**REFORMIST BIENNIUM (IMMEDIATE
PROCLAMATION OF THE REPUBLIC)**
BACKGROUND
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Dámaso had a mission: to restore the system. With the 1876 constitution suspended by
Rivera, there was a climate of opposition and criticism toward the monarchy, particularly
toward Alfonso XIII. Berenguer's period had gone down in history as the **DICTABLANDA**, a
very softened dictatorship, and for the first time, a favorable environment for the republic
emerged.
An article published in a newspaper by **José Ortega y Gasset**, the most influential figure in
Spain at the time, titled **"Monarcha Desenda Est"** (the monarchy must be destroyed),
appeared. On August 17, 1930, the **Pact of San Sebastián** took place, where leaders and
representatives of republican parties met in San Sebastián to take advantage of the fall of the
monarchy and establish the republic.
They created the **Revolutionary Committee**, tasked with organizing a political revolution,
which required an insurrection and a general strike. This general strike was called for
December 1930, and in Jaca, they positioned themselves in favor of the republic, but were
arrested. At the same time, the Revolutionary Committee was also detained.
This led to Dámaso Berenguer resigning as president of the government, and Juan Bautista
Aznar was appointed, who called for elections and managed to free the trial against the
members of the Revolutionary Committee. These elections were a kind of **REFERENDUM**
between the monarchy and the republic, where if the monarchists won, the monarchy would
continue, but if the republicans won, it would mean a radical change.
On April 12, 1931, elections were held in rural areas, where the republicans won, and the
Republican-Socialist coalition was formed. A key moment came on April 14, 1931, when in the
early hours of the morning in the city of Eibar, the republic was proclaimed from the town hall
balcony. In Barcelona, **Lluís Companys** also proclaimed the republic, and at the same time,
**Francesc Macià** proclaimed the **Republic of Catalonia**, though independence was not
declared, but rather within an Iberian federation, which created a political problem.
In the evening, **Niceto Alcalá-Zamora** transmitted a message by radio proclaiming the
republic, which led to the abdication of King Alfonso XIII.
The Revolutionary Committee became the provisional government of the republic, with
**Alcalá-Zamora** as its president. They aimed to form a democratic republic, but procedures
had to be followed, including elections for a Constituent Cortes.
The provisional government called for elections on June 28, 1931. Male universal suffrage was
applied, and while the elections were not manipulated, they were improvised, leaving
conservative parties unprepared. In these elections, the dynastic parties did not participate,
and the Republican-Catalan coalition was formed. The Republicans won 250 seats, while the
Radical Republicans, led by Alejandro Lerroux, obtained 94 seats.
On July 31, 1931, the new Congress of Deputies convened, and the first decision was to vote
in favor of the provisional government, which then became the ordinary government. The new
parliament began the drafting process, and on December 9, 1931, the constitution was
approved. The key aspects of the 1931 Constitution included the establishment of an
**INTEGRAL STATE**, clarifying that Spain would not be a federal state, but compatible with
autonomy, allowing for a decentralized state.
Macià's proclamation of the republic caused a political problem, as there was now both a
Catalan and a Spanish republic. On April 17, the government sent three ministers to Barcelona
to negotiate in exchange for the renunciation of the Catalan republic in favor of political
autonomy. In October, the provisional Generalitat of Catalonia was established.
The first articles of the constitution established **"THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF
WORKERS"**, with a system of separation of powers. In progressive constitutions, there is a
predominance of legislative power. A **UNICAMERAL SYSTEM** was also established. The
head of state was given the title of **President of the Republic**, who would be elected and
serve a six-year term with a moderating function.
The president was granted various powers, including the ability to dissolve the government,
call new elections, propose a candidate for prime minister, dismiss officials, and draft laws.
A new body, the **Constitutional Guarantees Tribunal**, was established to ensure that all
actions taken by the country were constitutional. If a law was deemed unconstitutional, it could
be challenged. The 1931 Constitution recognized the rights and freedoms of citizens, including
**SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS**, such as free and compulsory primary education. It
also granted women the right to vote and established the **SECULARITY** of the Spanish
state, separating church and state. Divorce was recognized, and religious orders were
prohibited from teaching, leading to the closure of many religious schools.
