Spain’s Turning Point: Military, Political, and Social Upheaval of 1917
The Triple Crisis of 1917 in Spain
The serious difficulties facing the policy of the Restoration, combined with the problem of social unrest and military discontent, culminated in a general protest.
The Military Protest and the Juntas de Defensa
The Spanish army had an excessive number of officers. Tension was aggravated by the fact that promotions were made mostly by war merits. The strong discontent among lower and middle-ranking officers led to the formation of the Juntas de Defensa (Councils of Defense), military associations which constituted the majority of the garrisons. In June 1917, they launched a manifesto which blamed the government for the evils of the army and the country, calling for renewed political action.
The Political Crisis of 1917
In 1916, the government was in the hands of a Liberal cabinet. In April 1917, the Conservative Dato took power. In June, a representation of deputies demanded the reopening of the chamber. The state refused, declared a state of emergency, and censored the press. On the initiative of the Regionalist League, a Catalan Parliamentary Assembly was held in Barcelona, demanding constituent courts to reform the political system and decentralize the state. The assembly summoned all Spanish senators and deputies, but only 71 attended. The government banned the meeting and it was dissolved by the Civil Guard. The effort was unsuccessful due to a lack of support and poor understanding between conservative groups and the Catalan left.
The General Strike and Social Protest
In March 1917, the UGT and CNT trade unions agreed to a joint manifesto urging the government to intervene to stop price rises. In August, the UGT called a general strike. The protest spread throughout Spain and acquired a political character. The strike caused major incidents in Madrid, Barcelona, the Basque Country, and Asturias. The government declared martial law and ordered the army to quell the movement.
The Mancomunitat de Catalunya (1914)
The Mancomunitat de Catalunya was the first unified Catalan administrative body since 1714 and achieved major concessions toward Catalan self-government.
Background and Goals of the Regionalist League
The Commonwealth was preceded by local and provincial actions initiated by the Catalan Regionalist League when they gained governmental responsibilities in these institutions. The political program of the League focused on:
- Achieving improvements in infrastructure.
- Modernizing the education system.
- Promoting the Catalan language and culture.
Cultural and Educational Initiatives
These goals became central to the program of the Barcelona Provincial Council in 1907 when Enric Prat de la Riba was elected its president. To encourage and promote Catalan culture, the Institut d’Estudis Catalans and the Library of Catalonia were created, followed shortly by the founding of the Council of Educational Research.
Legislative Approval and Limitations
With the intention of providing organs for self-government in Catalonia, the Barcelona Provincial Council, with the support of other provincial councils, created a project to unify the four councils. Prime Minister Canalejas promised to advance this project, and a draft was approved by Parliament in 1912. However, circumstances did not favor its full implementation. Due to opposition within the Liberal Party and the assassination of Canalejas, the joint approval was delayed and ultimately only authorized the unification of the provincial councils exclusively for administrative purposes.