Spain's Early 20th Century: Political Reforms & Social Unrest

Caciquismo: Political Corruption in Spain

Caciquismo was a feature introduced by the Restoration Regenerationists and became widespread, particularly in rural areas. Caciques bought and manipulated the votes of peasants in exchange for money. This political corruption distorted elections and granted caciques significant administrative power. This system operated until 1923.

Dualism in Spanish Society

This was a characteristic of the economic and social structures in Spain, marked by large masses of laborers and small farmers.

CNT: National Confederation of Labor

The National Confederation of Labor (CNT) was created in 1910. It saw significant growth, particularly due to its anarchist ideology and leaders like Salvador Seguí and Ángel Pestaña.

Armed Groups and Labor Repression

These were groups of gunmen, often at the service of employers, who exerted illegal repression on the burgeoning labor movement in the early 20th century, especially in Barcelona.

Regionalist League (Lliga Regionalista)

The Lliga Regionalista was a significant Catalan nationalist party. It later lost strength to Francesc Macià's Estat Català and was a precursor to Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya during the Second Republic.

Failed Reform Attempts: Maura and Canalejas

Both the Conservative and Liberal parties, led by Antonio Maura and José Canalejas respectively, attempted significant reforms during this period. After Maura's fall in 1909, Canalejas governed between 1910 and 1912. While both sought to introduce progressive changes, many of these reforms ultimately failed to consolidate.

Canalejas Government (1910-1912)

Canalejas pursued a social reformist policy, aiming to appease popular sectors through measures such as:

• Elimination of consumption taxes.
• Reform of the conscription law.
• A policy of separation between church and state, notably with the "Padlock Law" (Ley del Candado) which limited the creation of new religious orders.
• An approach to nationalists, including the development of the Associations Law.

Maura Government (1903-1909)

Antonio Maura initiated a series of reforms, famously termed a "revolution from above," aimed at regenerating the political system. Key measures included:

• The Social Policy Act, which established Sunday rest and laid the groundwork for social security.
• A policy of rapprochement with Catalan nationalism, proposing a local administration bill that would allow the creation of Mancomunidades (associations of municipalities).

However, these reforms were not fully consolidated due to Maura's fall from power following the events of the War in Morocco and the Tragic Week of Barcelona.