Spanish Civil War (1936-39)

THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM:

Right Wing - Nationalists. Includes Army, Church, landowners,
monarchists, CEDA, and Franco's Fascist Party, Falange.
Left Wing - Republicans. Includes socialists, communists, anarchists,
trade unionists and moderate liberals.
LONG-TERM CAUSES (1800s - 1930)
1. Socio-Economic
Spain is poor and weak, economically backwards, mainly agricultural and
uneducated.
Rural
Poor conditions
2/3 of Spain's population were
poor peasants
Extreme polarization of
wealth between landlords and
landless labourers
Those working on large estates
known as 'latifundia' in the
South were exploited by
landowners:
Wages were low
One-crop farming, so
work was only available
during certain seasons
No financial security,
unemployment common

Urban
Towns were not much better
Housed in slums, living
conditions overcrowded,
unsanitary and rent high
Low wages, no min. wage, max.
working hours, protection from
dangerous working conditions

However it was easier to join

political groups that the ruling
classes feared
Trade unions and strikes
COMMUNISM (Sounds like
USSR)

Political implications:
Increased appeal of far-left parties and unions to promote social
reform
Rise in left-wing militancy
Increased appeal of far-right parties to preserve the social hierarchy
and economic privilege of the elites
2. Political
a. Separatism:
Basque and Catalonia had significant cultural and economic
differences.
Distinctive language, culture and history
Sought greater autonomy and separation from Spanish state.
Left prepared to concede some autonomy
Right determined to preserve unity of Spain

b. Political system and monarchy:

Constitutional monarchy under King Alfonso XIII.
Elections/laws/parliament formed to benefit ruling class, not poor
Despite there being universal male suffrage since 1887, politics
were not really democratic, influenced by local caciques (influential
local bosses)
Elections and politics were rigged
c. Left/Right division:
Two major left wing parties: anarchists and socialists.
Did not get along and refused to cooperate
Socialists felt they were respectful of the law and that reasoned
discussion would one day resolve Spanish issues
The anarchists thought that the socialists supported repression, and
resented them for not being willing to fight for worker rights
Anarchists had a trade union called the CNT and Socialist trade
union was called the UGT.
Both of these parties were opposed to/ hostilities with the right
wing.
d. Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, 1923-1930:
Due to defeats and humiliation in Morocco, King Alfonso allowed a
military dictatorship under General Miguel Primo de Rivera as of
1923
He created mass opposition against him
By failing to reform the tax system/economy, did not give peasants
the land reform they wanted, and withdrew Catalonian rights
Primo de Rivera stepped down, with subsequent votes calling
overwhelmingly for the abdication of King Alfonso
End of monarchial rule and establishment of Second Spanish
Republic in 1931
3. Army and church
Army stood as a form of repression via tortures and shootings, and
was hated for the way it brutally put down strikes with help from the
armed police (Civil Guard)
Church was unpopular and limited education: as late as the 1900s,
64% of the population was illiterate. Church was also responsible for
propaganda against liberalism, communism and democracy, and
worked with the Army to utilise the feared 'INQUISITION' in order to
produce blind obedience. The Church justified the Army's violence,
and both were totally opposed to Basque and Catalonian separatism
- they were both a Nationalistic force.
Can be accredited a crucial role in outbreak of SCW due to the fear,
anger and divisions they caused, especially amongst the lower
class. Again, the emphasis is that it led to a desire for change.
SHORT-TERM CAUSES (THE SECOND REPUBLIC 1931-1936)

Left Republic: April 1931 - November 1933

Left took office first: the Republicans, under a man named Azana.
They widely reformed: started secular education/abolished support of
Church; Reduced army size/number of officers ; allowed autonomy for
Catalonia and land reforms for peasants.
The result; however, was disappointing.
Land reforms were blocked by the landowners, and were ineffective,
and strikes were put down. Reforms were 'too much' for the right, and
'too little' for the left.

Loss of support from more extreme left

They felt that the reforms did not address Spains socioeconomic
problems
Divisions in left-wing party

Led to an increase in right wing opposition.

For them, these reforms represented an assault on the traditional
social and religious order in Spain which they fiercely defended
A new right-wing group, known as CEDA, formed under a man named
Gil Robles to counter the Left.
Azana's Republican government crumbled in September 1933, and
following elections were won by the right.

Right Republic: November 1933 - February 1936

New Radical CEDA government reversed the reforms of the Left
Republic in what was called the ''two black years''
Violent repression against the left: an example is how Francisco
Franco's Army of Africa crushed an Anarchist uprising in the Asturias
coalfield (the Asturias Uprising, October 1934)
Due to a financial scandal, the Right Republic collapsed in February
1936.
Lack of cooperation between Radical and CEDA partnership
Left Republic: Feb-July 1936

Popular front gov. won

Resumed their old reforms again
Opposition from conservative right

Trigger factors in 1936

Popular Front - A popular front (basically the left wing parties united)
took charge following the collapse of the Right Republic, furthering
polarisation as Franco responded by forming the fascist 'Falange' party
(inspired by Hitler) which planned a military coup/takeover.
Assassination - Although plans were already underway for a coup, these
were accelerated when a leading right wing monarchist named Jose Calvo
Sotelo was assassinated by a socialist bodyguard in July 1936.

Failed military coup - this was attempted under the leadership of Franco
in July 1936, but it failed. This action of the army was to start the Civil War
to conquer Spain, fought bitterly until 1939 between the Republicans and
the Nationalists under Franco, resulting in Nationalist victory and Franco's
fascist regime in Spain from 1939~1975