Spain’s Political Arena: Early 20th Century Reforms & Factions
Spanish Political Arena: Early 20th Century Reforms & Factions
Government Reforms and Social Policies
Initially, the government aimed to limit the Church’s power. This involved reforming its funding, as the Church still received salaries that the government attempted to cut. The Padlock Law was also created, designed to prevent new religious orders from establishing themselves in Spain if they were not to the Church’s liking.
Regarding social policy, a significant measure was the law to abolish the ‘remplazos’ system (paid military exemption). This made military service compulsory for all, eliminating the option to pay for an exemption.
Additionally, a series of laws were introduced to improve working conditions. There was also an attempt at rapprochement with Catalan nationalists through Canalejas’s bill on commonwealths (Mancomunidades). This bill proposed creating a Catalan Commonwealth, potentially by restructuring provincial divisions as requested by Catalonia. However, this project was halted when Canalejas was assassinated.
Key Opposition Movements
Republicanism: Divisions and Leaders
Republicanism was the main opposition force to the dynastic parties, but it was quite divided between federal and unitary factions. An attempt was made to unite all Republicans, and in 1903, they contested the elections together under the name Republican Union. The leader of this union was Nicolás Salmerón.
One branch of republicanism that gained significant traction in Catalonia was led by Alejandro Lerroux. He was a very controversial figure, an able politician who used extremely radical language and a populist discourse in his speeches (often exaggerating and not strictly adhering to the truth). He was profoundly anti-Catalan and very anti-clerical (against the Church). These speeches attracted considerable popular support, particularly among Catalan workers, as Catalan workers were not strongly Catalanist (Catalanism was more prevalent among the bourgeoisie). Lerroux eventually broke with the Republican Union and founded his own party in 1908: the Radical Party. Lerroux then decided to move to Madrid, believing he would find similar support and success there, but this was not the case. Over time, his language gradually moderated, and he increasingly adopted right-wing positions.
Carlism: Succession and Schisms
The Carlist pretender, Carlos VII, died in 1909. His son, Jaime, Duke of Madrid, then became the new Carlist pretender to the Spanish throne.
However, disputes within Carlism grew, especially during the First World War, leading to a schism. Consequently, in 1919, one of the Carlist leaders, Juan Vázquez de Mella, separated from mainstream Carlism and founded his own party, the Traditionalist Catholic Party. Carlism was most prominent in the Basque Country, Navarre, and Catalonia, although it also began to gain support in some areas of Andalusia. It was not until the Second Republic in 1931 that all Carlist factions reunited into a single party called the Traditionalist Communion.
Labor Movements: Socialism & Anarchism
Within the labor movement, these were the two main ideologies. Socialism was more established in Madrid, Asturias, and Biscay, while anarchism had a stronger presence in Catalonia, Andalusia, and Valencia.
Socialism: PSOE, UGT, and the Rise of PCE
The Socialist Party (PSOE) was founded, and its membership grew during the early twentieth century. The Socialist Party aimed to participate in political life and contested elections, considering this the path to power. Furthermore, they did not rule out potential agreements with the bourgeoisie if deemed necessary. The political system was corrupt, making it very difficult for other groups to gain representation. The first time the Socialist Party secured a deputy in the Cortes (Spanish parliament) was in 1910, with Pablo Iglesias.
They had a trade union called the UGT (General Union of Workers). The growth in UGT membership was even more significant. Its primary goal was to defend workers’ rights, and one of its key leaders was Francisco Largo Caballero.
In 1917, the Russian Revolution broke out, which had a significant impact on public opinion. For the first time, workers had taken power in a country, and many workers worldwide looked to the Russian Revolution as an example. A faction within socialism emerged that supported the Bolshevik line of the Russian Revolution. This disagreement led to these Bolshevik supporters founding their own party in 1921, the Communist Party of Spain (PCE). It can be said that the PCE was more radical than the socialists.
Anarchism in Catalonia
The anarchist ideology was more influential within the workers’ movement in Catalonia. There were various currents within anarchism: