What Were the Causes of
The Spanish Civil War?
This topic is part of THE INTERWAR YEARS Paper 3 Unit and is also part of the thematic Paper 2 content as an example
for the topic CAUSES, PRACTISES AND EFFECTS OF WAR.
Basic Resources (please read)!
‘What were the causes of the Spanish Civil War?’, by Francisco J. Romero Salvado
‘Civil War Case Study 1’, IB Pearson textbook pages 226 – 251
‘A Concise History of the Spanish Civil War’ by Paul Preston (there are two copies in the store-room)
20th Century World History Course Companion, The Spanish Civil War; factions, fault lines and civil war by David Smith.
Key questions you may be asked on either paper * Why did a Civil War break out in Spain in 1936?
* How significant was the impact of foreign involvement in the outcome of the Spanish Civil War?
* Why did the Nationalists win the Spanish Civil War?
* What were the key effects of the Spanish Civil War?
* What was the impact of the Spanish Civil War on the role of women?
Some really basic notes = This was a war of 1936 – 39 Franco’s nationalists supported by fascist Italy and Nazi Germany,
seized power in the south and northwest, but were suppressed in Madrid and Barcelona by the workers militia. The
loyalists (Republicans) were aided by the USSR and volunteers of the International Brigade. The war saw the use of air
raids against civilians and the defeat of the Republicans by 1939 led to the establishment of Franco’s dictatorship,
precipitated by a military revolt led by General Franco against the republican government.
* Why did a Civil War break out in Spain in 1936?
The most important thing to remember here is that the conflict that broke out in Spain in July 1936 cannot be separated
from the wider European context even though (as your Salvado essay points out) it was an essentially Spanish affair. It
was the final clash between two diametrically opposed views of the country’s future. The war was a battle to settle
crucial issues which had divided Spain for generations’ questions such as agrarian regions and the role that the army and
the Church had in a modern secular state. Half a million people died in this conflict between ’36 and ’39.
Study the timeline of events on page 226. You could (if you were an IGCSE student) describe the events but as an IB
student you’ll analyse them – meaning that you’ll break the timeline down into significant factors and explain these.
LONG-TERM ORIGINS
FACTOR
A ROUGH TRANSITION FROM OLD REGIME TO NEW
1820 Absolute monarchy (one with TOTAL power) replaced by a
constitutional one (one that has to follow the rules).
The ARMY intervenes in politics over and over again! In 1821 &
1871 it has reinstated the previous monarchy (first an absolute
then a constitutional one) after it had been overthrown
From 1871 Spain had a Constitutional MONARCHY. It was weak.
The two main parties were really no different to each other,
elections were CORRUPT and the Prime Minister Cortes did not
hold real power. It was held by the wealthy oligarchs.
The CHURCH was rich and powerful and closely tied to the
aristocracy. The Church supported conservatism and opposed
modernising and liberal forces. The Church then favoured the
rights and status of the upper classes.
RURAL ECONOMIC CAUSE - Agriculture didn’t provide enough
food or employment. In central and southern Spain land was
owned in huge estates by ‘Grandees’ who dominated the
political system. Rioting and discontent common = The Civil
Guard deployed to maintain order.
URBAN ECONOMIC CAUSE – Spain’s industry desperately
needed to modernise but was hampered by abject poverty. The
worker’s political parties had no real power.
Catalonia and the Basque REGIONS wanted independence from
the centralist state.
PARTIES - The Spanish Socialist Party, a small Communist party
and Anarchists who became a major political group in Spain
were all opposed to the political status quo.
KING Alfonso XIII was not a moderniser and after the military
defeat in Morocco and post-WW1 depression he was under
pressure.
ANALYSIS
After the French Revolution 1789 in which France
became a Republic and chopped Louis XVI’s head off
liberal fervour seems to have spread through Europe.
An emergence of conservative against liberal ideas
seems evident.
It was unpopular, expensive and proved ineffective.
The population were resentful.
The population was forced into apathy of violent
opposition to the system.
As the Church favoured the rights and status of the
upper classed there was much resentment among
people in poorer areas.
Was hated by the peasantry caused greater
resentment against those who sent them. .
With no real legal means to try and change their
situation workers began to consider violent methods.
Led to increased tension.
Instability
After 12 unsuccessful governments between 1918 –
23 he did not resist the political coup of General
Primo de Rivera
Now read the notes below on SHORT-TERM causes.....(At this point I switched to the large yellow course companion for
guidance)
(1931 – 36 = short-term)
AN AUTHORITARIAN ORDER
As in the rest of Europe the establishment of an authoritarian order was an exercise in the containment of mass
politics when the old system could no longer function. But it seemed that dictatorship (in this case an authoritarian
right-wing regime on the Italian fascist model) as a solution to Spain’s problems failed. Primo de Valera had failed to
create a viable political formula. Having run up massive debts De Rivera resigned in 1930 after the Wall Street Crash
badly affected Spain’ economy. The King went into voluntary exile.
