07 THE SECOND SPANISH REPUBLIC
PROCLAMATION AND CONSTITUTION
THE REFORMIST BIENNIUM (1931–1933)
THE BLACK BIENNIUM (1933–1936)
VICTORY OF THE POPULAR FRONT (1936)
The Second Spanish Republic was declared on 14 April 1931
provisional republican government undertook urgent reforms
improvements in working conditions and the hiring of day labourers
freedom of worship and secularisation measures
an agreement to draw up a statute of autonomy in Cataluña
modernisation of the army and total submission to civil power
DIFFICULT RELATIONS WITH THE CHURCH
The clergy received the Republic with distrust
secular ideas harmed the Catholic Church
Constitution of 1931
Social rule of law
Universal suffrage starting from the age of 23
Extensive declaration of rights and freedoms
Division of powers
Right of the regions to establish statutes of autonomy
Separation between the Church and the state
declared itself a ‘Republic of workers from all classes’
Civil rights were recognised
such as divorce, civil marriage and equal rights for legitimate and illegitimate children, the right to free and secular public education.
first period
republicans and socialists formed a coalition government
Prime Minister Manuel Azaña
main reforms
The Statute of Autonomy of Cataluña
Army
Agricultural reform
Education
Religion
Social reforms
reestablishment of an autonomous government, the Generalitat
Procedures began to approve statutes in the País Vasco and Galicia
military officers had to swear allegiance to the Republic
the Guardia de Asalto was created
Land was redistributed
Over 10,000 primary schools were built, and teacher training and salaries were improved to recognise their social role
The separation between Church and state was addressed to establish a secular society
workers’ retirement insurance, insurance against accidents at work, the right to strike, dismissal conditions and workers’ right to paid holidays
The rejection of the Azaña government’s reforms
led to the founding of the Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Rights
made up of Catholic groups which declared their sympathies with the fascist model
the anarchists’ demands did not cease
violent climate of opposition to the government developed
the Casas Viejas Incidents
discredited the government, and led to Azaña’s resignation
New elections were called
won by right-wing parties
The Radical Party led by Alejandro Lerroux took power
main political objective was to stop or reverse the reforms undertaken during the previous biennium
José Antonio Primo de Rivera
son of the dictator Primo de Rivera
founded the Falange Española
a minority fascist party
began a violent campaign of aggression against workers’ organisations
Counter-reformist policies and fear of fascism
led trade unions and socialists to start a revolutionary movement
October Revolution of 1934
the general strike failed because of a lack of coordination
CLARA CAMPOAMOR (1888–1972)
was a lawyer and fought for women’s rights
she fought for women’s right to vote, which was recognised in 1931 and was exercised for the first time in 1933
one of the first female members of parliament in the Second Republic
economic corruption meant the end of the right-wing government
elections were called in February 1936
The conservatives tried to form a coalition, the National Front
Popular Front
The search for an agreement for an alliance between republicans and socialists to win the elections, led to this
In February 1936, won the elections
Manuel Azaña was appointed president of the Republic
His programme consisted of reintroducing the reforms
Amnesty for political prisoners
Reintroduction of the Agricultural Reform
Restoration of Catalan autonomy
Strengthening the educational, social and religious reforms
Disorder and violence spread
anarchism caused fear and rejection among Catholics
members of the Falange assaulted on Basque and Catalan workers’ and nationalist organisations
members of the military and far-right organisations opposed to the Popular Front’s reforms
started conspiring to create a climate that would lead to a coup d’état
Lieutenant Castillo member of the PSOE, was killed in Madrid
conservative leader José Calvo Sotelo was later killed
led to a military uprising
Garazi García Antruejo
