The Second Spanish Republic: Rise and Fall of the Rightist Biennium
Introduction
Preliminary considerations: The arrival of the Republic in 1931 surprised the Spanish right, who had no ability to oppose the Republican way, which facilitated the reform policy of the Provisional Government. These reforms left many sectors discontented, which facilitated the right’s opportunity to reorganize and stand for election in 1933. From here: The Rightist Biennium.
Ideological Polarization
Azaña’s reformist politics, which tried to fix almost everything, ended up bringing disaffection to many sectors of the population. Reformism was often caught between those who wanted no change and those who wanted to change everything. The reactions observed led ultimately to political and social polarization.
Polarization of the Left
Social conflicts were continuous; they were the result of a social phenomenon of decompensation, recovering the solution of urgent problems that were impossible to resolve immediately. The resistance to polarization led to a radicalization of some organizations on the left.
Polarization of the Right
Three legal actions caused real alarm: the reforms to the law of religious congregations, military reform, and agrarian reform. The right responded as these reforms came into force and were running out.
Basic Aspects of the Period
An anomaly characterized the Rightist Biennium: that the Radical Party, and not CEDA, would rule over the whole period. The biennium is divided into: Radical Period.
Social Bases of the Right and Reorganization Before the 1933 Elections
The bases were organizing themselves: the landowner oligarchy in the National Association of Landowners, the employers, and conservative forces around Popular Action, whose leader, Gil Robles, achieved great success in bringing the right together. Hereinafter, it transformed into CEDA.
Electoral Success of the Right
It was due to respect for social values and women’s suffrage. There are two aspects in his analysis of election results: there was a relative balance between right and left in terms of the number of seats. Attention is called to the decline of the socialists, while it was a success for the right.
The Counter-Revolution
In the absence of an absolute majority, Zamora commissioned Lerroux, leader of the Radical Republicans, to form a government. But these needed the support of CEDA, so they were forced to weigh out a policy of rights, contrary to the reforms of the previous stage.
The Revolution of October 1934: Asturias and Catalonia
The CEDA demanded that Lerroux include ministers from his party if he wanted to continue to count on their support. His new government contained three CEDA ministers. This made the left get ready to finish the formation of an authoritarian and fascist government. In Asturias, coal miners attached to UGT, the CNT, and the Communists carried out a revolutionary movement. The insurrectionary government did not take long to send the army, sending him to Africa under Franco.
The End of the Right in the Second Republic
Neither right-wing governments have been able to provide stability or security to the Republic. Social and disturbing confrontations were added to the corruption of Lerroux’s radicals. Like him, the Radical-CEDA government was subject to internal tensions and external exhaustion. The immediate cause of the Radical Biennium must look at two facts:
- The consequences of the revolution in Asturias: a decisive step in the decomposition of the Radical-CEDA government, divided over the treatment that had to be given to the defeated. The CEDA was in favor of applying the full force of the law, as opposed to the radicals. It is interpreted as a sign of weakness by the forces of the right and the extreme right.
- The political scandal, the Estraperlo: Zamora wanted to secede from Lerroux and also appoint a head of government of the CEDA. In the month of October, a scandal started in which several members of the government were implicated. They were forced to resign, and the Radical Party demanded that Zamora be president of the government, but this name was pending. The riot that Gil Robles played was interpreted by the left as a fascist provocation. Gil Robles’ outrage led him to establish military expectations, some contemplating the possibility of a coup, and the government’s parliamentary support. Zamora called new elections.
The Popular Front: The February 1936 Elections
Left-wing parties decided to form an electoral alliance against the Republicans. This caused the Popular Front, made up of socialists, communists, and the bourgeois left. The two formations were converging towards intermediate unions, Republican Left. The right-wing republican forces are shared between the National Bloc and CEDA. Now the process was reversed: the left appeared together in the same condition. It was a very tough election, and verbal evidence reached very high levels.
To the Civil War
Parliament decided to replace Zamora. Azaña accepted the position and could appoint a minister. Two initial errors: Azaña stays out of government and, therefore, is unable to control the situation and appoint a president of little value to a complicated status. Weekend occupations of estates by peasants began rapidly. In addition, social tension accelerated, and the cities and industrial zones responded to these orders by closing factories, removing foreign capital, and causing great insecurity. The spark that ignited the conflict was the murder of Lieutenant Castillo. Some military officers encouraged the most anti-republican coup. The government, to prevent further action, ordered the generals who seemed most willing to take action to leave Madrid.