Spanish History: Restoration, Primo de Rivera, and the Second Republic
The Spanish Restoration (1874–1931)
The Restoration is a historical period that followed the First Spanish Republic, initiated by the pronouncement of General Martínez Campos.
Pillars of the Restoration Political System
The political system of the Restoration was based on two pillars:
- The Constitution of 1876: This established a declaration of rights with a restricted ability to function, depending more or less on the ruling party, and sovereignty shared between the King and the Cortes (Parliament).
- The Turnismo (Peaceful Alternation): The peaceful alternation of parties in power.
Challenges to the Restoration System
The system faced several significant problems:
- Opposition Parties: Opposition from parties excluded from the Turnismo (in the case of the Carlist and Republican movements).
- Regionalism: The start of regionalist movements (e.g., Catalan demands for Catalan as an official language).
- Labor Movement: The rise of the labor movement, reflected in the diffusion of socialism.
- The Disaster of 1898: The loss of the last Spanish colonies.
The Disaster of '98
The Disaster of '98 (photo editor) resulted in the loss of the last Spanish colonies: Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
Decomposition of the Restoration System
The system was destroyed by a series of crises (tube Inestrosa):
- The Crisis of 1917: A period marked by intense crises.
- Political Crisis: Due to an assembly of Catalan parliamentarians.
- Social Crisis: Triggered by a call for a general strike.
The Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (11923–1930)
The dictatorship was divided into two phases:
- 1st Phase (Military Directory): The government was in the hands of a military directory. This directory suspended the 1876 Constitution and banned political parties.
- 2nd Phase (Civil Directory): Primo de Rivera formed a civil directory. During this time, the government favored agriculture and imposed the construction of roads and the improvement of railways. He resigned in 1930.
Key Definitions
- Military Directory
- A military-only echo of military government under the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera.
- Agrarian Reform
- The political, economic, and social package (guinea OFIN) whose aim is to change the proportion and structure of land ownership.
- CEDA
- Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Rights.
The Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939)
After the exile of Alfonso XIII, a provisional government was formed by Republicans and Socialists. These Cortes called constituent elections that gave the majority to parties of the left.
The Constitution of 1931
The Constitution of 1931 established a broad declaration of rights, popular sovereignty, the division of powers, and so on.
The Reformist Biennium (1931–1933)
This government was headed by Manuel Azaña, who implemented a reform policy intended to solve the problems of Spain. Reforms intended to end state centralism.
- Social Reform: Aimed to improve the working conditions of workers and established the 40-hour workday.
- Agrarian Reform: Sought to achieve a fairer distribution of land ownership.