Spain's Restoration Era: Key Problems & Conflicts

Problems of the Spanish Restoration

The turnantes governments demonstrated their inefficiency and inability to cope with domestic problems. Inertia and the desire to avoid any change that would endanger the political and economic interests of dominant social groups characterized the actions of both the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party. The governments did not substantially transform the political system to solve growing problems. Some problems that threatened the continuity of the Restoration were:

• The Moroccan Problem: The Spanish army suffered several major setbacks in Morocco.
• The Regional Problem: In reaction to political centralism, nationalism emerged in Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, and Valencia, but the government ignored these movements.
• Electoral Distortions and Caciquismo: There was never a willingness to make the necessary reforms to truly democratize the political system.
• The Social Problem: Inflation, hunger in rural areas, inadequate wages, and unemployment in the cities led to the intensification of social conflicts and labor unrest, expressed through continuous strikes and violent protests. The government's response was delayed. The first legislative measures included the foundation of the National Institute of Provision (Instituto Nacional de Previsión), which created a voluntary system of retirement pensions and disability benefits, only partly subsidized by the state. Subsequently, the eight-hour workday was established in 1919. These efforts were insufficient and came too late.
• The Terrorist Problem: Anarchist urban terrorism emerged with the first bombing at a military parade and during a play at the Liceo in Barcelona. Three years later, an attack occurred in Barcelona against a religious procession, leaving more than six dead. The number and severity of attacks increased (including a bomb attack on Alfonso XIII on his wedding day, and the assassinations of Canalejas, Eduardo Dato, and the Archbishop of Zaragoza). Anarchist terrorist activity was deployed against employers in Barcelona. In response, employers hired thugs and gunmen to kill union leaders. The police also took steps, practicing torture and applying the "Ley de Fugas" ("Law of Flight"), which involved shooting a prisoner who was made to believe he was being released, justifying his murder as an attempted escape.