Spain and the First World War: The 1917 Crisis

Spain and the First World War: The Crisis of 1917

In 1913, the conservative government of Eduardo Dato was formed. Spain maintained a position of neutrality in the European conflict. Spanish society, however, was divided, taking sides with one or the other opponent, resulting in strong controversy:

• Germanophiles: The upper classes, the Church, the Army, and even the King favored the Central Empires (Germany and Austria), representatives of authority and order.
• Allied Supporters: Those with more progressive leanings favored the Allied powers (France and England), who had ideals of democracy.

Neutrality favored a major economic expansion, and Spain became a supplier of industrial and agricultural products to all belligerents. This brought increased prices. These were years of good business, but profits were not always used to improve production systems, and there was strong speculation. The lower classes saw a decline in their standard of living. The war also had an impact on Spanish society and politics.

In 1917, the Russian Revolution broke out, and for the first time, a labor party seized power and built a "proletarian state." The Russian Revolution frightened the bourgeoisie and prompted governments to adopt repressive measures against the labor movement. This explains the high social unrest that followed the First World War.

The Crisis of 1917

The economic situation resulting from the First World War accentuated social differences and created a climate of tension that increased when the postwar period of economic euphoria ended. This tension erupted in 1917 when Spain faced political difficulties, military discontent, and social unrest, causing widespread protests against the government. The movement of 1917 did not achieve its objectives due to a lack of a common agenda. The crisis of 1917 manifested on the following levels:

Military Crisis

The Spanish army had an excessive number of officers in relation to soldiers. Inflation had driven down the value of military salaries. The discontent led to the formation of the Juntas de Defensa (Defense Committees), military associations that spread throughout the peninsula. The committees demanded a wage increase and opposed promotions based on war merit. The 1917 manifesto blamed the government for the ills of the army and the country and called for political renewal.

Political Crisis

The government suspended constitutional guarantees, closed the courts, and imposed press censorship. In response, the Parliamentary Assembly of Catalans was organized with the idea of convening a Constituent Cortes (Constituent Assembly) and restructuring the state. The Assembly movement was not followed due to the refusal of the royalist forces to participate in its program. The bourgeois forces were frightened.

Social Crisis

The labor movement and unions played the largest role in the protests against the government. The labor unrest was caused by lower real wages. This unity of action favored collaboration between the UGT and CNT trade unions, which had increased membership in recent years. The tension erupted in August 1917 when, in a manifesto by the UGT, supported by the PSOE, it was decided to call a general strike indefinitely. The strike had a major impact, leading to violent incidents in some parts of the country like Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, and Asturias. The government's reaction was essentially repressive: they declared martial law and sent the army to fight against the strikers. The balance was more than 70 dead and some 2,000 prisoners.

The events of 1917 failed to end the political system of the Restoration. The result was the formation of successive coalition governments. Governments were short-lived, with continued layoffs, and the differences between the parties made it impossible for any reform. The governments were unable to contain inflation and restore social order.