Spain's Tumultuous 1930s: Radicalization, Elections, and the Popular Front

The Radical-CEDA Biennium: The Revolution of 1934

The dissolution of parliament in September 1933 ended the alliance between the Radical Party and the Socialists under Azaña. The right wing reorganized during the biennium, with two main trends. First, the opposition to the Republic, including Monarchists, Traditionalists, and Fascists (JONS, Falange Española), who merged in 1934. Second, the Republican right, composed of CEDA and Acción Popular. The political campaign was very tense, revealing a deep division in society. The Socialists considered CEDA and its leader, Gil Robles, to be fascist and threatened a revolution if the right won the elections. The right, in turn, regarded the Socialists as revolutionary, aiming to revise the Constitution by eliminating secular and progressive elements, reversing land reform, and granting amnesty for political crimes, including the release of General Sanjurjo.

The right-wing candidates and the center (Lerroux's Radical Party) won the elections. Alcalá Zamora appointed Lerroux to form a government with the support of CEDA.

Revolution of 1934

The PSOE and UGT began mobilizing in the summer of 1933, preparing for an armed insurrection and a general strike. The international situation favored them, with Hitler's rise to power in Germany in January 1933 and the persecution of Socialists in Austria. On October 4th, CEDA ministers entered the government, and on October 5th, the PSOE and UGT launched a general strike. The CNT joined in Asturias, where the revolution was most successful. There were 15 days of intense fighting, and workers' committees established organized libertarian communist collectives in the area. To resolve the conflict, the army, led by Franco, was brought in, resulting in a strong repression. Other areas, such as Madrid, were easily suppressed. In Catalonia, on October 6th, Companys declared independence, but the attempt failed due to lack of support from the CNT and the Catalan people. The Catalan government was arrested, and the Statute of Autonomy was abolished.

The 1936 Elections and the Popular Front

Gil Robles's government was severely damaged by the repression, with 30,000 prisoners, summary trials, censorship, and the closure of left-wing press. The government's performance during 1935 further alienated the population. It paralyzed the Land Law and the Basque Statute, which had been approved in November 1933. Undemocratic military figures were appointed to important positions, including Franco, who became Chief of Staff in September 1935. Cases of corruption within the Radical Party also came to light, involving a rigged roulette scheme legalized in the San Sebastian casino. When the police discovered that Radical Party politicians had been bribed, Lerroux had to resign. Alcalá Zamora, unable to form a stable coalition, dissolved Parliament and called elections for February 1936.

Popular Front Government and Military Conspiracy

During the election campaign, the left reconstituted itself, forming the Popular Front led by Azaña. Their government program included land reform, strengthening education policy, amnesty for political prisoners, and the restoration of the Catalan Statute, as well as the adoption of Basque and Galician statutes. The Popular Front won the elections, and in March, initial coup contacts began, culminating in July. The conspirators' reasons included resistance to reform, opposition to autonomy, and fear of unions and leftist parties, which they considered revolutionary after the events of October. In April 1936, Alcalá Zamora was dismissed, questioned in Congress for dissolving the Cortes. Azaña became President of the Republic, and Casares Quiroga became Prime Minister. Public disorder intensified, with violence, strikes, land occupations in Extremadura and Andalusia, attacks on churches, and political clashes between communists, anarchists, Falange, and monarchists. On July 12, 1936, Lieutenant Castillo of the Assault Guard was killed by Falangists, and on July 13, Calvo Sotelo was assassinated, which had a strong impact on the right and the military, accelerating the coup.