The Second Spanish Republic: Reforms, Conflicts, and Civil War
The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1939)
Agrarian Reform
The Republic established the Agrarian Reform Institute (ARI) with a threefold goal: dismantling landlordism, penalizing absentee landowners, and providing farmers with rewarding work opportunities. The reform targeted Andalusia, Extremadura, and Castilla La Mancha, aiming to benefit 60,000 farmers. However, various issues led to its failure, including difficulties in accessing credit, the state’s inability to provide compensation, and the ineffectiveness of the ARI.
Social Reforms
Socialist efforts, spearheaded by Largo Caballero at the Ministry of Labor, led to significant social reforms. These included the Law of Municipalities and the establishment of labor courts (Jurados Mixtos). The reforms aimed to secure the rights and working conditions of municipal employees.
Education Reform
The Republic prioritized educational reform, focusing on improving teacher training and increasing their salaries. Educational Missions were launched to bring culture and education to rural areas. The Second Republic earned the nickname “Republic of Teachers” due to its emphasis on education.
The Nationalist Challenge
Catalonia: Concerns regarding Catalan nationalism were addressed by granting Catalonia autonomous status. The region gained its own government, the Generalitat, led by Francesc Macià of the Republican Left of Catalonia (Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya).
Basque Country: Basque nationalism, fueled by Sabino Arana, presented a greater challenge. Arana’s call for a meeting of mayors to proclaim a Basque Republic in Guernica was banned by the government.
Other Regions: Galician and Andalusian nationalism also experienced a revival during this period.
Army Reform
The Republic aimed to reform the army by reducing the number of officers and operational units to achieve cost savings and improve efficiency. The government sought to ensure the army’s subordination to civilian authority. Modernization efforts were also undertaken to address the army’s technological deficiencies, including early retirement programs. The Assault Guard, an urban police force, was created. However, despite these efforts, the army remained largely unrepublicanized.
Evolution of the Republic: Three Phases
The Second Republic’s lifespan can be divided into three distinct phases:
- The Progressive Biennium (1931-1933):
- The Conservative Biennium (1933-1936):
- The Popular Front (1936):
The Progressive Biennium (1931-1933)
The Republic began with Niceto Alcalá-Zamora as President and a coalition government led by Manuel Azaña and the Socialists. Azaña’s “accelerated reforms” aimed to eliminate obstacles to Spain’s modernization. However, the Republic faced numerous challenges:
Relations with the Catholic Church: Relations with the Church were strained, with widespread anticlericalism manifesting in the burning of convents. The government’s actions further alienated many Catholics.
Popular Discontent and Labor Unrest: Popular discontent and labor unrest grew, exemplified by the Casas Viejas incident, which portrayed Azaña as a repressor and damaged his prestige.
The Rise of the Right: The “accelerated reforms” angered the right wing, who sought to utilize the army. General José Sanjurjo’s attempted military coup in Seville failed. The right found a more effective vehicle in the CEDA (Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Rights), led by José María Gil-Robles.
The Conservative Biennium (1933-1936)
The October 1933 elections brought the right to power, with a coalition of conservatives (CEDA), the political center (led by Alejandro Lerroux’s Radicals), and support from most Catholics. The CEDA, while accepting the Republic, harbored doubts about its commitment to republicanism. The period witnessed the outbreak of the October Revolution of 1934, further polarizing political positions. Fascist groups like the Spanish Falange, founded by José Antonio Primo de Rivera, emerged, and right-wing extremism intensified under José Calvo Sotelo, leader of the monarchist Renovación Española.
The Popular Front (1936)
The February 1936 elections were preceded by a tense campaign between the divided left and right. The left united under the Popular Front, comprising Republicans, Socialists, and Communists, with anarchist support. The Popular Front won the election.
Azaña formed a government, but the PSOE had become radicalized, viewing the Popular Front as a mere electoral alliance. Alcalá-Zamora’s removal as President and his replacement by Azaña further complicated the situation. Casares Quiroga became Prime Minister.
The Outbreak of the Civil War
On July 17, 1936, the Melilla garrison revolted, triggering the Spanish Civil War. Franco flew to Tetuan to lead the rebellion, while the uprising spread across the mainland, met with inaction from Casares Quiroga. The initial failure of the uprising in major cities led to a protracted civil war, with France playing a decisive role.
Conclusion
The Second Republic’s modernization and reform efforts were tragically cut short by the Civil War. The conflict represented a clash between authoritarianism and democracy, ultimately resulting in a military dictatorship that suppressed freedom and progress in Spain for forty years.