The Second Spanish Republic: A Tumultuous Journey of Reform and Crisis (1931-1933)
The
Second Republic, the succession of changes which he lived, can be divided into three stages:
The 1931 Constitution with the Reformer biennium (1931-33)
biennium and the center-right along with the Popular Front (1933-36) . Then develop the first stage. Revolutionary during the six years (1968-1974), lived the first democratic experiment in the 1869 Constitution and the proclamation of the First Republic. After the Restoration system (1874-1923), the night of April 14, 1931,
Alcalá Zamora Niceto proclaimed the Second Republic and calls to King Alfonso XIII to leave the country. All this because the municipal elections of April 12, the Republican-Socialist coalition triumphed over the royalists in the big cities, and the monarchy was particularly weakened by obtaining only the support of rural areas due to political bosses control. Thus, the Revolutionary Committee created by the Pact of San Sebastian became the provisional government of the republic, headed by Alcalá Zamora and consists of all political parties in favor of it. In general, representing the professional middle classes, the petty bourgeoisie and the labor leaders of socialist ideas. Prior to the convening of elections, issued a decree amending the electoral law of 1907 to end the cacique system. The coalition of republicans and socialists won an overwhelming majority and for the first time, there were three women deputies: the Republican C. Victoria Campoamor and Kent along with the socialist Margarita Nelken. Thus, we adopted the first republican constitution in the history of Spain:
The 1931 Constitution
The 1931 constitution defined Spain as a “democratic republic of workers of all kinds.” It contained a broad statement of rights and freedoms: right to vote to women, civil marriage, divorce or the right to free and compulsory primary education to lower that 60% of illiterate population. Also recognized the right to private property, although subordinate to the interests of the national economy, which could expropriate land because of their social utility. A clear division of legislative (Congress), executive (head of state) and judiciary (judges and courts). The Parliament was unicameral and President of the Republic was elected. In the judicial field, created the Court of Constitutional Guarantees. On the other hand, note that was passed after bitter debates that further deepened the division between the parties. What is most damaging was the religious question, in addition to the territorial organization of the State in terms of autonomy for Catalonia, Basque Country and Galicia, and the female vote.
In this way, did not reach consensus between left and right, and it was only the result of agreement between left-wing Republicans and Socialists.
With regards to political action, should address some of the country’s major problems as separate issues, land reform, education, military and the volatile matter of public policy (the establishment of the Assault Guard). To all this we add the unfavorable economic situation and international politics:
the crash of 29 hit, especially to foreign trade and agriculture and mining. Thus, the Spanish economy underwent an involution that difficult to carry out reforms and intensified social conflict in the course of the republic.
Once approved the constitution, the government was formed with Azaña Republican Socialist president of government and Alcala Zamora as president, ushering in the so-called reformer biennium (1931-33).
the largest and most harmful reform was the attempt to build a secular state / secular.
Lay, with the increase of enemies, especially by the Church, conservative Catholics and right because of the laws and articles completely anticlerical Constitution: the clear separation between church and state, freedom of religion and elimination of state funding to the Church. Later, the ban on religious congregations to practice education, trade and industry, and the dissolution of the Society of Jesus, whose property was nationalized, and the recognition of civil marriage and divorce, began to glimpse the secular character.
The reform of the statutes of autonomy, which has its roots in the Restoration began in Catalonia with the illegitimate Maciá Proclamation of April 14. Since then, the writing of the Statute of Nuria and, after a long debate, was approved in 1932. Thus, government and parliament enjoyed themselves, which won important competitions in economics, education, culture and social issues, albeit with a reduced capacity for self-financing, and approving the official status of Catalan. The Basque Country case was more difficult and complex: the creation of the Statute of Estella, but was rejected by undemocratic and confessional, and was finally adopted during the war (1936). Finally, the status of Galicia did not become approved as fell to the rebels.
The reform sought to address the serious issue of ownership and its breakdown. The basic objectives were the technical backwardness, low productivity and inadequate and inefficient ownership structure. With the approval of the Basic Law of Agrarian Reform (1932), was intended technical modernization, the end of landlordism and the redistribution of property. The law was implemented by the Agrarian Reform Institute (ARI) with an initial budget is clearly insufficient. After the coup of Sanjurjo, land was expropriated for the settlement of peasants in them, without compensation to the grandees of Spain because of his support in the military coup, but for the rest. The main problems arise due to its complexity, since he was paralyzed by the lack of resources and the low initial budget, as well as the resources of the owners to court which delayed its effective implementation. Thus, the rise in unemployment and impatience of the peasants were on the rise leading to the occupation of land and the burning of many farms. Also, with the events of Casas Viejas in CNT workers who fought against the Civil Guard and Assault Guards, undermined the credibility of the government was harshly attacked Azaña and the public. On the other hand, the owners of rights against the government was reorganized: the monarchists are Spanish Renewal (1933) and Catholics believe the Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Rights(CEDA).
Army reform was carried out with the Law of the withdrawal of the officers, closed the Academy of Zaragoza, closed the Captain General, and removed the Courts of honor along with the Supreme Council of Military Justice. In short, few achievements and much enmity. The social reform improved working conditions with the Employment Contracts Act and the Act jurados, establishing a maximum of 40 hours per week and a rise in wages. And in educational reform, offers a secular school, mixed, free and compulsory. Also increased the budget for school construction and teacher recruitment.
In conclusion, the Reformer biennium can be characterized as a short but very complicated, which tried to build a democratic, secular and large doses of social justice. Also brought hope for those who had lost faith in the monarchy but also suspicion and hatred among those who were directly attacked by the reforms carried out. Thus, the continuous attacks received from both left and right, coupled with an internal crisis between the Republican-Socialist coalition, Alcalá Zamora dissolved the Constituent Cortes, saying it no longer represented the state of public opinion, and called for new elections November 1933 that were lost by the ruling coalition. In short, the many reforms, especially, religious reform and land reform, the government ended up plunging into a serious internal crisis.