Spanish Republicanism and Labor: Restoration Era Dynamics

Republicanism in Spain: The Restoration Era

Initially, workers supported the progressive social revolution, later shifting their allegiance to the Republicans. The First Republic, though a failure, gained significant popularity in various Spanish regions and among the working class, fostering a persistent hope for a return to power. This situation posed a considerable threat to the Restoration monarchy.

Key Republican Parties and Trends

The Republican parties of the era included:

• Possibilist Republican Party (led by Castelar): This faction eventually dissolved, integrating into Sagasta's Liberal Monarchist Party.
• Radical Republican Party (directed by Zorrilla): This was the most important Republican trend, favoring the overthrow of the monarchy through the action of Republican military forces.
• Federal Republican Party (led by Pi y Maragall): Many of its supporters dispersed after adopting a working-class orientation, notably influencing groups like Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya.
• Republican Union (comprising Federalists, Radicals, and Unionists): This coalition lacked unity in terms of policy objectives, and its programs often lacked real social reform.

By 1898, Republican parties began gaining strength as the monarchical system entered a period of crisis. Following the colonial disaster, the monarchy faced increased opposition, leading the public to consider the republic as a viable alternative, further bolstered by the support of regionalist and nationalist movements. A characteristic feature of the Republican movement, however, was its internal division into many irreconcilable trends.

Major actions against the regime included plotting and the organization of Republican pronouncements, notably those led by Zorrilla. Other Republican factions opposed the regime by forming parties with little chance of success due to a lack of broad labor support. These groups often found that many workers gravitated towards the anarchist movement. Meanwhile, the bourgeoisie largely supported regionalist and nationalist causes.

In the 1890s, the Republican movement improved its election results significantly thanks to universal suffrage, thus maintaining the Republican trend. To consolidate support, the Republican Union was created, uniting Federalists, Radicals, and Unionists, with the ultimate aim of establishing a republic.

The Labor Movement in Spain: Anarchism and Socialism

With the Restoration, the labor movement largely went underground. Two primary streams emerged: socialism and anarchism.

Anarchism's Rise and Impact

Anarchism was particularly prominent in Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia, and Andalusia. Due to poor organization and severe police repression in the late 1880s, anarchist workers and peasants increasingly turned to organized union activism and vindication, while also opting for radical direct action.

In 1879, an anarchist attack targeted Alfonso XII. The execution of the alleged bomber of Martínez Campos was answered with another bomb attack. Another bloody incident stemmed from the infamous Montjuïc Process. Retaliation for these events included the assassination of Cánovas del Castillo. These radical tactics, however, served to label the entire anarchist movement as violent, causing their popular support to decline.

The Emergence of Marxism

Another significant current within the labor movement was Marxism, which had its main base in Madrid.