The Spanish Second Republic: History and Key Stages

The Proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic

After the exile of Alfonso XIII on April 14, 1931, the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. A provisional government composed of Republicans, socialists, and nationalists called for elections to the Constituent Cortes, which gave a majority to the left-wing parties. These parties imposed their ideology on the new constitution.

The 1931 Constitution and Early Governance

The 1931 Constitution established a comprehensive bill of rights, popular sovereignty, the division of powers, and universal suffrage for both men and women. It also guaranteed autonomy for the regions and the separation between church and state. Upon approval, Niceto Alcalá-Zamora was elected President of the Republic. The evolution of the Republic is distinguished by three main stages:

The Reformist Biennium (1931–1933)

The government, headed by Manuel Azaña and a coalition of Republicans and Socialists, carried out a policy of reforms intended to solve the systemic problems of Spain and democratize public life.

• State Reform: This aimed to dismantle centralism. Catalonia won approval for a statute of autonomy in 1932, establishing its own parliament and government, the Generalitat.
• Social Reform: This aimed to improve working conditions, establishing a 40-hour work week, rising wages, and the creation of social insurance.
• Agrarian Reform: Seeking a fairer distribution of land ownership, the Basic Law of Agrarian Reform (1932) approved the expropriation (with compensation) of poorly exploited estates and lands for peasants, managed individually or in cooperatives.

These reforms led to strikes and social unrest, which eventually forced Azaña to resign in 1933. New elections brought victory to the center-right parties.

The Conservative Biennium (1933–1936)

Following the elections, the centrist Radical Party ruled, chaired by Alejandro Lerroux, with the support of the CEDA (Confederación Española de Derechas Autónomas), a coalition of right-wing parties led by José María Gil-Robles.

The new government's conservative shift and the stalling of reforms produced an increase in strikes and the October Revolution of 1934, a movement that reached great intensity in Asturias and Barcelona. The revolution increased the polarization of political positions and the decomposition of the government, which was forced to call for new elections. The left united in a coalition, the Popular Front, and secured the victory.

The Popular Front and the Tragic Spring of 1936

From February to June 1936, the Popular Front faced intense political radicalization. On the left, the radical wing of the PSOE, a supporter of social revolution, gained weight. On the right, the Spanish Falange grew—a right-wing party that wanted to implement a fascist regime.

This period culminated in the Tragic Spring of 1936, when political violence was manifested in bombings and street clashes between militants of the Falangists, communists, and anarchists. Given the situation, the most conservative sectors, led by General Mola, resorted to a coup d'état to overthrow the Republic.