The Founding Crisis: Spain's Second Republic, 1931 Reforms and Challenges
Challenges Facing the Second Spanish Republic (1931)
The endemic problems of the Second Republic were immediately apparent, summarized by deep social conflicts involving the less fortunate classes, profound distrust from businessmen, and staunch opposition from the Church and the military.
Economic Instability and the 1929 Crash
The economy suffered heavily under the weight of the 1929 Depression, which severely impacted the value of the peseta. This period was characterized by:
- Widespread distrust among businessmen.
- Measures that highly favored workers, often alienating capital owners.
- Inherited problems, including the trade balance deficit left by the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera.
- An endemic agrarian problem in the countryside.
The most radical sectors—including socialists, communists, and anarchists—staged repeated conflicts and strikes, which served to weaken the Republic while simultaneously strengthening the Republican right wing.
Military Reform and Discontent
Manuel Azaña, seeking to create a professional and democratic army, proposed reforms aimed at reducing the excess number of officers above the official graduation requirements. The military viewed these democratic reforms as an aggression against their affairs, causing great unhappiness, especially among the powerful Africanist sectors.
The Religious Question and Secularization
The Constitution established a secular, non-confessional state, guaranteeing freedom of worship. This led to a series of radical reforms:
- Elimination of state funding for the clergy and religious orders.
- Legalization of divorce and civil marriage.
- Secularization of cemeteries.
- The Jesuit Order was abolished and its assets nationalized.
The ecclesiastical hierarchy became a staunch enemy of the Republic. This conflict was exacerbated by traditional anti-clericalism among the popular classes, which often led to violence and tension. Furthermore, the push for autonomy reforms created anger among the centralist right.
The Catalan Question and Autonomy
On April 14, 1931, Francesc Macià proclaimed the Catalan Republic as an integral state within the Iberian Federation. The government in Madrid did not accept this unilateral declaration. Spanish officials negotiated with Macià, who eventually agreed to relinquish national sovereignty in exchange for a Statute of Catalan Autonomy. The transfer of competencies under this Statute proceeded so slowly that it was not fully implemented before the Civil War erupted in 1936. (Note: The Statute was approved by popular Spanish vote, though its final parliamentary approval process was complex before the war.)
Initial Actions and Constitutional Process
The Provisional Government immediately addressed several urgent matters upon taking power:
- Amnesty for political prisoners.
- The Provisional Government was established, leading to the appointment of Manuel Azaña as President of the Council of Ministers in December 1931.
- The Constituent Assembly was called (elections held June 28th), resulting in a Socialist-Republican coalition. From June to December, the Cortes drafted the Constitution, which was formally enacted in December.
- Key initial decrees were issued concerning the economy, agriculture, education, and the armed forces.