Spain’s Restoration: Cánovas, Alfonso XII & 1876 Constitution
The Spanish Restoration System (1874-1923)
The Cánovas System, 1876 Constitution & Party Dynamics
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo began preparing for the monarchy’s restoration by founding circles, creating supportive groups, and using press propaganda for the Bourbons’ return. Alfonso XII was presented to the public through the Sandhurst Manifesto. Following the pronunciamiento of Martínez Campos at Sagunto, Alfonso XII was proclaimed King of Spain. This appointment, positioning him as a peacemaker, contributed to ending the Third Carlist War (1872-1876).
The Cánovas regime aimed to restore the traditional social order and dismantle progressive ideology. It established a liberal-conservative system that, while not fully democratic, sought to be inclusive and civil. The monarchy transitioned from a partisan issue to a broadly accepted political framework, bringing political stability and ending the chaos of previous wars and pronunciamientos. To maintain the regime:
- Military ambitions were channeled.
- The Carlist hierarchy’s influence was managed.
- The press and democratic institutions were controlled.
- Political centralization was enforced.
The Constitution of 1876 was proclaimed. Drafted outside the Cortes (parliament), it deliberately avoided contentious issues and was characterized by its ambiguity. This short and flexible constitution accommodated various political views, excluding Carlists and Republicans, and synthesized elements from the moderate Constitution of 1845 and the democratic Constitution of 1869. Key features included:
- Shared sovereignty between the King and the Cortes.
- A prominent role for the monarchy.
- A bill of rights (though often restricted in practice).
- Broad executive power for the King and his ministers.
- Restricted census suffrage until 1890, when universal male suffrage was introduced.
- A Senate with members appointed by the Crown, alongside elected and ex-officio senators.
- Catholicism as the state religion, with private tolerance for other faiths.
The Pact of El Pardo (1885), following Alfonso XII’s death, formalized the turno pacífico (peaceful turnover of power). This system aimed to stabilize politics and involved two main dynastic parties:
- The Liberal-Conservative Party (led by Cánovas), heir to earlier conservative and unionist traditions.
- The Liberal Fusionist Party (led by Sagasta), heir to progressive traditions, attracting some republicans and disaffected groups.
Typically, an incoming Prime Minister received the royal decree to dissolve the Cortes and call new elections. This system frequently relied on the encasillado (pre-arrangement of election results), patronage (clientelismo), and electoral fraud (pucherazo) to ensure the planned rotation of power.
Colonial Crisis, 1898 Disaster & Regional Movements
Following Alfonso XII’s death in 1885, the Regent María Cristina of Habsburg upheld the Pact of El Pardo. Práxedes Mateo Sagasta’s government, sometimes called the ‘Long Parliament’ of the Regency, enacted significant reforms, including:
- Universal male suffrage (1890).
- A more liberal press law.
- Greater academic freedom.
- The Law of Associations (1887).
- The Commercial Code (1885).
- The Civil Code (1889).
Regionalism gained traction, often driven by intellectuals who sought to revive regional languages and history through cultural initiatives like the Floral Games (Jocs Florals). They also advocated for the defense of distinct institutional and legal traditions.
Catalanism evolved from the Renaixença (cultural revival) and found support among both the working class and the bourgeoisie in Catalonia. Valentí Almirall was a prominent figure, presenting the Memorial de Greuges (Memorial of Grievances) in 1885, which defended Catalonia’s moral and material interests. In 1891, the Unió Catalanista was established, which later (1892) published the Bases de Manresa, a proposal for Catalan regional self-government. By the late 19th century, parts of the Catalan bourgeoisie shifted support from dynastic parties to moderate Catalan nationalism, culminating in the creation of the Lliga Regionalista (Regionalist League) in 1901.