Spain’s 1869 Constitution: Liberal Reforms & Legacy
Spain’s 1869 Constitution: Progressive Reforms
Genesis and Core Principles
Context of the 1868 Revolution
This authentic historical document, the Constitution of 1869, was drafted by deputies in the Constituent Assembly after the progressives won the election in 1868. Liberals were among the more moderate elements of the revolutionary movement.
Pillars of the New Charter
This constitution was progressive in nature. It established the national sovereignty of Spain as a state and as a parliamentary monarchy. The institutions in charge of forming the parliament would be both the Congress, which had the function of issuing decisions, and the Senate, responsible for confirming, modifying, or rejecting the resolutions adopted by the Congress, where the deputies, representatives of the people, met.
Key Rights and Freedoms
This constitution extended universal male suffrage. On the religious issue, it granted freedom of worship. The document addressed the consolidation of the bourgeois revolution of 1868, following the ideology of this revolution and responding to social demands issued by the people after the elections to the Constituent Assembly in 1869. It drew on other constitutions drafted after the bourgeois revolutions that occurred in Europe in 1868.
Economic & Political Vision
The main idea of this constitution was to lay the foundations for the economic and political development of a bourgeois type, with a liberal view of a market movement. It served as a response to the liberal-conservative political regime preceding it. This constitution also aimed to strengthen political leadership within a parliamentary monarchy. The candidacy for the throne was personified in the figure of Amadeo I of Savoy. The ideas of liberty, equality, and property were also very important in this constitution. It also sought to break the traditional form of government and establish a division of powers as a means to govern the country.
Historical Context and Impact
Response to Previous Regimes
The Constitution of 1869 was a response to the liberal-conservative regime that existed until then under the O’Donnell-Narváez government, which failed to respond to the aspirations for bourgeois development and the country’s needs. The Constitution was written as a means of strengthening the bourgeois revolution of 1868. During the previous administration, a military coup occurred at San Gil headquarters, led by General Prim. Faced with this crisis, coupled with Spain’s economic crisis, the Narváez government negotiated an alliance with the Democratic Party on the basis of dismantling the existing political system and constructing, through a Constituent Assembly, a new political direction.
The Democratic Sexenio Era
This new political situation in the country led to significant internal instability. These circumstances resulted in a loss of purchasing power for the bourgeoisie, sparking a popular revolt in the form of a bourgeois revolution, which, notably, occurred without bloodshed. Revolutionary Boards were established, and the Manifesto of the Revolutionary Junta of Cadiz was drafted. In this situation, Queen Elizabeth II decided to leave for exile in France, which marked the beginning of the effective Democratic Sexenio from 1868 to 1875. During this time, numerous government reforms were enacted, including the bourgeois liberal constitution itself. During the term of this decree, the search for a replacement monarch also began, an issue that provoked protests from the Carlists, who desired the coronation of Charles VII as successor. However, the monarchists saw Amadeo I of Savoy as the ideal successor to the throne.
Monarchy, Republic, and Opposition
However, Amadeo’s reign was short-lived due to various circumstances and popular disapproval, leading to his swift departure. This constitution was also abolished during the revolutionary process that led to the creation of the First Spanish Republic. Despite its progressive nature, the constitution also faced many detractors, such as the Federal Republicans and the nascent labor movement, which sought to end the existing liberal capitalist system in Spain.