The Establishment of the Second Spanish Republic, 1931
The End of the Monarchy (1930–1931)
Following the resignation of Primo de Rivera in 1930, King Alfonso XIII commissioned Dámaso Berenguer to form a new government.
The 1930 Pact of San Sebastián: This agreement aimed to create a provisional government, convene a Constituent Assembly, adopt a new constitution, and establish a new statute of autonomy for Catalonia. The ultimate goal was to overthrow the monarchy and declare a republic.
An attempted uprising by Republican army units and a planned general strike in December 1930 failed to synchronize, leading to the collapse of the initial republican effort.
The Birth of the Second Republic
Berenguer resigned in February 1931. The subsequent government convened Municipal Elections on April 12. The Republican victory in these elections forced the King into exile.
On April 14, 1931, the Provisional Government of the Republic was formed, chaired by Niceto Alcalá Zamora.
In Catalonia, Francesc Macià (leader of ERC) proclaimed the Catalan Republic within the proposed Iberian Federation.
Provisional Government Actions and Reforms
The Provisional Government called for legal Legislative Elections on June 28. While preparing for the elections, the government acted by decree, implementing various reforms in four key directions:
Key Areas of Reform
- Agriculture (The Countryside): Established the 8-hour workday. Landowners were obligated to cultivate the land; otherwise, its usufruct would pass to the employees who worked it.
- Education: Established the Biblios network, created new schools, and instituted new teaching positions (maestros).
- Military (The Army): Created the Assault Guard (a modern, armed police force loyal to the Republic). Reduced excessive commands and divisions in the army by utilizing retirements and canceling military promotions obtained during the dictatorship.
- Church: The Cardinal recalled messages proclaimed against the Republic, and bishops politically supported the Cardinal. On May 11, there was the burning of convents (often with the passivity of police forces), leading many Catholics to view the Republic as anti-Catholic.
Drafting the Constitution
The Cortes (Parliament), dominated by the center and left elected on June 28, drafted the new constitution, which was approved on December 31, 1931.
The Constitution reflected the values of the majority of laymen and left-wing politicians, lacking the consensus of the entire political spectrum. It manifested constitutional anticlericalism, attributing the backwardness of Spanish society to the Church, which had previously controlled education.
Timeline of 1931
The transition of power throughout the year can be summarized as follows:
- April 12, 1931: Municipal Elections → Provisional Government
- June 28, 1931: Legislative Elections → Legislative Government
- December 31, 1931: Constitution Approved → Constitutional Government