Spanish Civil War: Causes and Trigger Factors (1800s-1936)

Posted on Sep 4, 2024 in History

Spanish Civil War: A Deep Dive into its Causes

**Poverty and Weakness:** Spain suffered from economic backwardness, relying heavily on agriculture and lacking widespread education.
**Rural Unrest:** Poor conditions fueled unrest among the peasant population, particularly those working on large estates (latifundios) in the South, where exploitation and near-starvation wages were common.
**Urban Hardships:** Towns faced similar challenges with child labor and low wages, although political organization was easier than in rural areas.
**Short-Lived Economic Improvement:** World War One brought temporary economic gains, but these did not benefit the poor in the long run.

**Repressive Army:** The army acted as a tool of repression, employing torture and shootings to quell dissent and brutally suppressing strikes with the help of the Civil Guard.
**Unpopular Church:** The Church faced widespread unpopularity and hindered education, contributing to high illiteracy rates (64% in the 1900s).

**Constitutional Monarchy:** Spain operated under a constitutional monarchy led by King Alfonso XIII.
**Bias in Governance:** Elections, laws, and parliament favored the ruling class, neglecting the needs of the poor.
**Right-Wing Dominance:** Despite universal male suffrage since 1887, politics remained surprisingly right-wing.
**Manipulation and Intimidation:** Elections were rigged through the use of brutal ‘caciques’ who supported the Liberals and Conservatives.
**Political Divisions:** While present, these were less impactful than socio-economic tensions and fear of the Army and Church.

**Two Major Left-Wing Parties:** The anarchists and socialists, despite their shared left-wing ideology, were often at odds and refused to cooperate.
**Trade Union Representation:** Anarchists were represented by the CNT trade union, while the socialists had the UGT.
**Opposition to the Right:** Both parties were in conflict with the right wing.
**Catalyst for Conflict:** This division, while significant, served more as a catalyst highlighting existing tensions rather than a fundamental cause.

**Rise of Dictatorship:** Following military defeats in Morocco, King Alfonso allowed General Miguel Primo de Rivera to establish a military dictatorship, undermining the monarchy.
**Dividing the Left:** Primo de Rivera further divided the left by allowing the socialist UGT trade union while suppressing the anarchists and their CNT union.
**Growing Opposition:** His failure to implement meaningful reforms, such as land reform and tax system changes, coupled with the withdrawal of Catalan rights, led to widespread opposition.

**Republican Leadership:** The Republicans, led by Azana, took office and implemented wide-ranging reforms.
**Key Reforms:** These included secular education, reduced army size, Catalan autonomy, and land reforms.
**Disappointing Outcomes:** Land reforms faced resistance and proved ineffective, strikes were suppressed, and the reforms were seen as too radical by the right and too limited by the left.

**Reversal of Reforms:** The new Radical CEDA government reversed the reforms of the Left Republic, leading to a period known as the “two black years.”
**Violent Repression:** The right-wing government engaged in violent repression of the left, exemplified by Francisco Franco’s crushing of an anarchist uprising in Asturias in 1934.
**Collapse of the Right Republic:** A financial scandal led to the collapse of the Right Republic in February 1936.
**Polarization and Tension:** The Second Republic significantly contributed to the polarization and tension that ultimately led to the Civil War.

**Popular Front:** The rise of the Popular Front, a coalition of left-wing parties, further escalated tensions and prompted Franco to form the fascist Falange party, inspired by Hitler, which planned a military coup.
**Assassination of Calvo Sotelo:** The assassination of Jose Calvo Sotelo, a prominent right-wing monarchist, by a socialist bodyguard in July 1936, accelerated plans for the coup.
**Failed Military Coup:** Franco’s attempted coup in July 1936, while unsuccessful, marked the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, a brutal conflict between the Republicans and the Nationalists that lasted until 1939, ultimately resulting in a Nationalist victory and the establishment of Franco’s fascist regime.