Spain: Crisis of Restoration to Republic (1917-1931)
Crisis of the Restoration and Dictatorship (1917-1931)
The Decline of the Monarchy (1917-1923)
The years separating the crisis of 1917 and the military coup of Primo de Rivera were characterized by strong political instability and social unrest, and the escalation of the war in Morocco.
Governments of Concentration
Between 1917 and 1923, thirteen governments were formed, which shows the lack of parliamentary support for the ruling parties. With the crisis of 1917, the political stability virtually came to an end, and successive governments were formed amid political instability accompanied by strong social unrest.
Social Conflict
Unions and political groups of the left radicalized their positions and boosted workers’ mobilizations. In the Andalusian countryside between 1918 and 1920, laborers occupied and redistributed land. The workers’ struggle was more intense among industrial workers, especially in Barcelona and its industrial area, where the strike of the Canadian electricity company in 1919 paralyzed the city.
Annual Defeat
In 1921, in Annual, the Spanish army suffered a resounding defeat, and over 12,000 soldiers lost their lives. The opposition called for an investigation into the responsibilities for the disaster.
Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1931)
In 1923, the Captain General of Catalonia, Miguel Primo de Rivera, with the consent of Alfonso XIII and the support of employers’ organizations and conservative political groups, staged a coup that ushered in a military dictatorship inspired by Italian fascism. He suppressed the Commonwealth of Catalonia and all public expressions of Catalan nationalism. There was also a large repression of academics, intellectuals, and left-wing organizations.
The Monarchy to Republic
The Proclamation of the Republic
Municipal elections were convened on 12 April 1931 and were presented as a plebiscite between the monarchy and the republic. The monarchist parties formed an alliance to stand united, but although the monarchists remained a force in much of the agricultural areas, the Republican-Socialist coalition won in the big cities and industrial regions. Faced with the new situation, King Alfonso XIII suspended royal power and left the country for exile. On April 14, 1931, the Republic was declared amid popular enthusiasm.
The Provisional Government
Immediately, a provisional government composed of Socialists and Catalan Republican Left was formed to start early reforms:
- Amnesty for political prisoners and freedom of parties and unions
- Social laws to improve the situation of day laborers
- Establishment of a provisional government of Catalonia, as a prelude to autonomy
In June 1931, elections were called to the constituent Cortes, which gave the majority to the Republican-Socialist coalition. The great task of the new Cortes was to develop a Constitution, which was passed in December of that year.
The Constitution of 1931
The Constitution recognized male and female suffrage and proclaimed the state non-denominational, although representing all faiths and beliefs. It presented a declaration of individual rights and freedoms, established extensive public and private rights, and recognized the right to private property but empowered the government to expropriate property deemed useful after approval of the constitution. Niceto Alcalá-Zamora was elected president of the republic, while Manuel Azaña presided over the government formed by Republicans.