Spanish Civil War
Causes and a Cause
Introduction
 Spanish Civil War

Broke out in 1936

More than a century of
social, economic and
political

Half a million died
Long-Term Causes
Weakness of Government


Political instability

19th century, Spain struggled between
periods of conservatism and liberalism

Several factors that caused tension and
division
Weakness of government

1871, Spain became a constitutional
monarchy

King Amadeo became head of state and he
appointed a Prime Minister who should
have commanded the majority of parliament
(Cortes)

Real power held by wealthy
oligarchs, control shifted between
cliques

Two main parties, Conservatives
and Liberals, no real difference

Elections rigged
Role of Spanish Army

Army had a powerful position in Spain due to its imperial
past

Believed that was the protector of the nation



Right and duty to intervene, did so in 1829, 1871,
1923

Did not act to save King Alfonso in 1931, led to his
exile

Did intervene during Second Republic and in 1936
Unpopular with the people

Reputation for brutality, expensive

Had lost Empire in 19th century, to American in 1898,
struggled to keep Morocco 1906-26
In need of reform

Too big, too many officers

Upper and middle classes make up the officer corps

Generally conservative

‘Africanistas’ had experienced war in
Morocco, the hard-liners
Role of Church

Catholic Church rich and
powerful in Spain

Disputes between them and
state in 1800s

State guaranteed role in
education and economy,
church used its wealth for
influence

Supported conservative
policies

Aristocracy tied closely to
the church

Defended rights of upper
classes, led to resentment
Economic Causes

Plight of agricultural workers
was a key factor, focus of the
economy, source of
employment

Did not provide sufficient
food and work was seasonal

Need for workers to migrate

Most in poverty, wide gap

Central and South, land
owned in huge estates, by
‘Grandees’ who dominated
the political system

North, peasants owned
small plots of land, too poor
Economic Causes

Rioting in the countryside

Civil Guard deployed to repress

No support from the church,
some looked to anarchists who
sought redistribution of land

Catholics resistant to socialist
ideas

Catholic Agrarian Federation
formed to support farmers and
reject socialism

Would later support Franco
Economic Causes

Industrially a need for reform

Had been little growth in the 19th century

Expansion limited by poverty

Workers poor conditions

Growth of trade unionism


Competed with one another though, failed to
achieve anything substantial

Employers could always find alternative labor

Workers’ parties had no power, no legal means
Spain’s neutrality in WWI had caused a boom

Increase in exports meant inflation and shortages

Militancy increased

Early 1920s major economic problems, led to
violent conflict in industrial cities in Catalonia
Role of Regions

Catalonia and Basque
provinces seeking
independence


Had own cultures and
economies
Primo de Rivera, Prime
Minister in 1923, ruled Spain
as a dictator until 1930

Took back Catalonia’s selfgoverning rights

Separatists supported
Republican movement that
overthrew Alfonso in 1931
Political Opposition

Number of groups opposed to status quo

Liberal groups achieved nothing, remained
a political force

Spanish Socialist Party had grown, UGT
more visible

Small Communist Party after Russian
Revolution


All divided over which reforms should take
place

Moderate Socialists Indalecio Prieto

Radicals Largo Caballero
Anarchists also a major force

Popular with the peasants

Boycotted democracy, active with CNT

Responsible for some bombings
Fall of the Monarchy and
Establishment of the Second Republic



King Alfonso was not a modernizer

Pressure on him after defeats and ineffective
government

Did not resist coup of General Primo de Rivera
in 1923
Primo de Rivera

Tried to establish right-wing regime similar to
Italy

Infrastructure and Industry advances

Ran up massive debts, worse when Depression
hit

Alienated landowners and army

Resigned in 1930, did not bring about stability
Elections in 1930 then showed support for
republicans, liberals, socialists and Catholics

King went into voluntary exile


Neither Church or army stepped in
Second Republic established 1931
Short-Term Causes
Political Polarization
 Between 1931 and 1936,
major gap in ideology
 Did not anticipate war in
1931
 By 1936, it will be desireable
The Left Republic

Following departure, center-left
wanted to modernize

Government declared a new
constitution, stating Spain was a
democratic republic of workers

Manuel Azana became President

Key issues continued

Addressed church’s power

Anticlerical, tried to separate
church and state

No longer in control of
education, state payment of
clergy stopped, power of the
army attacked

Made it only more
nationalist really
The Left Republic


Desperate economic problems existed in
Spain exacerbated by the Depression

Agricultural prices tumbling, exports fell,
unemployment rising

Industrial output fell

Largo Caballero, Minister of Labour intiated
an extensive land redistribution program
with compensation

1932, land law, right saw as a major threat
Civil unrest and violence continued

Dealt with brutally, introduced Assault
Guard

Risings by both sides

General Jose Sanjurjo from right

Casas Viejos anarchist uprising from left

Army remained mostly loyal
The Left Republic

Catalonia given its own parliament,
some powers over law and education

Right-wing groups angered by this move
towards independence and break-up of
Spain

New right-wing party, Confederacion
Espanola de Derechas Autonamas,
formed to defend the church and
landlords

CEDA led by Jose Maria Gil-Robles
modelled on German Nazi Party

Political divisions definitely increased

Azana also attacked anarchists, lost him
some working class support, resigned in
1933
The Right Republic


Elections of 1933, Republic swung
right

Disunity on the left

CEDA largest party, Gil-Robles
made War Minister
New government ruled for two
years


Known as black years,
systematically reversed Left
Republic’s reforms

Church and land restored

Catalonia suppressed by
troops

Threat of general strike
The right lost support of the
Basques
The Right Republic
 Political response to Right
Republic divided
 CEDA labeled Spanish Nazi
party, some thought they
should seek Soviet-style
solution
 Right demanded a shift to
more authoritarian approach

Led to more cooperation
on the Left
The Popular Front

Right wing disintegrated as economic and political
situation deteriorated

Election of 1936, Popular Front, anti-fascist pact of
left-wing groups including socialists and
communists, victorious

Some associated it with democracy, some with
Stalin

Manifesto promoted by Azana who now returned,
liberal, not radical

Wanted to restore reforms of 31-33


Still no political census
Anarchists encouraged peasants to seize land,
recruited militias

Conflict with fascists, government faced
increasing disorder

General strike in May

Right wing thought they were in left revolution
Immediate Causes
1936

Victory of the left in 1936 elections threw CEDA into
turmoil

Used funds to support military plans for a coup

Began planning immediately

Nationalist junior officers joined with senior Africanista
officers, including Franco

Coup began after murder of popular CEDA leader on
July 13

Azana attempted to prevent coup by moving key military
figures to remote posts

Conspirators made contact with two groups, Falange
(authoritarian radicals) and Carlists (monarchists)

Fascists versus communists

Coup began on July 17 from Morocco, took northern
Spain

Half of the army remained Republican, coup actually
unsuccessful without foreign intervention