The Spanish Republic's Internal Struggle During the Civil War

The Outbreak of War and Social Revolution

The Government's Response to the Coup

After the army's uprising in Morocco, Prime Minister Casares Quiroga resigned. He was replaced by Martínez Barrio, who unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the rebels. Barrio was, in turn, replaced by José Giral, who made the crucial decision to arm the people to defend the Republic. The failed military coup triggered a widespread social revolution.

Economic Control and Collectivization

Committees formed by political parties and labor unions took control of essential economic elements, such as transportation and military supplies, while the government could only ratify what had been done. In the countryside, this revolution manifested in several ways:

• A massive occupation of farms occurred.
• In socialist-controlled areas, the land and its products were socialized.
• In anarchist-controlled areas, there was a total collectivization of property and, in some cases, the abolition of money.

A Divided Republic at War

Largo Caballero's Unity Government

In September 1936, a unity government was established, headed by Largo Caballero. It included ministers from the PSOE, PCE, Republican Left, and Catalan and Basque nationalist groups. Notably, it also included anarchists, among them Federica Montseny, Spain's first female minister.

Challenges to Centralization

The government's greatest challenge was to regain control and create a centralized power structure to manage the war effort efficiently. Real power often lay in the hands of thousands of workers' committees and militias, which frequently clashed with one another. The rise of regional governments was another significant problem.

Basque Nationalism

Basque nationalism supported the Republic, which led to the approval of the Basque Statute. José Antonio Aguirre became the first lehendakari (President of the Basque Government).

Competing Models and Internal Clashes

Two competing models clashed on the Republican side:

• The CNT-FAI and the POUM (Workers' Party of Marxist Unification) advocated for continuing the social revolution by collectivizing land and factories.
• The PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) and the PCE (Communist Party of Spain) prioritized winning the war, seeking to restore order and centralize decision-making.

Internal dissensions were continuous. In May 1937, the government, following orders from the central authority, attempted to take control of the telephone exchange in Barcelona, which was in the hands of the CNT. This attempt sparked an insurrection, and street fighting spread throughout the city.

The Rise of Negrín and the Final Collapse

A Shift in Power and Communist Influence

The crisis of May 1937 led to the resignation of Largo Caballero. The new government was headed by Juan Negrín and leaned towards the positions defended by the PCE. Soviet aid had been instrumental in the Communists becoming a highly influential group.

Suppression of the POUM

The international struggle between Stalinists and Trotskyists was reproduced in Spain. The POUM was outlawed, and its leader, Andreu Nin, was arrested and subsequently disappeared, presumed murdered. By this point, it was too late to change the course of the war. Greater centralization was imposed on the economy, and the formation of the People's Army was completed.

The End of the Republic

In March 1938, Franco's troops reached the Mediterranean, splitting the Republican zone in two. This defeat exposed two opposing positions within the Republic:

• The official position, represented by Negrín and supported by the PCE and a faction of the PSOE, advocated for resistance at all costs.
• Anarchists and another faction of Socialists advocated for negotiating a peace settlement.

A combination of international and domestic events reinforced the idea that the war was lost. These included the Munich Pact, the withdrawal of the International Brigades, and the decline of Soviet aid. In March 1939, Colonel Casado's coup stripped Negrín of the presidency. However, Franco demanded unconditional surrender, and all hope for a negotiated end to the conflict disappeared.