Spain’s First Republic: A Federal Experiment (1873-1874)
Spain’s First Republic (1873-1874): Proclamation
A Federal Character. The voting courts decided the proclamation of a republic, which was adopted on February 11, 1873. The elected Republican Federal Estanislao Figueras ruled with the support of his party members and some unitary Republicans. Much of the chamber was monarchist, and his vote was a Republican strategy to save time and organize the return of the Bourbon power. No country recognized the Spanish Republic, except the U.S. and Switzerland. The popular sector believed in federal social change. In many places, they occupied municipal corporations and constituted revolutionary boards. Catalonia wanted to proclaim the Catalan State, and Andalusia wanted to troubleshoot property interests. Republican leaders’ interest in respecting the law was externalized in the dissolution of the boards and the suppression of popular uprisings. Elections were called in constituent courts, and were won with an overwhelming majority by the Federal Republicans.
Opposition to the Republic
The Republic had to cope with the Carlist insurrection. It was a real open front, with the recruitment of an army. They got the domain from different territories traditionally Carlist. The war lasted much in Catalonia. In the sublevated areas, they thought it was independence and statutory and organized under principles that drove the language and regional institutions. It lasted until 1876. The war in Cuba also continued to spread without radicalizing the Republic, and they were able to improve the situation. In Cuba, they chose the monarchist solution of Alfonso and acted outside the Republican power. Cantonalism was a complex phenomenon in which mixed autonomist aspirations brought about by the federal intransigent Republicans’ vision of social revolution inspired by new internationalist ideas. It resulted from applying a radical and direct manner of the federal structure from below, driven by the desire to advance social reform.
Constitution of 1873
It followed the lines of the Constitution of 1869 regarding establishing democracy and recognizing broad rights and liberties. The Republic would keep a president, and the two chambers (Senate and Congress) declared freedom of religion and separation of church and state. It established that the Spanish nation was formed by 17 states and declared that power emanated from three levels: municipal, regional, and state, for the first time in federal. It posed that Spanish liberalism is not a centralist state.
Governments of the First Republic
Figueras proposed measures such as the abolition of popular consumption and conscription but resigned a few days later. The charge passed into the hands of Francisco Pi i Margall. His purpose was to undertake major reforms: developing a federal constitution, separating church and state, granting independence to the colonies, restoring discipline to the army, and developing a series of social laws abolishing slavery. In the colonies, the abolition of conscription, tax reform, and labor legislation were innovative initiatives that would not quell the cantonalist revolt. Francesc resigned and was replaced by Nicolas Salmeron. He terminated the policy of negotiating with the cantons and initiated a military action. The military intervention ended the insurrection. Salmeron resigned to avoid signing death sentences of the cantonalists.
Emilio Castelar
Leader of unitary Republicanism, more conservative on social issues, he tried to implement a policy of authority and power to control the vast problems suffered by the country. He granted allocations to military leaders to maintain public order. Faced with this situation, a sector of members reached an agreement to consider a motion of censure of the Castelar government to force their resignation.
General Pavia’s Coup (1874): Dissolution of the Courts
Upon finding out that General Manuel Pavia would form a leftist government, he demanded the dissolution of the Republican courts. The deputies resisted at first, but before the intervention of the Civil Guard, they left the chamber.
Serrano’s Government
To restore order, ending with Carlism and cantonalism, and preparing the return of Alfonso XII.
Pronouncement of Martinez Campos
On December 29, 1874, the ruling military Campos proclaimed Alfonso XII King of Spain. His monarchy would be a conservative Catholic regime that guaranteed the functioning of a liberal political system and restored political stability, social order, and tidiness.