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Key Events in Spanish Political History

Sep 8, 2024

Key Events in Spanish History: 1930s to Post-Franco Era

The Fall of the Monarchy and the Rise of the Second Republic (1930-1931)

  • 1930: Tension in Spain under King Alfonso XIII and dictator General Miguel Primo de Rivera.
    • Rivera resigns due to unpopularity and replaced by General Damaso Berenguer ("Dictablanda").
  • 1931: Admiral Juan Bautista Aznar replaces Berenguer; local elections lead to the declaration of Spain as a democratic republic.
    • Alfonso XIII leaves the country; Second Spanish Republic established.
    • New provisional government led by Niceto AlcalĆ”-Zamora.
    • June: Election for a constitutional Cortes to draft a new Spanish constitution.

Political Reforms and Challenges (1931-1933)

  • New constitution guarantees freedom of speech, assembly, and separation of church and state.
    • Church's funds controlled by the government.
    • AlcalĆ”-Zamora resigns; becomes President.
  • Manuel AzaƱa, a left-wing Republican, becomes Prime Minister.
    • Reforms include women's suffrage, land redistribution, and regional autonomy (Catalonia and Basque Country).
    • Struggles with public order lead to his defeat in 1933 elections.

Shifts in Power and Uprisings (1933-1936)

  • Alejandro Lerroux, a right-winger, becomes Prime Minister and seeks to reverse reforms.
    • Discontent leads to the Asturias Uprising in 1934.
  • 1936: Popular Front formed by left-wing parties; Lerroux's government falls.
  • AzaƱa returns to power amid increasing violence between political factions.

Spanish Civil War and Francoist Spain (1936-1939)

  • 1936: Military coup led by General Emilio Mola and Francisco Franco.
    • Nationalists versus Republicans; foreign support divides between Axis (Nationalists) and Allies (Republicans).
  • 1937-1939: Nationalists gain control; bombing of Guernica as a significant event.
    • Diverse political groups among Republicans lead to disunity.
  • April 1939: Franco's victory; Spain declared a one-party state under Franco.

Franco's Regime and Post-World War II Isolation (1939-1950s)

  • Franco's regime characterized by repression, yet allows some private freedom.
  • Spain remains neutral during World War II.
  • Post-war, Spain isolated due to Franco's policies; economy suffers.
    • 1950s economic reforms bring foreign investment and economic growth.
    • Tourism and industrial development prioritized.

Decolonization and Economic Development (1950s-1960s)

  • 1956: Spanish Morocco ceded to Morocco.
  • Economic boom in the 1960s; Spain admitted to the UN in 1955.
  • Franco prepares for succession; appoints Juan Carlos as successor.

Transition to Democracy (1970s)

  • 1973: Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco assassinated by ETA.
  • 1975: Franco dies; Juan Carlos I becomes king.
    • Begins transition to democracy with Adolfo SuĆ”rez.
    • Dissolution of Francoist structures; elections in 1977.
  • 1978: New constitution establishes civil liberties and regional autonomy.
  • Spain joins the international community, overcoming its authoritarian past.

Conclusion

  • King Juan Carlos I and SuĆ”rez's roles were crucial in peacefully transitioning Spain to democracy.
  • Spain's history from monarchy to republic, civil war, dictatorship, and democracy highlights significant shifts in political and social structures.

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