Spanish Political History: Dictatorship, Republic, and Civil War Dynamics

Support for Primo de Rivera's Government

Who supported Primo de Rivera's government?

Support came from King Alfonso XIII, southern landlords, the army, and the wealthy, moderate capitalists from Catalonia. His dictatorship also sought the backing of the moderate socialist union, the UGT (Unión General de Trabajadores).

The First Republican Government and Key Reforms

The first Republican government was a coalition between center-progressive parties and the PSOE (a moderate socialist party). The main reforms they introduced were:

• Military Reform: The army was too large, inefficient, and outdated for the country to afford. Manuel Azaña decided to reduce its size by offering generous retirement pensions.
• Educational Reform: The Church had traditionally been in charge of education. The Republic invested heavily in new secular schools and banned clergy from teaching.
• Agrarian Reform: An agrarian reform was urgently needed for the starving, landless peasants. However, it was blocked by conservatives and was not effectively implemented.

The 1935 Elections Called by Alcalá Zamora

Why did President Alcalá Zamora call for elections in 1935?

After Alejandro Lerroux left the government because his party was discredited by corruption scandals, Gil Robles expected to be appointed the new prime minister. Nevertheless, the president did not trust Robles and called for new elections instead.

The Non-Intervention Agreement and the Spanish Civil War

What was the Non-Intervention Agreement?

The Non-Intervention Agreement was a pact between Britain and France to not intervene in the conflict. They were more worried about a possible Communist revolution in Spain than a Fascist takeover. The Agreement had severe consequences for both sides:

Impact on the Republican Side (Loyalists)

• It resulted in an arms embargo, forcing the Republic to buy arms illegally.
• Military equipment was extremely expensive, often old, and consisted of many different types, making logistical planning difficult.
• There was no way of planning coordinated military actions effectively.
• Russia, the most important supplier, was an underdeveloped country and geographically very distant.

Impact on the Nationalist Side (Rebels)

• They received the support of the Great Fascist powers (Germany and Italy), which meant regular supplies and no financial problems.
• The Non-Intervention Committee ignored Republican complaints. Regular army units from the Fascist powers actively came to Spain to fight.

Britain and France created this pact because the Spanish conflict was seen as a problem that could destabilize Europe, and a potential revolution would affect them much more negatively than a Fascist takeover.