Caciquismo & Turno Pacífico: Spain's Restoration Politics

The *Turno Pacífico*: Power Sharing in Restoration Spain

During the Spanish Restoration, the two major political parties, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, agreed to alternate in government based on election results. However, to ensure power was controlled, the electoral process was manipulated through rigging and fraud mechanisms. This system, known as the Turno Pacífico (Peaceful Turn), secured regular alternation in government between these two main parties of Spanish liberalism, primarily aiming for institutional stability and political guarantees.

The system essentially inverted the logic suitable for a parliamentary scheme. Instead of elections determining the government, the two parties agreed to take turns. When the ruling party suffered political wear and tear, losing the dual confidence of the King and the Cortes (parliament), the King would call upon the leader of the opposition party to form a government. The new Prime Minister would then call elections, ensuring through fraudulent means that they obtained a sufficient parliamentary majority to govern stably.

Electoral Fraud: The Engine of the System

The alternation in government was made possible by census suffrage (limited voting rights) and, crucially, by a fraudulent and corrupt electoral system based on manipulation and chicanery. This unfolded as follows:

• The Minister of the Interior prepared what was known as the encasillado (the 'box'), which was the list of candidates predetermined to be elected as deputies.
• This list was sent to the civil governors of all provinces.
• Governors then passed it down to mayors and local bosses (caciques).
• From here, the entire state administrative apparatus was mobilized to guarantee these results, employing a whole set of tricks collectively known as the pucherazo.

*Caciquismo*: Local Control and Rural Power

Caciques were influential individuals who controlled specific electoral constituencies. Caciquismo corresponds to the predominantly rural infrastructure of Spain at that time. These local bosses were essential cogs in the machinery of electoral fraud.

Consequences of the System

All these practices relied heavily on the abstention of a large portion of the population, whose apathy stemmed from disenchantment and the weakness of opposition forces. Political parties genuinely opposing the system were severely harmed, never managing to secure enough Members of Parliament (MPs) to form a government or even a parliamentary minority strong enough to act as effective opposition.

The political system of the Restoration represented a period of domination by the bourgeoisie, which monopolized political power. The masses were alienated from political participation, both through limited suffrage and the manipulation of the electoral system, ensuring that one of the two 'turn' parties always won. This inevitably provoked significant social conflicts.

Timeline and End of the *Turno Pacífico*

The *Turno Pacífico* system began effectively in 1881 when King Alfonso XII appointed the Liberal leader Sagasta to govern. It was consolidated after the Pact of El Pardo (1885), where both parties pledged support to the Regent María Cristina to facilitate the smooth transfer of power whenever one party lost prestige and public support.

The system of alternating parties and electoral distortions operated relatively smoothly for many years but eventually faced increasing challenges, lasting until the coup d'état by Primo de Rivera in 1923 brought the Restoration period to an end.