Political Turmoil: Spain’s Second Republic and the Path to Civil War
The Reformist Biennium (1931-1933)
From the proclamation of the Republic, social conflicts were constant. Workers joined anarchist unions. Employers pressured the government, which, unwilling to lose control, used law enforcement to repress strikes. Clashes between workers, mining anarchists, the Civil Guard, and the Army in 1932 resulted in a dozen deaths and tens of injuries.
The Right restructured around Acción Popular, led by Gil Robles, which gained significant presence among Catholics and monarchists. The first appearance of Ramiro Ledesma’s JONS fascists also occurred. The political climate was further muddied by the expulsion of the Jesuits and the ongoing discussions in the courts regarding agrarian reform and the Catalan Statute.
Despite the excellent harvest of 1932, the summer passed with strong tensions, leading to General Sanjurjo’s failed coup attempt on August 10, 1932, for which he was arrested. After the coup’s failure, the government gained enough support to approve the Land Reform Law and the Catalan Statute. The Right exploited this confusion to intensify its criticisms.
The PSOE, under Largo Caballero, triumphed in its stance favoring abandonment of the coalition government and radicalizing the struggle, surpassing the PCE and CNT. José Antonio Primo de Rivera founded Falange Española, a fascist-style group that would later merge with Ledesma’s JONS. It soon became the most active right-wing group, using violence as a method to influence state action and achieve its goals.
The Conservative Biennium (1933-1935)
A ‘monocolor’ Lerroux government was formed. It gained parliamentary support in exchange for a promise to rectify the previous biennium’s legislative actions. An Amnesty Law was passed for participants in the Sanjurjo coup. Disagreement with Alcalá Zamora forced Lerroux to resign, leading to the appointment of Samper as Prime Minister.
The Land Reform was halted, and the Act on Freedom of Recruitment and Wage Fixing in the Countryside was passed. Caciques and employers began to abuse their power, and with the help of landowners, the Civil Guard regained control of villages where socialist mayors were powerless.
- Paralysis of military reform.
- Paralysis of school construction and cultural extension.
- The Basque Statute was paralyzed.
The October 1934 Revolution
This was the most critical period of the Second Republic, second only to the Civil War itself. Facing a tense political climate, continuous rural conflicts, and growing tension between political factions and the national government, an explosive situation led the labor left to prepare an armed insurrection. The CEDA’s entry into government was identified by many as a triumph for Fascism.
On October 5th, a general strike was called in all cities. Mobilization in Asturias escalated into an armed revolutionary insurrection. Workers and miners took up arms, perfectly organized, structured, and controlled throughout the province. The movement backfired in Madrid, where its leaders were arrested.
The Radical-CEDA Government (1934-1935)
The events of the October Revolution profoundly marked the remainder of the Republic’s period. Political life became polarized between those who sought to suppress the revolution’s aftermath to its ultimate consequences and those demanding amnesty. The continuing crisis culminated in a corruption scandal that led to the collapse of Lerroux’s government and the Radical leaders.
The Popular Front Government (1936)
Two major, irreconcilable blocs emerged:
- The Left, united under the Popular Front pact. Among its basic measures were the re-establishment of all legislation from the first biennium and the restoration of constitutional guarantees.
- For the Right, the dominant bloc comprised monarchists and the CEDA. Their alliance was founded on the denial of the revolution and the rejection of Marxism.
Azaña hastily formed a government composed only of Left Republicans, without PSOE participation, immediately implementing the Popular Front’s agenda. From the beginning, however, cracks appeared within the Popular Front. The government was caught between upholding the law and facing open provocation, conspiracy, and confrontation. A radicalized Left responded, further fueling the tensions.
The restoration of progressive legislation from the first biennium continued, and the Basque and Galician Statutes were to be addressed. The spring of 1936 was marked by clashes between radicals, leading to a dynamic of action and suppression that caused a significant escalation of violence between May and June. When the rebellion in Morocco began on July 17th, the Casares Quiroga government remained inactive, believing it to be a limited and doomed attempt. Two days later, the Civil War was a reality.