Spanish Social and Economic Conflicts (1898–1931)
The Agrarian Sector and Rural Social Conflict
Economic Transformation and Productivity
The Spanish agricultural economy transitioned from a subsistence model toward a market economy. Labor productivity increased due to factors such as the period following World War I (1914–1918), the reduction of fallow land, the introduction of irrigation, chemical fertilizers, and crop diversification.
Land Tenure Structure
The structure of land ownership varied regionally:
- Latifundia (Estates): Predominant in Western Andalusia.
- Minifundia (Small Farms): Common in Galicia.
- Rest of the Peninsula: Characterized by farms with average tenancy extensions (arrendamientos).
Social Hierarchy and Tenure Systems
The rural power structure was dominated by the oligarchy of landowners and tenants (terratenientes), supported by a caciquista network. Peasants included tenants, sharecroppers (parceros), and landless laborers.
In Catalonia, the system of l’emfiteusi (emphyteusis) was significant—a perpetual agreement where the direct domain of the land was ceded to the useful domain in exchange for a census or pension. This system included the specific contract known as rabassa morta (dead vine).
Andalusian Agitation (1917–1920)
The social climate in the Andalusian countryside was constantly tense. Andalusian peasants demanded comprehensive land reform involving the redistribution of land. Demands for better wages often took revolutionary forms, especially between 1917 and 1920, encouraged by the success of the Soviet Revolution. These actions included:
- Strikes during harvest time.
- Burning of barns.
- Barricades.
However, these efforts failed because landowners maintained the strong support of the government and the Civil Guard.
The Catalan Rabassaire Conflict
In Catalonia, the conflict centered on the rabassaires, triggered by the phylloxera crisis (starting around 1891). Landowners sought to renegotiate tenancy agreements. This led to the formation of organized resistance:
- The Rebassaires Farmers Union (1891).
- The Rebassaires Union and Other Growers of Catalonia (1922).
Industrialization and Urban Labor Conflicts (1898–1931)
Industrial Centers and Social Conditions
Industrial development concentrated in specific regions:
- Madrid: Construction and transport.
- Basque Country: Heavy industry.
- Asturias: Mining.
- Barcelona (BCN): Textiles, electricity, and metallurgy.
The lower classes faced subsistence conditions, leading to significant migration to cities, which contributed to social disintegration. High illiteracy rates and precarious working conditions were widespread.
Major Labor Movements
The labor movement was primarily divided into two major currents:
- Socialism: Represented by the UGT (Unión General de Trabajadores). The PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) gained parliamentary representation in 1910.
- Anarchism: Represented by the CNT (Confederación Nacional del Trabajo).
Additionally, the PCE (Partido Comunista de España) emerged, representing Communism and aligning with the Third International, differentiating itself from the PSOE.
Social Tension and Repression (1898–1931)
Social tension was constant between 1898 and 1931. Workers expressed their demands through strikes and demonstrations, often facing violent repression, as the right to strike was initially considered a crime.
Legislation intended to favor workers often favored employers instead. This was the case with the law regarding lockouts, which allowed the employer to close the factory for a time, making strikes ineffective.
The Revolutionary Triennium (1917–1920)
The labor movement experienced a shift after 1917. Inspired by the Soviet Revolution, protest movements seeking incremental improvements transformed into revolutionary actions aiming for systemic change, often through the general strike.
The concept of the Single Union (Sindicato Único) gained traction in 1919, involving a strike of all workers within a specific sector.
The La Canadiense Strike (1919)
The famous strike against the hydroelectric company La Canadiense resulted in significant victories, including:
- The release of detainees.
- The readmission of dismissed workers.
- The establishment of the eight-hour workday (a major achievement).
The Period of Gunmen (Pistolerismo, 1919–1923)
Following these labor victories, the period between 1919 and 1923 was marked by intense violence known as pistolerismo (gunmen). Employers responded by forming “free trade unions” (unions favorable to employers) and recruiting paramilitary groups.
The resulting violence caused casualties on all sides, but workers were the hardest hit. Legislation from this period, such as the Law of Release (1920–1922), attempted to address the situation.
This atmosphere of tension was eventually suppressed by the dictatorship, which marginalized both Communists and the CNT.