The Spanish Revolution of 1808 and the Constitution of 1812
The Crisis of 1808 and the Dawn of Revolution
International and National Context
At the international level, the French Revolution’s influence created a crisis of the Ancien Régime, spreading Enlightenment and bourgeois ideals to America. Nationally, the Bayonne abdication triggered a power vacuum and the collapse of the Spanish monarchy. While the Bourbons ordered obedience to Joseph I, many Spaniards refused, viewing him as illegitimate. Local boards organized insurrections, forming provincial supreme juntas to coordinate sovereignty. This led to the creation of the Central Junta, which convened the extraordinary Cortes of Cádiz in 1810, marking the start of the revolutionary process. The Central Junta transferred power to a Regency in Cádiz, safe from Napoleon’s advance.
The Cortes of Cádiz and the Liberal Revolution
The Cortes of Cádiz initiated a bourgeois liberal revolution, aiming to transition from a stratified to a liberal society, ending the Old Regime (http://portales.educared.net/wikiEducared/index.php?title=Antiguo_Régimen&action=edit). Elected by universal male suffrage (http://portales.educared.net/wikiEducared/index.php?title=Sufragio_universal&action=edit) for those over 25, the Cortes included clergy, bourgeoisie, some nobles, but lacked representation from the working class and American territories. This constituent assembly (http://portales.educared.net/wikiEducared/index.php?title=Asamblea_Constituyente&action=edit) replaced the traditional Estates-General, allowing liberal ideals to be translated into legislation. Parallel to these events, the first American independence movements began.
Key Measures and Political Divisions
The Cortes established the Constitution of 1812, recognizing Ferdinand VII as king but proclaiming national sovereignty. Key principles included the division of powers, legislative power assigned to the Cortes, and a constitution inspired by France and the United States. The revolution aimed to dismantle the Old Regime and establish a constitutional monarchy. Key measures included economic freedom, freedom of trade, expression, and thought, legal equality, a parliamentary system, and freedom of the press (1810); abolition of the Inquisition (1813); and partial confiscation of church property.
Deputies were divided into liberals (supporters of revolutionary reforms) and absolutists (supporters of the Old Regime). Liberals were further divided into moderates and radicals, differing on the extent of freedoms.
The Constitution of 1812 (“La Pepa”)
The most significant achievement was the Constitution of 1812 (“La Pepa”), a compromise between liberals and absolutists. It established national sovereignty, a limited monarchy with separation of powers (legislative to the Cortes, executive to the king, judicial to the courts), fundamental rights (equality before the law, freedom of the press), census suffrage, abolition of guilds, and Catholicism as the state religion.
Implementation and Legacy
The Constitution’s implementation was delayed by Ferdinand VII’s return and the restoration of the Old Regime. However, it was revived during the Liberal Triennium (1820-1823) and influenced political thought throughout the 19th century.