Causes of the spanish civil war Flashcards
(24 cards)
Weakness in Central Government:
1833-1869: The army’s influence in national politics increased during the ‘rule of the Queens.’
1875-1918: The constitutional monarchy allows for democratic elections, but power remains in the hands of wealthy oligarchs or ‘caciques.’
1918-1923: The economy falters, and 12 different governments fail to redress the crisis.
1923-1930: General Primo de Rivera takes control in a bloodless coup, fatally undermining the legitimacy of the monarchy.
Political and Ideological Tension:
1820: The Spanish army, supported by Liberals, overthrows the absolute monarchy and makes Spain a constitutional monarchy in a modernizing revolution.
1821: Absolute monarchy is restored to Spain by French forces in an attempt to reinstate the old order.
1833: A revolt by ‘Carlists’ in an attempt to prevent a female succession following the death of King Ferdinand. The army intervenes to defeat the Carlists, but they remain a strong conservative force in Spanish politics.
1869-1870: Anarchist revolts take place against the state.
1918-1923: Political instability and failure of governments to address economic crises.
Role of Military:
1833: The army intervenes to defeat the Carlists.
1869-1870: Anarchist revolts lead to military suppression.
1921: The army is sent to crush a revolt led by Abd el-Krim in Spanish Morocco but is massacred by Moors.
1923-1930: General Primo de Rivera takes control in a bloodless coup, undermining the monarchy.
Role of Foreign Powers:
1821: The French forces restore the absolute monarchy to Spain in an attempt to reinstate the old order.
1898: Spanish Nationalism suffers after Spain is defeated in a war with the USA.
Long Term Causes:
Political/Ideological:
Weakness of government
Absolute monarchy / constitutional monarchy / 1st republic
Role of military
Anarchist movement / extremists FAI
Regionalism - basques and catalans
General primo de Rivera 1923
Liberals
Socialists and Communists
Monarchists and Nationalists
Power group in spain historically
has been the church
Anarchists
want to overthrow all forms of government, power is the root cause
Marxists
economics are the root causes, 2 inevitable revolutions (industrial revolution,) which will create a capitalist democracy, workers have some degree of education and skill and can organise strikes, middle class have to die, don’t believe in religion
General Primo de Rivera
put into power in 1923
interested in mussolini italy
Dictatorship lasted till 1930
General Primo de Rivera tries implement economic reforms, funding growth of consumer industries, irrigation projects in the south
In 1926 Moves away from dictatorship to parts of democracy, wants to bring better infrastructure - takes loans from american banks
Spanish empire
was vast, been a dominant global power however spain’s empire by 19th century had dwindled down (morocco, philippines, cuba), still has a vast imperial army, Generals want to make spain great again, spain goes into 20th century basically no colony but a big army and in 1923 king backs Primo de Rivera
big middle class
Growing political division and tension
Spanish have big middle class which wants a republic, Socialists and communists want to target the industrialised parts of spain
Militarist and nationalist support the Riviera regime
Catalans
Catalans is wealthy and industrialised
Long term causes - economics:
Lack of industrialism and modernisation
Concentrated areas (catalonia, bilbao, asturias) but not spread out, where the socialist, communists are
Trade Unions CNT (anarchists) and UGT (socialist/marxist)
Latifundia and seasonal work, lots of poverty
Economic failings of Primo de Rivera, failed projects of infrastructure
Impact of great depression, govt has no money, exports collapse, military turn against Rivera
King in panic appoints another general, people in spain have had enough of militarist dictatorship, king leaves spain and people elect the 2nd republic
Long term causes - social
Role of roman catholic church in society, entirety of education ran by the church, everything is paid for by the state, church is extraordinarily funded and wealthy
Anti-clericalism,
Nature of education
Role of women in society, women want equality,
Political wings
Middle: liberals
Right: basques, monarchists, church, militarist
Left: marxists, anarchists, catalans, sociestls
2nd republic:
De Rivera introduced higher taxes for public works / reduced unemployment + huge public loans. Rapid inflation
Lost support of army - resigned jan 1930
Alfonso XII appoints General Damaso Berenguer but regime discredited
Municipal elections on april - landslide for republic parties
KING WENT into exile
republic proclaimed on april 14 1931
