The Spanish Second Republic (1931-1933): Reforms and Challenges

Posted on Aug 16, 2024 in History

The Spanish Constitution of 1931

The elections of June 28, 1931, saw a victory for the Republican-socialist PSOE, making it the largest parliamentary party. They were followed by Lerroux’s Radicals and the Radical-Socialist party. The Constituent Assembly, tasked with drafting a new constitution, primarily consisted of members from the bourgeois left, with the Republican right minimally represented.

Approved in December 1931, the Constitution established Spain as a democratic, parliamentary, secular, and decentralized state. It recognized the social function of property and enshrined key principles:

Key Features of the Constitution:

  • National Sovereignty: Power resided in the people.
  • Unicameral Legislature: A single-chamber legislature, the Congress of Deputies, held legislative dominance.
  • Tribunal of Constitutional Guarantees: A new institution to ensure the constitutionality of laws.
  • Executive Power: The President of the Republic had limited powers, with the Head of Government appointed by the President but requiring approval from the Cortes.
  • Judiciary: Headed by the Supreme Court.
  • Universal Male Suffrage: Men aged 23 and above could vote for deputies, with women gaining suffrage in 1933.
  • Regional Autonomy: The Constitution allowed for the formation of autonomous regions, with statutes approved for the Canary and Balearic Islands.
  • Fundamental Rights: Guaranteed individual rights, social security, limited working hours, education, and work, alongside property rights with the possibility of eminent domain.
  • Church-State Separation: The Constitution mandated the separation of church and state, ending subsidies to the clergy and prohibiting religious orders from teaching. It dissolved the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), a significant educational institution, and recognized divorce and civil marriage. Cemeteries were to be secular, and the state was to treat all religions equally.

The Constitution, however, failed to achieve consensus among all political forces, highlighting the deep divisions between the left and right, particularly on religious and autonomy issues. The approval of the religious articles led to the resignation of Catholic members of the government. Manuel Azaña replaced Alcala Zamora as Head of Government and subsequently became President of the Republic.

The Reforms of the Republican-Socialist Biennium (1931-1933)

The left-wing government embarked on a series of reforms:

Land Reform:

The most significant reform aimed to address social, political, and economic inequalities. The Agrarian Reform Act of 1932, opposed by the right, included:

  • Expropriation of land belonging to the abolished Grandee of Spain without compensation.
  • Expropriation with compensation of poorly cultivated, leased, or abandoned land.
  • Redistribution of expropriated land to farmers.

However, implementation was slow, and only a small portion of land was redistributed, disappointing many peasants and fueling support for anarchist solutions.

Labor Reforms:

Sponsored by Largo Caballero, these reforms aimed to improve workers’ rights. Key measures included:

  • The Employment Contracts Act: Prioritized collective bargaining agreements to establish working conditions.
  • Jurados Act: Created juries within the state administration, composed of workers, employers, and state representatives, to arbitrate labor disputes.
  • The Law of Municipal Terms: Applied to rural areas, compelling landowners to hire local workers first and mandating obligatory cultivation under the supervision of a local commission.

Military Reform:

Driven by Azaña, the military reform aimed to:

  • Assert civilian control over the military.
  • Require military personnel to swear allegiance to the Republic.
  • Reduce the number of officers.
  • Reorganize military administration and education.

Religious Reform:

Separ Estado.La Church and secular state building through the Constitution and other measures, such as the Law of Religious (1933), the Law of Divorce (1932) and the secularization of religious education left cementerios.La to be binding-EDUCATION REFORM: T he primary school compulsory, free and mixta.El government increased by 50% the money spent on educational expenses, built 13,500 schools to combat illiteracy, improved secondary education and strengthen research university levels.