spectrum became increasingly divided.
- Social unrest: Strikes and protests were common.
Biennium of the Right (1933-1936)
Elections of 1933: A right-wing coalition, led by the CEDA (Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Right-wing Groups), won the elections.
Conservative Policies: The government reversed many of the reforms implemented by the previous administration.
- Land reform was halted.
- Religious education was restored.
- Regional autonomy was curtailed.
Political Instability: The government faced numerous crises and ministerial changes.
Revolution of 1934: An uprising in Asturias, led by socialists and communists, was brutally suppressed by the government.
Popular Front and the Road to Civil War (1936)
Elections of 1936: A left-wing coalition, known as the Popular Front, won the elections.
Return to Reform: The Popular Front government reinstated the reforms of the previous republican government.
Political Violence: Tensions between the left and right escalated, leading to increased violence and assassinations.
Military Coup (July 1936): A group of military officers, led by General Francisco Franco, launched a coup against the government, triggering the Spanish Civil War.
Consequences
: social division and confrontation politicos.inicio the coup and civil war began