Civil Directory of Primo de Rivera: Policies and Labor Relations
Civil Directory (1925-1930)
The Civil Directory, established by Primo de Rivera, aimed to resolve the Moroccan conflict and implement public policy under military discipline. This move was seen by some as an attempt to institutionalize the dictatorship.
Founded in November 1925, the council was led by Primo de Rivera and composed of civilians from the Patriotic Union (such as José Calvo Sotelo, Eduardo Aunós, and the Count de Guadalhorce) and military figures like Martínez Anido. The goal was to politically consolidate the dictatorial regime. Propaganda focused on economic achievements and the resolution of the Moroccan issue.
Economic Policy
State intervention was central to economic policy, with the primary objective of boosting industrial production and modernizing infrastructure. This was facilitated by the booming international economy of the “Roaring Twenties.”
Key initiatives included:
- Major public works projects, such as the National Tour Special Pavement, which modernized the Spanish road network.
- Modernization of railways.
- Waterworks to improve irrigation systems.
- Creation of river basin authorities.
Monopolistic policies were also implemented, including:
- The creation of CAMPSA (Compañía Arrendataria del Monopolio de Petróleos) in 1927, which monopolized petroleum imports, refining, and distribution.
- Granting the telephone monopoly to the U.S. company ITT.
Socio-Labor Policy
Under Labour Minister Eduardo Aunós, a paternalistic employment policy was implemented, organizing workers under state supervision. In 1924, the National Council of Labour, Commerce, and Industry was established, followed by the integration of the Institute of Social Reforms into the Ministry of Labour.
The 1926 Labour Code introduced social improvements, including maternity insurance, subsidies for large families, increased Social Security benefits, social schools, and public housing.
The National Corporate Organization, similar to Italian Fascist models, integrated workers and employers into joint committees, grouped by trades and professions at local, provincial, and national levels. This aimed to regulate working conditions, control the trade union movement, and prevent social unrest.
This system was widely criticized for being a mandatory joint union of employers and workers, which remained autonomous and was dominated by Socialists.
Dictatorship and Labor Movement Relations
Strikes decreased significantly after 1923. Primo de Rivera viewed the PSOE as the only honest party from the previous era. However, there were differing views within the PSOE:
- Anticolaboracionistas favored a humanistic and liberal socialism.
- Collaborators saw the dictatorship as a temporary system that could benefit workers.
Neither the PSOE nor the UGT saw significant membership increases. Francisco Largo Caballero joined the State Council as a worker representative but refused to participate in other organizations like the National Economic Council. After 1927, the Socialists refused to send representatives to the National Consultative Assembly, marking a shift towards a non-collaborationist stance.
The CNT was reduced to semi-clandestine activity, with its premises closed and its newspaper, Solidaridad Obrera, shut down. The radicalism of the CNT led to the formation of the FAI (Iberian Anarchist Federation) in 1927, which served as a strategist for insurrection within the trade union movement.