The Spanish Crisis of 1917 and the Collapse of the Cánovas System

The Spanish Crisis of 1917

The year 1917 was marked by profound instability in Spain. The victory of the Russian Revolution in February gave new impetus to the labor movement.

The political system faced simultaneous attacks from three distinct fronts:

1. The Workers: High dissatisfaction among the working class fueled labor unrest.
2. The Bourgeoisie: Led by Francesc Cambó, the Catalan bourgeoisie demanded political renovation, calling for cuts and a total overhaul of the two-party political system.
3. The Army: Military corps formed associated Juntas (Defense Committees), claiming better facilities for promotion and demanding higher wages that had not kept pace with the rise in prices.

Against the Government's refusal to convene the Cortes (Parliament), many deputies gathered in an Assembly of Parliamentarians in Barcelona to demand a Constituent Cortes that would end the fictitious political system. Thus, the government and the monarchy (King Alfonso XIII actively participated in political life) were attacked on all three fronts.

The situation was delicate; a joint action of these three forces could have produced a profound revolution. However, the bourgeoisie feared a deep social upheaval, and the army ultimately remained loyal to the regime.

The worker front did not budge. A revolutionary general strike was called in August to ask for a Constituent Cortes. The strikers were crushed by the army in three days (an army that had just been granted its demands). The support of the bourgeoisie was frustrated when Alfonso XIII appointed Francesc Cambó as Minister.

The Road to Dictatorship (1917–1923)

The immediate crisis was overcome, but the King thereafter participated further in the army and in politics, increasing his risk and ultimately leading to failure. From crisis to crisis, the path led inevitably toward dictatorship. Peace and quiet did not return; the Cánovas system was overstretched and broken after 1917.

Political Instability and Economic Collapse

Between 1917 and 1923, despite governments concentrating all parties, the political climate was highly volatile. There were thirteen changes of government and thirty partial seizures of power (cabinet reshuffles). This instability was perhaps due to the lack of political stature among leaders and the miserable conditions in which most of the population lived.

The end of World War I halted the economic development the conflict had brought. Commercial, mining, and textile industries began to sink, resulting in increased unemployment and insufficient wages. This logically led to a poor social climate. The government attempted to solve the situation with the adoption of the eight-hour workday in 1921, but this measure proved insufficient.

Social Violence in Barcelona

In Barcelona, the situation was even more chaotic. The CNT (National Confederation of Labor), an anarchist union, staged attacks against employers. However, employers also attacked them, and social violence became irresistible. By 1920, approximately 400 deaths from both sides were recorded in the streets of Barcelona.

The violence escalated further in 1921 when the conservative Prime Minister, Eduardo Dato, was assassinated in a bombing.

The Moroccan Disaster of Annual

To make matters worse, the unpopular war in Morocco intensified in 1921, culminating in the devastating Disaster of Annual. The military defeat was so severe that some soldiers came to propose the complete abandonment of Morocco.