The Tumultuous Years of the Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic: A Tumultuous Era
Alfonso XIII went into exile after the Republican victory in the municipal elections of April 12, 1931. On April 14, the Second Republic was proclaimed, forming a provisional government headed by Alcalá Zamora. The June 1931 general election saw a left-wing victory with 279 seats, compared to the center (119) and right (41). The Constituent Cortes drafted a new constitution, adopted in December 1931. This Constitution defined Spain as a “democratic republic”, a single state with regional autonomy. It established unicameral Courts elected by universal suffrage (including women for the first time). The state was declared secular, separating it from the Church.
Azaña’s Reformist Biennium
Azaña undertook an extensive reform program, the Biennium reformist, to address inherited problems. However, a poor economic situation and reluctance to increase government debt led to the failure of these reforms due to lack of resources. Key reforms included:
- Military Reform: Azaña aimed to bring the military under civilian control and increase efficiency by reducing the number of officers. However, lack of funds hindered modernization and created unrest among oficiales.
- Religious Reform: The subsidy to the clergy was removed, religion was excluded from schools, religious orders were forbidden from teaching, civil marriage and divorce were recognized, and the Society of Jesus was dissolved.
- Education Reform: Primary school was made compulsory and free. Funding for education was increased, leading to the construction of schools and the creation of more teaching jobs.
- Regional Reform: Catalonia was granted the Statute of Autonomy in 1932, establishing an autonomous government, the Generalitat, with jurisdiction over culture, public works, and public order. Macià was elected president. A draft of the Basque Statute was rejected for being insufficiently democratic.
- Land Reform: This sought to end landlordism. Lands were expropriated without compensation from the grandees of Spain, and poorly cultivated estates were expropriated with compensation. The land was to be leased to farmers. The Institute of Agrarian Reform was created. However, the slow pace and poor results of the reform disillusioned farmers, pushing them towards revolutionary anarchism.
The Radical-CEDA Biennium
The Azaña government resigned. The November 1933 elections resulted in a right-wing victory, with the CEDA becoming the largest party. They ruled in coalition with the centrist Radical Party led by Lerroux. The biennium radical-Counter CEDA implemented policies such as:
- An Amnesty Law for rebels involved in the failed Sanjurjo coup.
- Repealing the Act and adopting a budget for the Clergy.
- Reviewing agrarian reform, overriding expropriations, increasing compensation, and cutting the budget for its implementation.
- Problems arose with the Catalan Statute.
The halt of reforms led to increased social agitation. Socialists called a general strike that failed except in Asturias and Catalonia. These were suppressed by the Moroccan army, resulting in a bloody repression. The Lerroux government fell. Gil Robles wanted to be prime minister, but Alcalá Zamora, fearing both a right-wing and left-wing dictatorship, chose a centrist who dissolved parliament and called elections in February 1936.
The Popular Front and the Road to Civil War
The Popular Front, an alliance of all left-wing parties supported by anarchists, won the elections. The new government, headed by Azaña and composed exclusively of Republicans, decreed an amnesty for political prisoners, restored the Generalitat of Catalonia, and resumed progressive reforms, such as land reform. This caused discontent among the oligarchy. In May 1936, Alcalá Zamora was replaced as president by Azaña. Political life became radicalized, with violent acts by the Spanish Falange and frequent street battles between them and workers. The murder of Calvo Sotelo triggered a military uprising, leading to the Civil War.
The years leading up to the war exposed the deep conflicts dividing Spain. A population increase of over 1 million, coupled with mounting social tension and class struggle, contributed to the instability.