The 1931 Constitution was approved without a majority consensus, as the right-wing and the
Church were opposed.
One day after its approval, the president of the republic was elected, who would serve a
six-year term. The first president was **Niceto Alcalá-Zamora**, a politician who had emerged
from the oligarchy. He was a Catholic and conservative republican, whose role was to propose
a candidate for prime minister. He proposed **Manuel Azaña**, leader of the
Republican-Socialist party, who governed for two years, a period known as the **REFORMIST
BIENNIUM**.
Azaña was an intellectual politician, journalist, and writer, and president of the Ateneo. In his
writings, he reflected on the failure of the Spanish republic in **"Diarios de Azaña"**. In the
second half of December 1931, Azaña's government began, composed of members of
republican parties, the PSOE, and the UGT, forming a left-wing republic.
Spain sought a democratic system with maximum equality, aiming to reform the country by
addressing six main problems that had persisted during the Restoration period:
1. **Military**: The excessive power of the army and its interference in politics.
2. **Religious**: The Church's excessive power in all areas, posing a threat.
3. **Agrarian Reform**: Linked to the territorial problem, addressing Catalanism through
decentralization.
4. **Social**: Inequality leading to uprisings.
5. **Cultural**: Reducing illiteracy in Spain.
**MILITARY PROBLEM**: The army was outdated and violent, posing a threat to the republic.
Azaña, as Minister of War and Prime Minister, prioritized this issue. The **AZAÑA LAW** was
passed, allowing officers to retire with full pay until retirement, reducing their numbers by 30%.
This was necessary as most officers were anti-republican.
Another issue was the outdated military education, leading to the closure of the General
Academy of Zaragoza, headed by Francisco Franco.
Azaña also created a new police force, the **Assault Guard**, loyal to the republic.
In August 1932, a coup led by **José Sanjurjo** failed, and he was exiled to Portugal. He was
supposed to lead the 1936 coup but died in a plane crash.
**RELIGIOUS PROBLEM**: The Church had excessive economic, social, and educational
power. The reform aimed to separate church and state, legalizing divorce, civil marriage, and
secularizing cemeteries. In 1933, the **Law of Religious Congregations** was passed,
prohibiting religious orders from engaging in industry, commerce, and teaching. This led to the
closure of many schools.
**AGRARIAN PROBLEM**: The excessive concentration of land in the hands of a few needed
to be addressed. The **Agrarian Reform Law** of September 1932 aimed to expropriate
poorly cultivated or uncultivated lands and redistribute them to peasants. The **Institute of
Agrarian Reform** and the **National Agrarian Bank** were created to manage this process.
**SOCIAL PROBLEM**: The enormous social inequality led to political instability. A **wage
policy** was implemented to increase workers' purchasing power, but the effects of the 1929
crash and the fall of the stock market forced the suspension of this policy, leaving many
unemployed.
Azaña's government attempted to carry out social reforms to improve working conditions, led
by the Ministry of Labor under **Francisco Largo Caballero**, who approved laws on
maximum working hours, the right to strike, and labor accidents. However, this policy lacked
anarchist support.
**TERRITORIAL PROBLEM**: The 1931 Constitution approved an **Integral State**
compatible with political decentralization. In October 1936, during the Civil War, the **Statute
of Autonomy for the Basque Country** was approved, and in 1932, the **Statute of Autonomy
for Catalonia** was approved but suspended in October 1934.
On April 14, 1931, Macià proclaimed the **Catalan Republic**, which became the provisional
Generalitat of Catalonia. The drafting of the Statute of Autonomy began quickly, and it was
approved in August 1931 after a referendum. The **Statute of Núria** was approved, but the
process was complicated and took a year to finalize.
**CULTURAL PROBLEM**: The high illiteracy rate, around 30% in cities and up to 50% in
rural areas, needed to be addressed. The reform aimed to make primary education
compulsory, free, and mixed. The **Teachers of the Republic** became symbols of this new
era, advocating for a completely secular education.
