The Political Landscape of Spain: From Franco’s Dictatorship to Basque Autonomy
Franco’s Dictatorship and Political Repression
Franco established several laws to create the political institutions of his dictatorship, including:
- The Law of the Cortes: This law ensured no representatives were elected by popular suffrage. Instead, they represented a single ideology and served only as an advisory body.
- Spanish Charter: This document claimed to grant Spaniards “rights,” but these rights were not genuine.
- Law on Referenda: This law granted Franco the authority to hold public consultations.
- Law of Succession: This law determined the succession of the Head of State. It declared Spain a kingdom, despite the absence of a king, and appointed Franco as President for life, with the power to choose his successor.
Through these laws, the Francoist regime established a political system termed “organic democracy.” This system was distinct from liberal democracy and presented as a unique and superior system designed for Spain.
The establishment of this new regime resulted in a mass exodus of Republicans. Repression against those who lost the Civil War was brutal, including imprisonment, expropriations, and forced labor in concentration camps like the Valley of the Fallen. The Church hierarchy, aware of the repression, remained silent or justified the abuses under the pretext of a “greater benefit.”
Franco employed all available means to eliminate opposition. His repression dismantled the leadership of communist, socialist, and anarchist organizations, as well as the post-war guerrilla movement (maquis). Monarchist groups, initially pressuring Franco for a monarchy, eventually reached an agreement with the regime.
The Rise of Anti-Franco Sentiment
From the 1950s onward, the working class and university students became central to the anti-Franco struggle. Strikes emerged, and the Workers’ Committee (CC.OO) was formed. Republican institutions, including the Government of the Republic, Generalitat, and Basque Government, continued operating in exile. However, with the international acceptance of Franco’s dictatorship during the Cold War, the influence of these institutions waned.
Francoism imposed suffocating control over Spaniards through propaganda, control over education (including the demolition of the public education system and its control by the Catholic Church), and censorship.
The Popular Front and the 1936 Elections
Popular Front Program (1936-01-16)
The “Popular Front Program” outlines the political agenda of this left-wing coalition for the 1936 elections, as documented in the leftist newspaper “El Socialista.” This primary historical source, in the form of a manifesto, is a political text intended for public consumption by all Spanish citizens.
Purpose
The Popular Front aimed to restore the reforms of the progressive biennium by securing victory in the elections as an alliance.
Analysis
Republicans and Socialists sought to bridge their differences and form the Popular Front electoral alliance to win the elections. The program’s central theme is to present and explain the Popular Front’s agenda.
- The program reflects their alliance to win the elections and implement a shared political plan.
- The coalition parties agreed to grant a broad amnesty to those imprisoned for political and social crimes since the 1933 elections (including the October 1934 revolution), restore the principles of the 1931 Constitution, and undertake the reforms initiated during the Reformist Biennium.
- Disagreements existed between Socialists and Republicans. The Republican Party rejected Socialist proposals for the nationalization of agricultural land and banking (radical measures), though they acknowledged the need for measures to improve farmers’ conditions and the banking system (moderate measures).
Republican parties championed the democratic freedoms of the republic, viewing it as a regime driven by social progress rather than social or economic motives. Consequently, they opposed the workers’ control advocated by the socialist government.
Historical Context
Following the proclamation of the Republic and the subsequent Provisional Government, a coalition of republicans and socialists won the 1931 general elections. During the republican-socialist government (1931-1933), Niceto Alcalá Zamora was appointed President of the Republic, and a new Constitution was approved. A series of reforms were implemented to improve the situation in Spain, notably in education, the military, agriculture, social welfare, and territorial organization.
In the 1933 elections, the right united and emerged victorious. This victory had several consequences, including the termination of the previous government’s reforms, the polarization of the country between left and right, amnesty for those detained in the attempted coup d’état known as “La Sanjurjada,” and the “October Revolution of 1934,” which ended in failure and severe repression (imprisonments and executions).
In February 1936, the left united under the banner of the Popular Front and won the elections. The text provides a glimpse into their electoral program, outlining measures implemented by the new government, such as political amnesty, restoration of the 1931 Constitution’s principles, and resumption of reforms from the Reformist Biennium.
After their defeat in the 1936 elections, the right began plotting a military uprising to restore order. On July 17, 1936, the Spanish Civil War erupted, lasting three years.
Importance
because it shows how, despite the ideological differences, the leftist parties were able to unite to fight against the right and win the elections. They wanted to reinstaure the reforms of The First Biennium but the right had other plans. They did not accept defeat and planned a coup that started the Spanish civil war
15. TESTUA. EUZKADIRE BERJABETASUNARAUDIA / EUZKADIKO AUTONOMIA ESTATUTUA (1936-10-04)
The text that we are going to comment on is called “Euzkadiko Autonomia Estatutua”
Due to its form it is an informative text, due to its content it is legal-political text, and due to its origin it is a historical source.The author is collective (Congreso de los diputados) It is aimed at a group and its purpose is public.It is dated October 4, 1936 and published in the Madrid Gazette on October 7 and in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country on October 9.
