Spanish Civil War - BTHS World History

Spanish Civil War Causes and a Cause

Introduction  Spanish Civil War 

Broke out in 1936

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More than a century of social, economic and political

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Half a million died

Long-Term Causes

Weakness of Government 

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Political instability 

19th century, Spain struggled between periods of conservatism and liberalism

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Several factors that caused tension and division

Weakness of government 

1871, Spain became a constitutional monarchy

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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

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Two main parties, Conservatives and Liberals, no real difference

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Elections rigged

Role of Spanish Army 

Army had a powerful position in Spain due to its imperial past

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Believed that was the protector of the nation

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Right and duty to intervene, did so in 1829, 1871, 1923

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Did not act to save King Alfonso in 1931, led to his exile

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Did intervene during Second Republic and in 1936

Unpopular with the people 

Reputation for brutality, expensive

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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

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Upper and middle classes make up the officer corps

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Generally conservative 

‘Africanistas’ had experienced war in Morocco, the hard-liners

Role of Church 

Catholic Church rich and powerful in Spain

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Disputes between them and state in 1800s

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State guaranteed role in education and economy, church used its wealth for influence 

Supported conservative policies

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Aristocracy tied closely to the church

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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

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Did not provide sufficient food and work was seasonal

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Need for workers to migrate 

Most in poverty, wide gap

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Central and South, land owned in huge estates, by ‘Grandees’ who dominated the political system

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North, peasants owned small plots of land, too poor

Economic Causes 

Rioting in the countryside

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Civil Guard deployed to repress

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No support from the church, some looked to anarchists who sought redistribution of land

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Catholics resistant to socialist ideas 

Catholic Agrarian Federation formed to support farmers and reject socialism

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Would later support Franco

Economic Causes 

Industrially a need for reform

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Had been little growth in the 19th century

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Expansion limited by poverty

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Workers poor conditions

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Growth of trade unionism

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Competed with one another though, failed to achieve anything substantial

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Employers could always find alternative labor

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Workers’ parties had no power, no legal means

Spain’s neutrality in WWI had caused a boom 

Increase in exports meant inflation and shortages

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Militancy increased

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Early 1920s major economic problems, led to violent conflict in industrial cities in Catalonia

Role of Regions 

Catalonia and Basque provinces seeking independence 

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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

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Separatists supported Republican movement that overthrew Alfonso in 1931

Political Opposition 

Number of groups opposed to status quo

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Liberal groups achieved nothing, remained a political force

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Spanish Socialist Party had grown, UGT more visible

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Small Communist Party after Russian Revolution

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All divided over which reforms should take place

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Moderate Socialists Indalecio Prieto

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Radicals Largo Caballero

Anarchists also a major force 

Popular with the peasants

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Boycotted democracy, active with CNT

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Responsible for some bombings

Fall of the Monarchy and Establishment of the Second Republic 

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King Alfonso was not a modernizer 

Pressure on him after defeats and ineffective government

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Did not resist coup of General Primo de Rivera in 1923

Primo de Rivera 

Tried to establish right-wing regime similar to Italy

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Infrastructure and Industry advances

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Ran up massive debts, worse when Depression hit

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Alienated landowners and army

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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 

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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

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Government declared a new constitution, stating Spain was a democratic republic of workers

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Manuel Azana became President 

Key issues continued

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Addressed church’s power 

Anticlerical, tried to separate church and state

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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 

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Desperate economic problems existed in Spain exacerbated by the Depression 

Agricultural prices tumbling, exports fell, unemployment rising

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Industrial output fell

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Largo Caballero, Minister of Labour intiated an extensive land redistribution program with compensation

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1932, land law, right saw as a major threat

Civil unrest and violence continued 

Dealt with brutally, introduced Assault Guard

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Risings by both sides

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General Jose Sanjurjo from right

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Casas Viejos anarchist uprising from left

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Army remained mostly loyal

The Left Republic 

Catalonia given its own parliament, some powers over law and education

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Right-wing groups angered by this move towards independence and break-up of Spain

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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

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Political divisions definitely increased

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Azana also attacked anarchists, lost him some working class support, resigned in 1933

The Right Republic 

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Elections of 1933, Republic swung right 

Disunity on the left

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CEDA largest party, Gil-Robles made War Minister

New government ruled for two years 

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Known as black years, systematically reversed Left Republic’s reforms 

Church and land restored

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Catalonia suppressed by troops

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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

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Election of 1936, Popular Front, anti-fascist pact of left-wing groups including socialists and communists, victorious

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Some associated it with democracy, some with Stalin

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Manifesto promoted by Azana who now returned, liberal, not radical

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Wanted to restore reforms of 31-33 

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Still no political census

Anarchists encouraged peasants to seize land, recruited militias 

Conflict with fascists, government faced increasing disorder

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General strike in May

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Right wing thought they were in left revolution

Immediate Causes

1936 

Victory of the left in 1936 elections threw CEDA into turmoil

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Used funds to support military plans for a coup

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Began planning immediately

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Nationalist junior officers joined with senior Africanista officers, including Franco

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Coup began after murder of popular CEDA leader on July 13

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Azana attempted to prevent coup by moving key military figures to remote posts

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Conspirators made contact with two groups, Falange (authoritarian radicals) and Carlists (monarchists)

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Fascists versus communists

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Coup began on July 17 from Morocco, took northern Spain

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Half of the army remained Republican, coup actually unsuccessful without foreign intervention