Spanish Restoration: Monarchy Reinstated After First Republic

The Spanish Restoration: Monarchy Reinstated (1875-1902)

The Fall of the First Republic and the Rise of Alfonso XII

In 1873, following the fall of the Elizabethan regime caused by the "Glorious Revolution" of September 1868 and the abdication of Amadeus of Savoy in February 1873, the First Spanish Republic was introduced. This republic, initially unitary, aimed to convene the Constituent Assembly to promulgate a new constitution but failed to do so. In January 1874, General Pavia and General Serrano staged a coup, effectively ending the Republic.

This event, followed by the pronouncement in December 1874 by General Martinez Campos, supported by Antonio Canovas del Castillo, paved the way for the restoration of the traditional monarchy in favor of Alfonso XII (son of Elizabeth II). This marked the beginning of the moderate Restoration period.

The Restoration Period: Support and Opposition

The Restoration (1875-1902) was a political era that sought to reinstate the monarchy in Spain under Alfonso XII. This system found support from:

• The Church, which had distanced itself due to attacks received during the revolutionary period.
• The Army.
• The people, as it guaranteed order.

However, it faced rejection from both old and new political parties. Among the traditional parties, the Carlists accepted the monarchy but not Alfonso XII, and the Republicans were deeply divided and underrepresented. The new parties included:

• Workers' parties, influenced by anarchism and socialism.
• Nationalist movements, such as:
  • The Catalans of Prat de la Riva.
  • Galician Nationalism.
  • Andalusian Regionalism of Blas Infante.
  • Basque Nationalism of Sabino Arana.

Initially, political opposition to the Restoration did not hold much sway.

Pillars of the Restored Political System

The restored political system rested on three main aspects:

The Constitution of 1876

To establish a new constitution, the Courts were convened through universal suffrage. The resulting project aimed to be broad enough to accommodate various liberal programs and was finally enacted on June 30, 1876. This constitution:

• Established a separation of powers.
• Recognized certain liberties.
• Established a bicameral parliament.
• Designated a state church.

It was characterized as:

• Monarchist, favoring Alfonso XII.
• Moderate, heavily influenced by Antonio Canovas del Castillo.
• Eclectic, incorporating notable aspects of previous constitutions.

Bipartisanship

The political system was based on the existence of only two major parties:

• The Liberal-Conservative Party, led by Antonio Canovas del Castillo, who had observed this system during his exile in London during the Republican period. It was composed of the landed gentry, senior military and civilian officials, and the nobility.
• The Fusionist Party, led by Matthew Sagasta. It was formed by progressives and Democrats who had supported the 1869 Constitution and Amadeo I.

Turnismo

Turnismo was the political process used, based on the rotation of the Presidency between the two political parties. It relied on the cacique, a mechanism to implement the shift. The cacique was a chief responsible for ensuring that the designated party won the election in a given area. This often involved buying votes or rigging elections.