Public libraries were established in cities, and a system of "bookmobiles" was created to
expand culture. **Pedagogical Missions** were also established to promote education.
These reforms faced opposition from both the extreme left and the conservatives.
**OPPOSITION FROM THE EXTREME LEFT**: The CNT rejected the republic, considering it
a bourgeois government. They believed in direct action and maintaining their apolitical stance.
In 1927, the **Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI)** was created, advocating for direct action.
During the Second Republic, several uprisings occurred:
- **January 1932**: In Catalonia, miners in the Alt Llobregat region established **Libertarian
Communism**, but the government intervened, sending the Civil Guard to suppress the
uprising.
- **January 1933**: In **Casa Viejas**, a village in Cádiz, a group of peasants attacked the
Civil Guard barracks, resulting in 19 deaths, including women and children. This led to Azaña's
resignation.
**OPPOSITION FROM THE EXTREME RIGHT**: The conservative opposition, led by the
**CEDA (Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Rights)**, opposed Azaña's reforms. The
CEDA, led by **José María Gil Robles**, sought to reform the constitution and defend the
Catholic Church.
**CONSERVATIVE BIENNIUM (NOV 1933-DEC 1936)**: The November 1933 elections
marked a shift, with conservative parties winning. The CEDA obtained 115 seats, but lacked a
majority. The **Radical Party**, led by Alejandro Lerroux, formed a government with CEDA
support.
The new government aimed to reverse Azaña's reforms, suspending the **Law of Religious
Congregations** and the agrarian reform. In April 1934, the **Amnesty Law** was passed,
freeing prisoners, including José Sanjurjo.
In June 1934, the **FNTT**, a socialist agrarian union, protested the suspension of agrarian
reform, leading to strikes and arrests.
**OCTOBER 1934 CRISIS**: The government's instability led to the inclusion of CEDA
ministers, prompting the left to threaten an insurrection. On October 5, 1934, the UGT called a
general strike, leading to a state of war. The army quickly controlled most of Spain, except for
Asturias and Catalonia.
**ASTURIAN REVOLUTION**: Asturias, a major mining region, saw a socialist revolution
inspired by the Russian Revolution. The army, led by Francisco Franco, brutally suppressed
the uprising, resulting in 1,100 deaths.
**CATALONIA**: In Catalonia, the rebellion was political. On October 6, 1934, **Lluís
Companys** proclaimed the **Catalan State** within a federal Spanish republic. The army, led
by **Domènec Batet**, suppressed the rebellion, and Companys was arrested.
The events of October 1934 marked a turning point, leading to a permanent crisis. Largo
Caballero and Azaña were also arrested.
**OCTOBER 1934-FEBRUARY 1935**: The Radical Party and CEDA continued to govern,
becoming increasingly conservative. In May 1935, **José María Gil Robles** was appointed
Minister of Defense, aiming to reform the military and politics.
**CORRUPTION SCANDAL**: In 1935, a corruption scandal known as the **Straperlo** affair
erupted, involving rigged roulette wheels in casinos. This led to Lerroux's resignation.
**POPULAR FRONT GOVERNMENT AND FINAL CRISIS OF THE REPUBLIC (FEBRUARY
16-JULY 17-19, 1936)**
The February 16, 1936 elections marked a radical change in the political situation. The
left-wing coalition, the **Popular Front**, won, forming a center-left government. The Popular
Front included the **Republican Left**, led by Manuel Azaña, the **Union Republicana**, led
by Diego Martínez Barrio, the **PSOE**, and the **UGT**.
The Popular Front's program included political amnesty and the resumption of agrarian reform.
However, the government faced opposition from the **UME (Spanish Military Union)**, leading
to the transfer of key military figures, including Franco, to other regions.
The government also sought to remove **Alcalá-Zamora** as president, replacing him with
**Manuel Azaña**. However, the government was weakened by internal divisions and
increasing political violence.
**POLITICAL VIOLENCE**: The period saw verbal violence in political speeches, militia
actions, and terrorist attacks against politicians. The situation deteriorated, leading to the
outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936.