Second Republic of Spain: Key Events and Political Forces

The Second Spanish Republic: A Concise History

The Proclamation of the Republic occurred on April 14, 1931, after Alfonso XIII lost the support of the proletariat. This followed the Pact of San Sebastian, where Alcala Zamora was not in government.

In Catalonia, the Esquerra Republicana dominated the government. Agreements such as the Estatut de Núria were approved, including opposition to the Spanish right, approval of the final text, and a reduction of power in the approval of the 1931 Constitution. Francesc Macià, the Republican President of Esquerra, implemented economic, educational, linguistic, and territorial measures, and the Law of Bases was approved in 1934 (health).

The Constitution of 1931 (Biennium d'Esquerres 31-33) aimed to incorporate changes related to:

• Religion (Law of Congregations)
• Military (Academia General Militar, Guardia de Asalto)
• Agriculture (Expropriation of land)
• Education (Secular)
• Labor (8-hour workday)
• Centralist State (Autonomy)

Manuel Azaña became the head of government, and Alcala Zamora became the President of the Republic. This period was affected by the 1929 crash and received U.S. assistance, but unemployment and social conflicts between the CNT and CEDA-EMU persisted.

The parties and unions during the Second Republic included:

• Left: Republican Left (middle class), PSOE (Socialists and revolutionaries), PC (extremist), CNT (anarchist).
• Right: Radical Right (liberal and republican with conservative ideas), JONS Falange (undemocratic), CEDA (church-agricultural interests), Spanish Renovation (Calvo Sotelo).

Conservative Biennium (1933-1935)

In 1933, the government faced a clear crisis. Manuel Azaña and Alcala Zamora resigned, and elections were called. The Radical Party, led by Lerroux, won these elections and implemented agrarian reforms, approved an amnesty for those involved in the 1932 coup with Sanjurjo and collaborators of Primo de Rivera. Riots occurred in 1934 (Catalonia and Asturias) due to the radicalization of the party.

Popular Front (1936)

During this period, Manuel Azaña was President, and Casares Quiroga was head of government. An amnesty was decreed for political prisoners, status negotiations with the Basque Country and Galicia began, and the reform process was initiated, which was rejected by the church and the right. The Falangists initiated confrontations, and civilians, including General Castilla, were killed. The leftist Resport monarchist leader Calvo Sotelo was also killed. On July 17, 1936, a civil war began that lasted three years.