Spain’s Crises: 1905-1923
Crisis of Civilism
- Two Governments: Conservative (1902-1905) and Liberal (1905-1907).
1905: The satirical magazine Cu-Cut! published an anti-militarist joke. In response, 300 officers in Barcelona assaulted the magazine’s headquarters.
- They received support from the rest of Spain and demanded a law that would allow crimes against the military to be judged under a military tribunal.
- The Liberal Segismundo Moret agreed in 1906, breaking with Cánovas’ civilism.
The Catalans created a coalition led by the Regionalist League called Catalan Solidarity.
Crisis of the Pact of El Pardo
- Two Governments: Conservative (Antonio Maura, 1907-1909) and Liberal (José Canalejas, 1910-1912).
Maura strove for a law on local administration.
The government’s task was interrupted by the Tragic Week in July 1909. It was caused by the defeat of the army on the border of Melilla, which resulted in the town declaring a protest strike on the 26th. The government sent troops to control the situation in Zaragoza and Valencia on the 31st.
Two Implications:
- Break of Catalan Solidarity, as the League favored repression.
- General Protests in Europe against the government of Spain and Maura. Liberals and Segismundo Moret joined left-wing parties, demanding Maura’s resignation with the support of the press.
- Resignation of the government and Maura.
- Breaking of the Pact of El Pardo and the union of liberal parties with non-dynastic parties.
After the brief rule of Moret, the King entrusted Canalejas with the formation of a new cabinet. This cabinet approved the provincial commonwealths, established state arbitration in social conflicts, and suppressed the release of cash military service. Canalejas was murdered by an anarchist in 1912.
Multiple Crises of 1917 (1912-1918)
- Without matches for dynastic leaders, there were growing internal divisions.
The crisis began with a military movement against the treatment of officers destined for Morocco, who were rapidly receiving promotions due to war merits, along with the precariousness of the army’s material.
- The Junta de Defensa demanded promotion only by seniority and a salary increase. The government shut down the Courts.
Following this, a movement arose led by members of the League in Barcelona. The Parliamentary Assembly on July 19, 1917, requested a Constituent Assembly to reorganize the state and meet the communities. The meeting was suspended, and public order was enforced by arresting the participants.
- A general strike began on August 9th, spreading from the railways to other sectors of the country with the support of UGT, PSOE, and CNT. The strike was suppressed by the army within four days due to a lack of organization. In Asturias, the repression was the most violent and lasted over a month.
Decomposition of the System (1918-1923)
- Fragmentation of the dynastic parties and government instability.
- Petition of Autonomy, agitation, social disaster of Annual, and Barcelona were major developments.
There was increased social unrest (strikes). Armed clashes occurred between workers of the Sindicato Único in some sectors and groups of gunmen at the service of the Sindicato Libre or employers, causing hundreds of attacks. President Eduardo Dato was murdered in 1921.
- 1921: Spanish troops commanded by Fernández Silvestre suffered a heavy blow by the independence movement of Morocco, led by Abd el-Krim, with over 12,000 casualties.
Given all these crises, the Restoration failed to react. There were ten different governments from 1918 until 1923, seeking an alternative in the army in conjunction with the crown.