THE LEFT REPUBLIC
After the Kings departure the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed in 1931 in the elections that followed the CentreLeft won with the objective of modernising Spain (for an idea of what Centre-left means examine your yellow course
companion and look at the table with the different political parties listed in it). Manuel Azana was the new President.
Democracy could not have arrived at a worse moment! Elsewhere the political trend was toward dictatorship and
Fascism + the entire world had been plunged into dramatic depression!
This government declared a New Constitution BUT THE OLD PROBLEMS STILL REMAINED.
Made many reforms BUT THE OLD PROBLEMS REMAINED PRACTICALLY UNDINTED EXACERBATED BY ECONOMIC ISSUES.
(Largo Caballero’s land redistribution programme with compensation for landowners – fewer than 7000 families
benefitted)
A factor in the breakdown of the Second Republic was the instability created by the electoral system. The Spanish
electoral system ensured that only a small swing in the number of votes cast had a huge effect on the parliamentary
system. So although there was only a minor shift of votes from left to right in the election of 1933 there was a big
change in parliamentary power. The same was to happen in ’36 when the Popular front gained control.
The right-wing parties benefitted from the disunity of the left.
HISTORIOGRAPHY – So far you’re looking at the struggling government of the Second Republic – was it struggling
because of opposition or outside factors. Historians disagree on this. Paul Preston (who wrote the nice wee book I’ve
two copies of in the office) argues that the right was never going to give the republic a chance while many other
historians see the failure of land reform as central to the failure of the government during this period.
THE RIGHT REPUBLIC
Caballero (we’ve heard his name before, Minister for Labour on the left) suggested that the right Republic CEDA was the
Spanish Nazi party and that the left should seek a Soviet-style solution for Spain. In response the War Minister
demanded a shift to a more authoritarian approach to control communists in Spain.
Both Mussolini and Hitler had accepted minority portfolios in coalition governments then easily destroyed democracy
from within so the President of the Republic refused Gil Robles the CEDA’s leader the Premiership and instead dissolved
the Chamber after a series of scandals forced the radicals out of office in ’35. Frenzied elections in 36 gave the left wing
coalition or Popular Front a narrow margin.
THE POPULAR FRONT
For many this was a final attempt to uphold democracy but for others it was associated with Stalin and communism. =
more tension!
Because the CEDA’S legal methods to attain power had failed they began to turn to violence. A coup was planned.
In contrast to other European countries whose constitutional regimes in the interwar years were overthrown with hardly
a struggle, Spaniards fought back. The rising failed in the main industrial areas and the rebels DID NOT take Madrid. Had
the entire affair remained wholly Spanish it is quite possible that the Republicans would have won.
How can we categorise these factors – both the long and short term to weigh up their importance?
One method – in three sections – FACTORS WHICH CAUSED THE CLASH BETWEEN REFORM AND REACTION, FACTORS
WHICH EXACERBATED IT, FACTORS WHICH FAILED TO SOLVE IT.
THE PROBLEM - Factors which show mistakes of the previous Regime. The monopoly of power.
EXASCERBATION - Factors which maintained the elitist unequal, system and led to mounting unrest.
WHY A SOLUTION COULDN’T BE REACHED POLITICALLY, CONTEXT - Primo de Rivera’s failings and the difficulties for
Democracy.
A second method –
Is simply to divide the causes into ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL.
TASK 1.
Below are nine long-term causes of the Spanish Civil War – taken from the left hand column in the above table.
Cut out the nine causes and categorise them into economic, political and social causes A ROUGH TRANSITION FROM OLD
REGIME TO NEW
ARMY
CORRUPT
CHURCH
RURAL ECONOMIC CAUSE
URBAN ECONOMIC CAUSE
REGIONS
PARTIES
KING
TASK 2.
Start an essay on the Causes of the Spanish Civil War.
1. Write an introduction explaining the nature of this war and why it is significant.
2. Write a paragraph on the inability of the old regime to facilitate a smooth transition to the new. We have now set the
scene for a discussion on how a dispute between reformist and reactionary factions could escalate into civil war.
3. Use the categories you created in Task 1 to write three ‘body paragraphs’ on social, economic and political causes of
the Spanish Civil War.
4. Write a paragraph on why a solution could not be reached – which of the factors economic, political and social do you
think caused the most insurmountable problems?
Other studies which would complement Paper 2 work.
* Contrast the causes of a second Civil War.
* Assess the impact of the Spanish Civil war on women to contrast with WW1.
* Examine the impact of foreign intervention in the Spanish Civil War.
* Contrast the impact of foreign intervention in a second Civil War.