Spain's Early 20th Century: Modernization, Republicanism, and Crisis

Catalonia's Modernization: The Mancomunitat Era

The Mancomunitat de Catalunya carried out important work coordinating external services and creating networks of intellectuals and professionals. It undertook significant activities aimed at modernizing the country and improving public services.

Key Achievements of the Mancomunitat

• Creation of normal schools for teacher training and popular libraries.
• Establishment of a vocational school and an Industrial Labor University.
• Unification of spelling, initiated by Pompeu Fabra.
• Creation of Pompeu Fabra's scientific laboratory and provincial health laboratories for hygiene.
• Promotion of agriculture and livestock through experimental crop fields, model farms, technical assistance, and agricultural technical schools.
• Construction of highways and roads, expansion of the telephone network, and electrification across the country.

Republicanism and Political Factions in Early 20th Century Spain

Republicanism was divided among many centers and groups across Spain.

Lerroux and the Radical Republican Party

In 1908, Alejandro Lerroux founded the Radical Republican Party. This party advocated for workers' demands, denounced government repression, sought pardons, and legally defended unionists, including advocating for amnesties. Lerrouxism garnered significant support from the middle class and the proletariat, especially immigrants in Barcelona. It was largely anticlerical, anti-Catalan, and appealed to the working class. The Radical Party later extended its influence throughout Spain, adopting a more moderate stance.

Catalan Nationalist Republicanism

Another distinct movement was left-wing Catalan nationalist republicanism. In 1910, the Federal Union Republicana Nacionalista (UFNR) was founded, associated with the newspaper "La Veu de Catalunya" (The Catalan People). The UFNR eventually disappeared after losing votes due to its union with the Radical Party. Other proposals emerged to further articulate the Catalan Left. In 1917, the Catalan Republican Party was founded, with prominent figures such as Lluís Companys and Francesc Layret among its founders. In Valencia, the novelist Vicente Blasco Ibáñez offered a radical critique of the political system, gaining a popular echo through what became known as Blasquismo.

Spain's Social and Political Crisis (1916-1917)

The period was marked by widespread discontent over rising prices.

Labor Unrest and the First General Strike

Unions actively promoted protests, leading to the first general strike in Spain. The social situation was unstable, and the government was weak.

Military Intervention and Political Demands

In 1916, the Military Juntas of Defense were founded. These juntas highlighted the army's growing independence from civil power and asserted the military's increasing influence. Republicans, Socialists, and Catalan nationalist parties criticized the dynastic system and demanded constitutional reform.

The Parliamentary Assembly and Government Repression

Amidst generalized tension, the Government of Dato suspended constitutional guarantees and closed the Parliament. The Catalan Parliament then convened a Parliamentary Assembly in Barcelona, attended by republicans and socialists. However, the government banned the assembly and closed newspapers associated with Catalan nationalists.

Escalating Strikes and Harsh Repression

The CNT (Confederación Nacional del Trabajo) and UGT (Unión General de Trabajadores) created a joint committee with the ability to organize strikes, demanding greater democratization and other revolutionary actions. In 1916, a railway strike escalated and extended to all sectors. The army harshly repressed the workers' demonstrations, and members of the strike committee were sentenced to life imprisonment.