Spanish Political Dynamics: Republicanism, Carlism, and Cuba (1876-1898)
The Evolution of Spanish Republicanism
Divisions and Adaptations Post-First Republic
Following the failure of the First Spanish Republic, Republicans found themselves deeply divided into various factions. This continuous reorganization of forces and events significantly diminished the effectiveness of their electoral support and political programs. The quickest to adapt to the new political conditions was the old republican leader Emilio Castelar, who founded the Posibilista Republican Party. This party accepted the political framework of the Restoration era.
In contrast, another significant group emerged around the progressive politician Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla. He led a shift towards a more radical republicanism, not ruling out violent action against the monarchy, and founded the Progressive Republican Party. However, its ultimate failure marked the end of the insurrectionary republican cycle.
Subsequently, some republicans opted for the centralist Republican Party led by Salmerón, which aimed to become the cornerstone for various republican options and trends. Liberal reforms, particularly the introduction of universal suffrage, stimulated the formation of coalitions like the Republican Union. This union successfully brought together diverse republican factions and achieved favorable results in the 1893 elections.
The Transformation of Carlism in Spain
Post-1876 Crisis and Adaptation
After their defeat in 1876, Carlism faced explicit prohibition by the state. The Carlist pretender, Carlos de Borbón, and several prominent Carlist leaders were outlawed. This plunged Carlism into a severe crisis, and the movement took time to adapt its activities to these new circumstances.
Cándido Nocedal, a key Carlist leader, managed to expand Carlist circles across Spain, though its core strength remained concentrated in Navarre, the Basque Country, and Catalonia. The party’s renewal was significantly influenced by Juan Vázquez de Mella, who in 1886 proposed a program tailored to the new political situation, known as the Act of Loredán.
In 1888, Ramón Nocedal, son of the aforementioned Carlist leader, spearheaded a significant split. He founded the National Catholic Party, which refused to recognize the Carlist pretender and evolved into a purely fundamentalist Catholic party.
From 1890 onwards, Carlism underwent a rebuilding process with the ambition of transforming into a mass party. Local assemblies, known as “Circles,” were organized and spread throughout Spain, aiming to broaden their popular base.
Cuba: The Pearl of the Antilles and Spanish Colonialism
Post-Zanjón Reforms and Political Landscape
Following the Peace of Zanjón (1878), the Spanish administration in Cuba was expected to implement a series of reforms. These reforms aimed to grant Cubans the same rights of political representation in the Spanish Cortes as those enjoyed by residents of the Iberian Peninsula.
Mirroring the bipartisan model of the Peninsula, two major parties emerged in Cuba:
- The Autonomist Party, primarily composed of Cubans.
- The Constitutional Union, a party with strong Spanish nationalist militancy, largely comprising peninsular Spaniards settled in Cuba.
Sagasta’s Liberal Party in Spain showed some favor towards improvements, but only managed to achieve the formal abolition of slavery in 1888. In 1893, the Liberals proposed a reform bill for the island’s colonial statute in the Cortes, but it was defeated due to pressure from powerful Spanish economic groups with business interests in Cuba.
The Great Cuban Insurrection
In 1879, a new insurrection attempt, known as the “Little War” (Guerra Chiquita), erupted. The Mambí rebels were defeated the following year due to a lack of support, scarcity of armaments, and the superior strength of the Spanish army.
However, just a few years later, the “Grito de Baire” on February 24, 1895, signaled the beginning of a new, widespread uprising.
The Spanish head of government, Cánovas, dispatched an army commanded by General Martínez Campos. Cánovas was convinced that pacifying the island required strong military action, which should ideally be accompanied by political efforts to conciliate the insurgents. Martínez Campos, however, proved unable to control the rebellion and was subsequently replaced by Valeriano Weyler. Weyler proposed a complete change in military tactics, launching a severe and widespread repression.
Catalan Attitudes Towards the Cuban War
As the conflict in Cuba escalated, the majority of Catalonia’s wealthy classes and principal economic entities, particularly the National Ministry of Public Works, staunchly defended the “Spanishness” of the colonies. They offered clear support to the Spanish government’s war policy.
In stark contrast, the common people, who bore the unjust burden of compulsory military service (the “quintas”), displayed a clear sentiment of opposition. This led to pacifist attitudes and anti-war sentiments, particularly a strong rejection of the conscription system. Francisco Pi i Maragall stood out as one of the few critical voices amidst the widespread patriotic exultation felt by a significant portion of Spanish society.