A provisional government was set up 1931 - new constitution
Azanas government set out a broad range of reforms, anti cleric
Short term causes
- 3 govs of 2nd republic There is no king, no dictatorsh
1st left republic
april 1931 - november 1933:
Leader is anti-cleric
Coalition of the left
Ran by azana
Anti-cleric speeches, extreme reform, cultural shock,
Separation of church and state in 1931, dramatic policy, polarised society, doing it political and ideology, government has no money so they can’t pay for education, right wing is entirely opposed
Reduction in power of army, costs a fortune with nothing to do, primary reforms and halfs the size of the army, long term saves money, deal is to offer full paid retirement to anyone who stands down, radicalised the army as the people who don’t take the offer are nationalist militarism
Land reforms 1931, make or breaks the government, government will buy land from owners and redistribute to peasants, does not have the money, only 1000 families get land, radicalised the others, educational is chaotic
Lack of government funds for reforms
General sanjurjo rising 1932, tries to seize power, not enough backing, warning shot,
Casa Viejas anarchist rising in 1933, azana sends civil guards to put down the anarchists, ends up in a shootout, sets fire to the building to flush them out, anarchists have barricaded them, very slow and painful published deaths,
Catalan statute - catalonia has its own parliament 1932, polarised spain further
New right wing party - CEDA (defend church and landlords)
FIA - anarchists movement
NB social impact of religious reforms
Fails to deliver on manifesto, public scandal with the murder of anarchists, radicalised the military
2nd right republic
november 1933 - feb 1936
Political/Ideology/socio-economic
Coalition of the right
‘Two black years’, main aims is to reverse Azanas reforms,
Power of the church restored (pay/education)
Anarchists rising in barcelona december 1933, against the government
Catalonia declared itself independent after Ceda joined government
Government suspends catalan autonomy after Asturias miner uprising in 1934, begins civil war
Government impose press censorship, government media controlled by ceda press
The right lost support of the Basques, wealthy and strong catholic values, move against the right
Fascist Falange party formed in September 1934, own paramilitary
Economic scandal brings down right-wing coalition government, leadership involved in squandering government money, turns on eachother
3rd popular front
feb - july 1936:
Azana is back
Restore reforms from first term, has even less money to form reforms
Released political prisoners (communists and anarchists), they don’t support his regime, now has 2 problems militarist and political prisoners
Socialists did not join the government
Anarchists encourage land seizures in countryside/bombings/assassinations, arms the peasants, azana is struggling to deal with
FAI fought Falange and Ceda fighting each other
CNT call general strike in may, government is isolated and vulnerable, strike is used by the right wing media, elites in britain is believing right wing propaganda
Military and Ceda plan coup, coup for seize of power
Azana unable to prevent/diffuse
What does the 3 govs do to spains population
3 govs polarise spain to a tipping point
Revolution 1934:
Triggered by CEDA joining government
Asturias and Catalonia started the civil war kinda
Revolutionary strike
Supported by PSOE and UGT support
Historian Paul Presten - ‘civil war had begun’
Polarised politics
Army of Africa used to put down people, 3000 kill
30,000 deported to colonies
Franco described rebellion to a journalist as: ‘a frontier war and its fronts are socialism, communism and whatever attacks civilization in order to replace it with barbism
Trigger event
Failure of military coup:
Death of right wing leader Calvo Sotelo in Republican police custody on july 13th
Military attempt to seize power in coup in july 17th
Nationalists take northern spain and parts of Andalusia
Coup fails to take main industrials areas, Madrid and half of army remain loyal to the republic
Civil war begins
Historians:
Political: A Ramos Oliveria - failure of state
Ideology: Anthony Beever, Paul Preston
Socio-Economic: Patricia Knight & Frances Lannon
Paul Preston - tradition of solving political problems through violence
Partricia knight - economic and social tensions made civil war more likely by 1930s
Paul Preston - The rights did not accept the second Republic fro its inception. Coup inevitable after the election of the popular front in Feb. 1935
R. Carr - After it brought down De Riviera, Army would not accept a left wing government
A Beevor - Both sides had justified actions - if they dod not act opponents would seize power and crush them
