Spain Under Primo de Rivera: The Civilian Government Era

The Civilian Government of Primo de Rivera (1925-1930)

In September 1925, the military directory was replaced by a civilian government. This introduced a civil government led by the Patriotic Union (a single party), with some military personnel remaining. A corporate system was established, based on two key institutions.

Political and Economic Institutions

The new corporate system was built on two pillars:

• The National Consultative Assembly (Political): Established in 1927, it was comprised of 400 members from the country's elites, chosen by direct, limited suffrage to draft a new constitution. The final project in 1929 was rejected for granting enormous powers to the king, denying national sovereignty and the division of powers, and limiting popular participation.
• The Corporate Organization of Labor (Economic): Created in 1926, it sought to regulate employment issues and the relations between employers and workers through the creation of Joint Committees for various crafts.

Economic Policy and Social Model

This was a period of sustained economic prosperity, often called the "happy '20s," but it came at the expense of a huge government debt. This prosperity was driven by a policy of investment in public works and infrastructure (such as roads, irrigation, and dams) and the creation of state monopolies.

The labor law and social enterprise model mimicked Catholic social doctrine and Italian Fascism, featuring significant state interventionism. Economic legislation was based on protectionist interventionism, but it made no changes to the social or property structure, notably lacking any land reform.

Institutionalization and Growing Opposition

This period saw an attempt to institutionalize the regime, strengthened by its successes and the example of the Fascist state in Italy. However, the regime also:

• Suspended constitutional guarantees
• Banned the activities of political parties and trade unions
• Silenced regionalism
• Suppressed freedom of the press and association

This led to growing opposition from politicians, intellectuals, and journalists.

Conflict with Regional Nationalism

Primo de Rivera's obsession with fostering Spanish nationalism quickly came into conflict with peripheral nationalisms. The government developed a restrictive policy against these movements, especially concerning the use of regional languages and symbols of identity. This policy caused nationalists, particularly in Catalonia, to oppose the regime early on and shift their support to the Republican Party, which explains the popular support the Republicans gained. The separatist issue also alienated the Catalan bourgeoisie and clergy who had initially supported the dictatorship.

The Dictator's Downfall

The king's relationship with the dictator became increasingly tense. When the army hinted that it would support the monarch over the regime, King Alfonso XIII requested Primo de Rivera's resignation in January 1930.