The Democratic Six-Year Period (1868-1874): Amadeo I & First Republic

Posted on Dec 9, 2024 in History

The Democratic Six-Year Period (1868-1874): The Reign of Amadeo I and the First Republic

Definitions

The Democratic Six-Year Period (1868-1874) begins with the overthrow and exile of Isabella II in 1868 and ends with the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy.

Causes

The period begins with the overthrow of Elizabeth II by the so-called “Glorious Revolution,” a revolution that began in Cadiz in 1868 with a pronunciamiento by the navy and a large popular political movement. The causes of this revolution were:

  • Discredit of the monarchy due to the Queen’s personal life.
  • Development of the ideas of the Enlightenment, such as universal suffrage and religious freedom.
  • Agrarian and financial crisis of 1866, related to the construction of the railway in Spain, a business funded by state grants.

Constitution of 1869

  1. Various rights and freedoms were granted to citizens.
  2. Proclamation of national sovereignty and the division of powers, limiting the power of the Crown.
  3. Adoption of a democratic monarchy as a form of government.

Reign of Amadeo I

  1. Division of supporters: Before Amadeo arrived in Spain, General Prim, his main supporter, was assassinated, and his followers were divided between moderates and liberals.

  2. Opposition:

    1. Nobility and clergy: Opposed because Amadeo was a foreign democrat.
    2. Republicans: Did not accept the king and staged uprisings throughout his reign.
    3. Emergence of the liberal labor movement: For the first time, an organization with revolutionary objectives was mentioned at the national level.

  3. Wars:

    1. Carlist War (1872-1876): Its leader was Carlos VII, who defended the Catholic religion and legislation in the autonomous Basque-Navarre territories. The war concluded in 1876 with the abolition of their fueros. The economic agreement was established in 1878, according to which the central government and the Basque provinces fixed the total amount to be paid to the government.

    2. Ten Years’ War (1868-1878): The causes were the growth of Cuban independence, the attempted abolition of slavery by the government of Madrid, and the Cuban economy, which was based on slaves on large sugar plantations.

Amid this situation, in February 1873, Amadeo I of Savoy abdicated. Then, the Cortes proclaimed the Republic.

The First Republic (1873-1874)

  1. The Republic was proclaimed due to the existing political and social divisions. It was a very short period because it did not solve the country’s problems (social instability, political division, and the two wars).
  2. One of the most important problems was the division of the Republicans. There were three tendencies: Unitarians (a centralist and unitary state), Federals (who maintained a central government with regional governments), and Cantonalists (Spain governed with absolute freedom for each municipality). In addition to this political problem, each side reflected a more moderate economic and social position (Unitarians) or a more radical one (Cantonalists).
  3. In addition to this political problem, each side reflected a more moderate economic and social position (Unitarians) or a more radical one (Cantonalists). This had to do with their relations with the workers and with the International Workingmen’s Association (IWA). The Unitarians were in favor of the illegalization of the IWA because it was against the family, private property, and the state. The Cantonalists, critics of private property, were supported by the IWA.
  4. The Republic established a government led by Francisco Pi y Margall, a Federal. A draft constitution was developed but there was no time to enact it. It was immediately met with a response in the form of Cantonalist insurrections due to the great conflict and political disagreement. They began in the summer of 1873 and put their Cantonalist regime into practice (for example, the canton of Cartagena lasted the longest and became an example).
  5. Then, Pi y Margall resigned, and the army intervened, ending the cantons. This led to a shift to the right, and the Unitarian Republicans came to power under Emilio Castelar.
  6. The role of the army increased to the point that the military organized a coup d’état. A general named Pavia entered the Cortes with his soldiers and dissolved it. During a very brief period, General Pavia ceded power to General Serrano, and his dictatorship began. He tried to end the labor problem and declared the IWA illegal.
Consequences
  1. The supporters of the Bourbon restoration organized a pronunciamiento led by General Martínez Campos, who staged a coup d’état in Sagunto, supporting the Bourbon dynasty in the person of Alfonso XII.
  2. Political and social stability was sought, with a government that would alternate power peacefully.
  3. Moderation in the army. From now on, it would almost always be moderate.