The Reign of Isabella II (1843-1868): Liberalism and the Moderate Decade

The Reign of Isabella II (1843-1868)

Upon the coming of age of Isabella II, the old regime was dismantled, and the construction of the new, authentically liberal state proceeded. Prominence corresponded to the Moderates, who ruled for most of this era. These years can be distinguished in several phases:

• A Moderate Decade (1844-1854)
• A Progressive Biennium (1854-1856)
• A subsequent period of alternation between Moderates and Progressives.

The Moderate Decade (1844-1854)

In 1844, a few months after the declaration of the Queen's majority, the government was formed by General Narváez, the leader of the Moderate political faction. His administration was characterized by several key actions:

• Political stability
• The adoption of a new constitution
• Control over provincial and local administration
• The enactment of national laws
• Finance reform
• Rapprochement with the Catholic Church.

Political Stability and Oligarchy

Narváez established a political system characterized by stability, but also by oligarchy, in which popular representation was low. Order took precedence over freedom. The Cortes (Parliament) were often suspended, and the government engaged in continuous electoral distortion, expanding administrative corruption. Although completely sidelined, the Progressives had the backing of senior officers of the army and social elites.

Some Moderate leaders, such as Narváez himself or Juan Bravo Murillo, were well connected with the Court of Queen Isabella. The Moderates considered that the era of social policy reforms in Spain was finished and seemed afraid of revolution. This restricted, conservative, and undemocratic version of liberalism is known as doctrinaire liberalism and had many supporters across Europe (for example, Juan Donoso Cortés in Spain).

The Constitution of 1845

Moderate governments promoted the enactment of a new fundamental law, The 1845 Constitution, which strengthened the conservative elements already present in the 1837 charter. This constitution established:

• Roman Catholicism as the official religion of the state.
• Limits on the freedom of the press.
• Increased legislative and political power of the Crown.
• Sovereignty shared between the Cortes and the King.
• The Cortes were divided into two chambers:
  • A Senate consisting of an unlimited number of life members.
  • A Congress of Deputies elected by a very restricted census suffrage.