The Second Spanish Republic: From Reform to Civil War
The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1939)
The Fall of the Monarchy and the Proclamation of the Republic
Following the dictatorship of General Primo de Rivera, Spain experienced a period of political instability. The municipal elections of April 12, 1931, saw a victory for the Republican-Socialist coalition in urban areas. Despite the monarchist victory in rural areas, the electoral system favored the Republicans, leading to the proclamation of the Second Republic on April 14, 1931. King Alfonso XIII went into exile.
The Provisional Government and the 1931 Constitution
First Steps:
- Amnesty for political prisoners
- Freedom of parties and unions
- Eight-hour workday
- Mixed juries (employers and workers)
- Provisional Government of Catalonia
- Call for a Constituent Assembly
The 1931 Constitution (Approved in December 1931):
- Universal suffrage (male and female)
- Secular state
- Declaration of individual rights and civil liberties
- Private property with the right of expropriation for the common good
- Unicameral legislature
- Executive power in the government and the President of the Republic
- Independent judiciary
- Unitary state with the possibility of autonomous governments
Niceto Alcalá Zamora became the first President of the Republic, and Manuel Azaña was appointed Prime Minister.
The Reformist Biennium (1931-1933)
The first government, a coalition of Republicans, Socialists, and Catalan Nationalists, aimed to modernize Spain rapidly. This faced opposition from the military and monarchists who were unhappy with the Republic.
Key Reforms:
Military Reform:
The Spanish army was large and outdated. The military reform aimed to address these issues and reduce the risk of a coup. The law allowed early retirement for officers with full benefits, effectively removing potentially problematic officials. The Military Academy of Zaragoza, led by General Franco, was closed. Some generals were moved to more peripheral locations (Franco to the Canary Islands, Mola to Pamplona, Goded to Majorca).
Religious and Educational Reform:
The government sought to reduce the influence of the Catholic Church in Spanish society and education. The Church was separated from the state and lost its financial support. Religious orders were prohibited from teaching, with the state taking over education through the creation of public schools. This period saw increased investment in school construction and teacher training. The Jesuits were disbanded, civil marriage and registry were introduced, cemeteries became municipal, and a divorce law was created.
Territorial Reform:
The state was decentralized, and Statutes of Autonomy were drafted. The Catalan and Basque Statutes were approved, while the Galician and Valencian Statutes were not completed before the outbreak of the Civil War.
Agrarian Reform:
Southern Spain had a high concentration of large estates (latifundia) and landless peasants. The 1932 Agrarian Reform Act declared uncultivated land expropriable and allowed for its distribution among peasants. This followed the attempted coup by General Sanjurjo in 1932. Expropriation with compensation was to be paid by the Institute of Agrarian Reform (IRA). However, the reform was slow due to bureaucracy, resistance from landowners, and lack of funds. Workers grew impatient, leading to land occupations and disillusionment with the Republic.
Opposition to the Reforms
The reforms faced strong opposition from various groups:
- Large landowners
- The Catholic Church hierarchy
- Sections of the army
- Parts of the upper and middle classes
The UGT and the anarchist FAI radicalized, calling for social revolution due to the slow pace of reforms. The Republic responded with force to protests (Alt Llobregat in 1932 and Casas Viejas in 1933).
Right-wing forces grouped under the Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Rights (CEDA), led by Gil Robles. The Falange, a Spanish fascist party led by José Antonio Primo de Rivera, also emerged. Monarchists and Carlists joined the opposition to the Republic.
The Conservative Biennium (1933-1936) and the Popular Front
Following Azaña’s resignation after the Casas Viejas incident, new elections were held in November 1933. A center-right coalition won, and Alejandro Lerroux (Radical Party) became Prime Minister, supported by CEDA. A period of counter-reform began, including halting agrarian reform, improving relations with the Vatican, and granting amnesty to those involved in the attempted coup.
The Popular Front (1936):
In the February 1936 elections, center-left parties formed the Popular Front, with the CNT recommending a vote for this coalition. They aimed to revive the spirit of the first biennium. The right was divided, seeking to reform the 1931 Constitution in a more conservative direction. The Popular Front won, and Azaña became President. The reforms initiated in 1931 were resumed.
The Coup d’état and the Start of the Civil War
The division between left and right intensified. The left sought revolution, while the right aimed to crush the Republic. The murder of Calvo Sotelo (right-wing politician) in retaliation for the murder of Lieutenant Castillo (socialist) triggered the coup d’état. It began on July 17 in Spanish Morocco and on July 18 in mainland Spain, marking the beginning of the Spanish Civil War.