Reign of Alfonso XIII: Crisis and Fall of Restoration
Read MoreAlfonso XIII (1902-1923) – Crisis and Fall of Restoration
1. Introduction
The initial phase of Alfonso XIII’s reign was marked by a spirit of regeneration and change, both within and outside the system established after the 1898 crisis (war with the U.S. and loss of colonies). A new movement, known as revisionism, aimed to modify the system to overcome its flaws and adapt to new social and political demands. However, the limited reforms failed to prevent the system’s gradual decline.
Alfonso XIII’s
Franco’s Spain: Dictatorship, Transition, and Legacy
Franco’s Features
Common
- Totalitarianism. The aim was to create a harder dictatorship. The totalitarian society tried to control, while only the dictatorship held political power.
- Caudillismo. This is the concentration of all power in one person considered the nation’s leader.
- Centralization. The goal was to centralize all state apparatus in the capital, suppressing regional nationalism.
- Repression. Persecution of people opposed to the regime.
- Control of media and propaganda. Great importance was attached
Spain’s Six-Year Democratic Period: 1868 Revolution & Political Instability
The Six-Year Democratic Period in Spain
The 1868 Revolution and the Provisional Government
The September 1868 revolution, known as “The Glorious Revolution,” marked the end of Isabel II’s monarchy and ushered in six years of political instability.
1.1. The Economic Crisis
In 1866, a major economic crisis began, triggered by falling stock prices. The crisis stemmed from the railway sector, where large investments yielded lower returns than anticipated. Financial institutions canceled loans, spreading
Read MoreThe Rise and Fall of Napoleon and the Revolutions of 1820, 1830, and 1848
Unit 3: The Age of Revolution & the Political Crisis of the Old Regime
The Napoleonic Period
In domestic politics, Napoleon consolidated the achievements of the Revolution. He pacified the country, eliminated radical opposition, allowed the nobility to return, and signed a concordat with the Papacy (1801). He implemented reforms like the Civil Code, establishing equality before the law, economic freedom, and promoting public education. Consequently, Napoleon became consul for life (1802) and
Read MoreThe Second World War: A Historical Account
World War II was the largest armed conflict in human history, costing the lives of an estimated 2% of the global population. Officially beginning on September 1, 1939, and ending in September 1945, the conflict pitted two major factions against each other: the Allies and the Axis.
This war is infamous for the immense human suffering it caused. This included the deportation of various groups (Jews, homosexuals, Slavs, disabled individuals, Roma people, Jehovah’s Witnesses, communists, and others)
Read More19th Century Imperialism: Africa, Asia, and the Americas
Scramble for Africa
By the mid-nineteenth century, Africa was largely unknown to Europeans, yet it held a strong allure for adventurers and scientists. After 1880, exploration and occupation of Africa intensified, focusing on river basins.
North Africa
France occupied Algeria and Tunisia, establishing a protectorate in Morocco with Spain. Britain occupied Egypt and the Suez Canal to control the route to Asia. Italy occupied Libya.
West Africa
Liberia was the only independent state. The Pontic steppe
Read More