The Second Spanish Republic: Reforms, Conflicts, and the Path to Civil War
The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1936)
The Proclamation of the Republic and the Constituent Period
On April 14, 1931, the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed, and King Alfonso XIII went into exile. Elections for the Constituent Cortes were announced. Emergency measures addressed the army, agrarian issues, the economic crisis, and the devaluation of the peseta. The June 28 elections saw high participation, and the Cortes formed a commission to draft a constitution.
The 1931 Constitution was progressive and democratic, vesting legislative power in Parliament and executive power in the government. It included a bill of rights and freedoms, established universal suffrage for adults over 23, and declared the state’s secularity.
The Economic Situation in the Thirties
Economic difficulties fueled mistrust in the Republic. Internal factors, including intense social conflict and tension between employers and employees, exacerbated the situation. The conflict peaked from 1933.
The Catalan Statute of Autonomy
Negotiations led to a provisional government tasked with drafting a Statute of Autonomy. A committee of experts convened in Núria. The June 1931 elections in Catalonia resulted in a victory for the Republican Left. Francesc Macià presented the statute to the Cortes in Madrid in August 1931.
Discussions began in May 1932, revealing three positions: the central government favoring autonomy, Catalan representatives seeking broader autonomy, and the opposition advocating for a unified Spain. The final text differed significantly from the Statute of Núria.
Following the statute’s adoption, elections in Catalonia resulted in a Republican Left victory. Macià formed a government and focused on the budget, social reform, education, and culture.
The Left-Biennium: Reforms and Conflict (1931-1933)
The Republican government aimed to transform the army, enacting the “Law of the Official Retirement.” Secularizing social life was another goal, leading to the dissolution of the Jesuit order and the nationalization of its assets. This sparked opposition from Catholic sectors.
Agrarian reform aimed to address the issue of large landholdings (latifundismo). Decrees were issued regarding leases, the eight-hour workday, and minimum wages, but the reform’s impact was limited.
Large landowners opposed the Republic. Educational reform aimed to promote liberal and secular education, with the state guaranteeing the right to education. The Ministry of Labour planned reforms to improve working conditions, but worker impatience and the reforms’ slow pace led to unrest, fueled by unemployment and harsh living conditions.
The Conservative Biennium (1933-1935)
The CEDA’s creation in late 1932 and the center-right’s victory in the November 1933 elections marked a shift in republican politics. The new government excluded the anti-republican sector of the CEDA. Agrarian reform was slowed, and religious reform was countered by allocating a budget for worship and clergy and attempting a Concordat with the Holy See.
In Catalonia, the Republican Left retained control of the Generalitat, leading to clashes with the central government. The inclusion of CEDA members in the government was seen as a step towards fascism, prompting general strikes in major cities. The Statute of Autonomy was suspended, exacerbating political tensions.
The Triumph of the Popular Front (1936)
During 1935, left-wing Catalan nationalist parties had initiated a process of policy convergence that culminated in beginning February 1936 with the formation of the Left Front. The rightist parties have reacted with the formation of the Catalan Front Order. In the rest of Spain, the rights were grouped in the National Block anomena’t. The results of the elections marked a clear division. A state-wide Popular Front won 48% and got the right 46.5% of the votes.Once known the results Manuel Azaria was named president of the Republic. In Catalonia’s parliament confirmed as president Lluís Companys, the Catalan government returned to power was to restore the Statute of Autonomy, Contract Law and growing again enters into force. In the rest of Spain, the triumph of the left led to a climate of social tension. The more conservative sectors of society reacted very negativament.Entre the right Falange assumed a strong role and foster a climate of civil war and political tension.
The Second Republic (1931 – 1936) The proclamation of the Republic and the constituent period: On April 14 the Republic was proclaimed and held the last cabinet meeting chaired by King Alfonso XIII, who left the same day into exile. The first actions were the announcement of elections to Constituent Cortes. In the following months were launched emergency measures regarding the army, the situation of farmers and, finally, was to tackle the economic crisis and the severe devaluation of the pesseta.Les elections of deputies to the Constituent Cortes 28 June 1931 were held with great participation popular.Les Courts immediately appointed a commission to draft a constitution. The constitution of 1931 was fairly advanced for its time, with a decidedly progressive and democratic. The full legislative power resided in Parliament. Executive power resides in the government formed by Council Ministres.La constitution presented a bill of rights and freedoms wide and genuine concern for social issues. Established universal suffrage for all adults over 23 years and declared secularity of the state. The economic situation in the Thirties: The economic indicators are the most powerful groups of mistrust towards the system of economic difficulties republicà.Les ‘republican period were the result mainly of factors interns.La Republic met an intense social conflict and tension that remained in continuous confrontation employees and employers. The fighting reached its peak from 1933. The Catalan Statute of Autonomy and the subsequent negotiations with the interim government led to the immediate creation of a provisional government, which took the name of Government. This government would have the primary task of drafting a Statute of Autonomy. To write the statute was elected a committee of experts met in Núria.Al end of June 1931 general elections were held in the constituent Cortes Catalonia and also mean a victory for Republican Left. Francesc Macia was presented on 18 August, the statute in the Cortes of Madrid, to be subject to discussion and subsequent approval. Outside Catalonia some sectors, especially the right, rose indignant against the claims of the Catalan people. The discussions began in May 1932 and appeared in three positions: the central government, in favor of granting autonomia.La moderate representatives of all the Catalans, who make a common claim of autonomy àmplia.La opposition, which generally advocated a united Spain. The final text had many differences with the Statute of Núria. Political forces in Catalonia were Republican, the Regionalist League, and finally left the Republican Catalan Marxism. The adoption of the statute was to terminate the period of provisional government.The first step was, therefore, the announcement of elections in Catalonia. The election results were similar to those of many other elections, Republican Left was the undisputed winner. Macià President appointed a government made up entirely of his party ministers. A first course of action the government was the government budget. Bodies were also create social reform. In the field of education and culture were established many schools and secondary schools and professional. The left-biennium: reforms and conflict (1931 – 1933) The Republican government was convinced that the army was one of Spanish institutions that required a profound transformation. For this purpose was enacted “Law of the official retirement. One of the first goals of the Republic was to limit the influence of the Catholic Church in Spanish society and therefore secularized social life. The fear of religious orders who had the influence over education led to the dissolution of the Jesuit order and the nationalization of its assets. This strong policy laïcització, cutting privileges at the Catholic Church and the outbreak of some phenomena of violence against the Church led a party of Catholics sectors considered this legislation as an attack on religion. The biggest problem, however, that the Republic was faced was the creation of an agrarian reform, to end the predominance of latifundisme. A first series of decrees established the ban to end leases, they set the eight-hour workday and determined the establishment of minimum wages. The results of the reform were limited.