Key Reforms and Conflicts of the Second Spanish Republic (1931-1933)

Political Reforms and Counter-Reforms

The subsequent government (often referred to as the Right-wing coalition) sought to halt many of the reforms initiated by the Left broadly:

• Agrarian Reform: Land was not returned, but expropriations were stopped.
• Educational Reform: Focused heavily on religious matters. While religious centers were not closed, maintenance of public centers was prioritized. There was a form of subsidy provided to religious employment centers.
• Labor Reform: The right to strike was curtailed (requiring permits). A decline in strikes was observed, coinciding with a slight economic recovery.
• Army Reform: The reform had placed military personnel in key positions, but confidence was lacking. The figure of Franco was recovered as a Major General.

Azana Government Reforms (1931-1933)

The reformist government of Manuel Azana continued military reform, aiming to subordinate the army to civilian authority. It also continued secularizing measures, such as the Act establishing religious congregations in October 1933, which sought to limit the teaching activities of the Church, though this measure had little effectiveness.

However, the major reforms were the Statute of Catalonia and the Contracts Law of Leases (agrarian reform in Catalonia), both adopted in September 1932.

The Catalan Statute of Autonomy (1932)

Catalonia became an autonomous region with its own government, the Generalitat, and its own Parliament. The first legislative elections resulted in a victory for the Catalan ERC (Republican Left of Catalonia), and Macià became the first president of the Generalitat. Catalonia gained jurisdiction in economic, social, cultural, educational, and public order matters (police forces).

Basque and Galician Autonomy Efforts

The autonomy projects submitted by the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and the Carlists failed due to their strong religious and undemocratic character. Ultimately, the PNV would achieve its Statute in October 1936, after the Civil War had begun. In Galicia, the Statute was proposed in June 1936 but was not approved due to the start of the Civil War.

The Controversial Contracts Law of Leases

The Right-wing government was in disagreement with the standards set by the Azana government. A particularly unpopular measure was the Contracts Law of Leases (related to the Statute of Autonomy). This law, championed by the government, was considered the agrarian reform specific to Catalonia.

This law was highly controversial. It stipulated that anyone who leased land, continued working it, and received money in return, could buy the land at its cadastral value (a value much lower than the market price) without needing the owner's permission (the owner could not refuse). Furthermore, tenants who could not afford the lease or were ruined could not be expelled from the land.

In response, the landowners refused to comply. They organized themselves into a league (the San Isidro Circle) and appealed to the Lerroux government. They filed a constitutional appeal, and the Lerroux government subsequently aborted the Contracts Law of Leases, arguing that it violated a constitutional principle.