Spain 1936: Popular Front and the Road to Civil War
The Popular Front Government: February-July 1936
Government Formation and Initial Policies
Between February and July 1936, the Spanish political landscape saw significant shifts. Governments were formed exclusively by Republicans, led first by Manuel Azaña, and from May, by Santiago Casares Quiroga. During this period, Azaña also replaced Niceto Alcalá-Zamora as President of the Republic. The marginalization of more moderate political figures alarmed the public.
Key Political Decisions
- Granting of a general amnesty.
- Reinstatement of repressed workers.
- Restoration of the Statute of Autonomy for Catalonia and the Generalitat.
- Reinstatement of the reform program from the previous biennium, particularly land reform, with emergency measures.
Socialist Non-Participation
The Socialists (PSOE) did not participate in the government, a decision based on prior agreements and significant internal divisions within the party.
PCE’s Anti-Fascist Stance and Growing Influence
The Communist Party of Spain (PCE), adhering to the anti-fascist unity strategy promoted by the Communist International, prioritized the defense of the Republic and democracy against fascism, even over the immediate pursuit of revolution. The PCE openly criticized radical leftist positions, including those of the CNT and some PSOE factions. This strategic stance significantly increased the PCE’s influence in Spanish social and political life.
Trade Union Resurgence and Land Occupations
The trade union movement, spearheaded by the CNT (Confederación Nacional del Trabajo) and the UGT (Unión General de Trabajadores), launched an offensive to recover positions lost during the previous two-year period. Many farmers occupied lands from which they had been evicted. The government, while supporting the occupations, sought to regulate them by law. Conversely, many landowners ceased farming rather than hire unionized workers. In 1936 alone, there were approximately 200 land strikes.
Madrid’s Construction Strike
A notable strike wave occurred in Madrid between May and July, particularly in the construction sector. This strike involved over 100,000 workers and was marked by clashes between members of the UGT and CNT.
Escalating Violence and Military Conspiracy
Key military figures suspected of plotting a coup were strategically reassigned away from centers of power: General Manuel Goded to the Balearic Islands, General Francisco Franco to the Canary Islands, and General Emilio Mola to Pamplona, where he established contact with the Carlists. Despite these efforts, the military conspiracy resumed in February.
Terrorism escalated significantly. The coup plotters were supported by a series of attacks carried out by Falangist gunmen, aiming to destabilize the regime and create social unrest. These included aborted assassination attempts on figures like Luis Jiménez de Asúa and Francisco Largo Caballero, as well as successful murders such as those of Manuel Pedregal, Carlos Faraudo, and Lieutenant Antonio de los Reyes. During this period, José Antonio Primo de Rivera was imprisoned, and his party, the Falange, was banned.
Leftist Retaliation and Key Assassinations
In response, many leftists, forming armed militias, took the law into their own hands and retaliated against these attacks. In this highly charged atmosphere, on July 12th, José Castillo, a Socialist and a lieutenant of the Assault Guard, was murdered. The very next day, colleagues of Castillo went to the home of José Calvo Sotelo, then the most prominent parliamentary figure of the extreme right, and assassinated him.
The Brink of Conflict
The pervasive atmosphere of political violence and uncertainty, similar to that experienced by many European nations since the First World War and in some regions of Spain during the monarchy, did not, however, mean that a climate of civil war already prevailed throughout the country, or that war was inevitable. Yet, these events undeniably pushed Spain closer to the brink.