Spain Under Primo de Rivera: Military and Civil Rule
The Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1930)
The coup of Primo de Rivera came a year after Mussolini’s accession to power in Italy. While the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera was not fascist, it was heir to the regenerationist theory: order in the country. During the early years of the dictatorship, many social sectors generally welcomed it. Rural Spain, controlled by the chiefs, supported the dictatorship all the way, and others collaborated with them, at least initially; this was the case of the PSOE and the UGT. Nationalists faced him, and generally performed more repression.
Primo de Rivera presided over two governments: a Military Directory (1923-1925) and a Civil Directory (1925-1930). During the Military Directory, constitutional guarantees were suspended, and the functioning of the Administration was in the hands of the Army. The Patriotic Union, a national single-party, was founded. The most important action of this period was the resolution of the problem of Morocco. In 1925, a joint action of France and Spain beat the Riffian troops of Abd el-Krim through military action in the Bay of Alhucemas (Alhucemas Landing).
During the Civil Directory, the dictatorship’s action focused on creating corporations regarding employment, which would replace political parties, and creating a National Constituent Assembly, elected on a non-democratic basis. The members of which were landowners, thus defeating the initial regenerationist attempt of this civil directory. Some policies of interest were made: the construction of new roads, modernization of the rail network, an increased number of primary schools, the establishment of schools of work (training style), and the creation of several monopolies in key sectors of the economy (CAMPSA, Telefónica). The growing opposition to the regime and confrontation with the military were instrumental in the fall of Primo de Rivera.
The Fall of Primo de Rivera and the Path to the Second Republic
Besides, popular opposition may be motivated by the dictator’s hostility to Catalanism and the granting of privileges to the Church in higher education. The crisis of 1929, which caused a progressive deficit in the trade balance, was another reason causing the fall of Primo de Rivera. On January 28, 1930, the dictator resigned and went into exile in Paris. The king ordered General Berenguer to form a government, who promised to return to constitutional normality. However, as he did so gradually, the opposition thought that he was preventing reforms.
So, Republican and nationalist parties led a meeting with almost all political forces, led by Alcalá-Zamora, and signed the Pact of San Sebastián (August 1930). It was a revolutionary committee led by Alcalá-Zamora, in contact with the military, that studied a military coup to bring about the Republic. The idea was to match the rising of some army units with a general strike. Social unrest was stressed and, despite the failed general strike attempt, the conspiracy to establish the Republic continued, but without achieving any success. Berenguer resigned, and the king appointed Admiral Aznar as chairman, who called for municipal elections. These elections were raised by the parties that signed the Pact of San Sebastian as a referendum on the monarchy. The elections of April 12, 1931, were favorable to Republican candidates. Alfonso XIII abdicated two days later and went into exile in Paris. The same day, a provisional government of the Second Spanish Republic was formed, chaired by Niceto Alcalá-Zamora.