The purpose is to establish a new legal framework for the new autonomy composed of the territories of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa.
ANa:The Government of the Spanish Republic (deputies in the parliament) approves the Basque Statute and approves that the provinces B-A- G would be governed in an autonomous way.
The text is divided into three articles and a transitory provision.
• Artcle 1 : The provinces of Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa and Araba will form an autonomous
region within the Spanish state called “Euskal Herria” This right is granted by the Constitution of 1931 and by Statute itself.Each of the three territories will be governed autonomously and will have Basque and Spanish as official languages
o Legislative power: universal suffrage (direct and secret).
o Executive power shall be subjected to the confidence of the Legislative Assembly and the
President (Lehendakaria) shall be the chief representative of the relations between the
autonomy and the Republic.
The transitory provision reflects the instability of the moment (the civil war).A series of measures are taken, among which the formula for electing the president of the provisional Government (by the mayors who can vote) and the number of members of the Government elected by the president himself (not less than five )
The constitution of 1931 marked the process for the approval of the statutes of autonomy,
collecting that right and making the way possible. But in the Basque Country, not like in Catalonia, the process was complicated, on the one hand the PNV did not take part in the signing of the Pact of San Sebastián (1930), on the other hand the political forces in favor of autonomy had different ideas about the subject, and especially the distrust of the left due to the coalition between the PNV and the Carlists in the elections of June 1931.
• the 1936 statute was not the first, previously two other statute projects were developed: in 1931 the statute of Lizarra that was thrown back in the Cortes because it was not
compatible with the Constitution (the most complicated point was related to religious matters) and in 1933 other project of statute, the statute of the “Juntas Gestoras”, was suspended as a result of the victory of the right-wing parties in the November 1933 elections
In 1936 the Popular Front won the elections,and a committee was set up in Parliament to draft the statute. In this statute all references to Navarre and to the restoration of the foruak disappear. When the statute was approved, the war already started and the Francoist troops were owners of Gipuzcoa and Alava.The statute and the situation of the war allowed the Basque Government to gain more powers in certain areas, such as the currency, the Ertzaintza, the Basque flag, international relations, the Basque army, etc.
In June 1937 , the nationals control Bizkaia and therefore, the Statute is abolished. The Basque Government left for Catalonia and then into exile.
After Franco’s death, democracy allowed the adoption of a new Basque Statute,
which is currently in force (Gernika, 1979).
The text is the result of a long and complex process that began in 1931,although it had a short life, (valid for 9 months) this Statute served not only to capture the feeling of the Basque Country but also as the basis of the statute that we have today.
The transitory provision reflects the instability of the moment (the civil war).A series of measures are taken, among which the formula for electing the president of the provisional Government (by the mayors who can vote) and the number of members of the Government elected by the president himself (not less than five )
HC:The constitution of 1931 marked the process for the approval of the statutes of autonomy, collecting that right and making the way possible. But in the Basque Country, not like in Catalonia, the process was complicated, on the one hand the PNV did not take part in the signing of the Pact of San Sebastián (1930), on the other hand the political forces in favor of autonomy had different ideas about the subject, and especially the distrust of the left due to the coalition between the PNV and the Carlists in the elections of June 1931.• the 1936 statute was not the first, previously two other statute projects were developed: in 1931 the statute of Lizarra that was thrown back in the Cortes because it was not compatible with the Constitution (the most complicated point was related to religious matters) and in 1933 other project of statute, the statute of the “Juntas Gestoras”, was suspended as a result of the victory of the right-wing parties in the November 1933 elections. In 1936 the Popular Front won the elections,and a committee was set up in Parliament to draft the statute. In this statute all references to Navarre and to the restoration of the foruak disappear. When the statute was approved, the war already started and the Francoist troops were owners of Gipuzcoa and Alava.The statute and the situation of the war allowed the Basque Government to gain more powers in certain areas, such as the currency, the Ertzaintza, the Basque flag, international relations, the Basque army, etc.
In June 1937 , the nationals control Bizkaia and therefore, the Statute is abolished. The Basque Government left for Catalonia and then into exile. After Franco’s death, democracy allowed the adoption of a new Basque Statute,
which is currently in force (Gernika, 1979).
L:The text is the result of a long and complex process that began in 1931,although it had a short life, (valid for 9 months) this Statute served not only to capture the feeling of the Basque Country but also as the basis of the statute that we have today.