Spain’s Early 20th Century: Society, Economy, and the 1917 Crisis
Spain in the First Third of the 20th Century: Society and Economy, The Crisis of 1917
Introduction: The Spanish Political Situation in the First Third of the 20th Century
In 1902, Alfonso XIII was crowned king, and his reign lasted until 1931. Broadly speaking, this period is characterized by:
- The king actively intervened in the political system. In his diaries, Alfonso XIII expressed his intention to be an active king and not remain on the sidelines.
- Until 1923, government changes were constant and often responded only to the monarch’s will.
- The parties lacked clear leadership. In the first decade of the 20th century, Maura, in the Conservative-Liberal Party, and Canalejas seemed to be indisputable authorities. However, Canalejas’ assassination and Maura’s resignation after the Tragic Week left the bipartisan political system without influential figures.
- A military event contributed to the increased weakness of the system: the Disaster of Annual. The Spanish army suffered a clear defeat in Morocco against the militias of Abd-el-Krim. Investigations into the disaster pointed to the responsibility of military leaders such as Berenguer and even Alfonso XIII himself.
- From 1923 to 1930, the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera, supported and protected by royal power, was established.
- Anti-system parties gained positions, from the extreme right-wing fundamentalist Carlists to Republicans and labor movement organizations, both anarchists and socialists.
Finally, in 1931, the Second Republic was declared.
Economic and Social Structures
Unlike other European countries, Spain was, at the beginning of the 20th century, a largely agrarian nation. About 70% of the population worked in the primary sector, while the population employed in industry was around 15%. The tertiary or service sector occupied the other 15% of the workforce and was mostly related to domestic service activities, indicating an economic slowdown.
In agriculture, traditional crops had stalled due to a lack of technical means. Moreover, there were structural problems regarding land ownership: large estates (latifundios) in the southern half of Spain and smallholdings (minifundios) in the north.
Industry was located in the Basque Country, Madrid, and Catalonia. It had suffered a blow with the loss of the colonial market and was not competitive in Europe. It needed state protection. The geographical concentration caused serious imbalances in income and wealth per capita between different areas.
Regarding society, one of the most marked differences compared to other European states was illiteracy, which affected over 60% of the Spanish population in 1900, compared to 25% in France. There were great social differences, accentuated by situations like the “quintas” system, which allowed exemption from military service by paying a fee.
- The upper class consisted of the nobility, landowners, the industrial bourgeoisie, and the political elite.
- The middle class was very small and was composed of medium-sized landowners, civil servants, and professionals.
- The lower class represented the vast majority of the population and consisted of industrial workers, laborers, service workers, and smallholders.
Working days were hard, sometimes lasting 14 hours, and wages were low. In this context, it is not surprising that revolutionary social movements developed, such as anarchists and socialists, often manifested in outbreaks of unrest.
The Tragic Week
One example that reflects the worsening of social problems is the Tragic Week in Barcelona in 1909. In this city, there was a strong anarchist and Republican movement.