History of Catalonia in the Second Republic

Image: The Newspaper

Catalonia, throughout the history of Spain, has had a fundamental role since it has always been a geographic framework dedicated to the commerce and industry of the country, as well as part of the north Spanish; Therefore, it is not surprising that it has always been considered one of the richest territories in the kingdom. In this lesson from a TEACHER we will talk about history of Catalonia in the Second Republic highlighting the most important moments in the socio-political life of the moment.

Index

1. The beginning of the Republic
2. The role of Catalonia during the beginning of the Republic
3. The radicalization of Catalonia
4. The consequences for Catalonia

The dictatorship of Primo de Rivera it made the figure of the monarchy be questioned, causing many republican parties that were born throughout the dictatorship. These were nurturing both bourgeois with great economic aspirations, although for the most part it was nurtured by the workers, people in a great precariousness who sought in a change of the political system, the improvement for their lives. The problem would be that, with time, they would realize that this change did not solve anything for them.

After this dictatorship, there were two more governments, the first belonging to General Dámaso Berenguer, named by the historians such as the soft dictatorship, a kind of military dictatorship that sought pacification and a return to constitutionality of the country. This failed, giving way to a second government, which would be headed by Admiral Juan Bautista Aznar, who in the end was forced to convene municipal elections on April 12, 1931, date on which the rise of the republican parties to power and therefore the change of the political system in Spain took place.

Continuing with the history of Catalonia in the Second Republic we have to place ourselves in the April 14, 1931, date on which the Republic in Cataloniaafter the results of the municipal elections.

That moment in turn was used by Esquerra Republicana to proclaim the Catalan State, which had to be inserted into a republic of the Iberian peoples, thus making a federal republic. This initiative was taken by Francesc Macià, and resulted in a confrontation with the newly appointed government of Spain (now republican).

In such a way and in a way ipsofacta, on April 17 emissaries of the central government met in Barcelona so that it would withdraw from the self-proclaimed “Catalan State”, in exchange, the Government would agree to the structuring of a autonomy for Catalonia.

From that moment, from Catalonia it was decided to work on a statute of autonomy that had to be presented in the Spanish Cortes and on August 3, 1931 the document was delivered to the Government. The problem was that they exceeded the tasks that were allowed to be carried out, since Catalonia advocated a Republic while the constitution made by the government defended an integral Republic, that is, it could not be divided the country.

Even so, we must know that between the months of January and April 1932 the matter continued to be discussed in order to find a common point with which both parties would be happy. The September 9, 1932 the Statute of Autonomy for Catalonia was accepted eliminating from the original the words "State, sovereignty and federal", since the Government and the rest of Spain did not accept such an affront.

Even so, it was the citizens themselves who saw a large part of their demands rewarded, being only the most radical parties were dissatisfied with the deal with the government Central.

Image: Slideshare

The rise of CEDA forces By the end of 1933 they made relations with the government of Catalonia less, since the left ruled in them and the right was in the government at that time.

At this stage in the history of Catalonia in the Second Republic we will find that, from the Catalan government governed by Companys, the creation of a agrarian reform that benefited small farmers who worked land dependent on the government or landowners without the possibility of being able to buy it. It was this reform that allowed small farmers to buy plots of land, although since the Catalan right, the Government was required to force Catalonia to return to normality, causing the law.

Between October 1 and 6, 1934, we will find the first general strikes motivated by the entry into the central government of members of the CEDA, which previously were well positioned but did not have such strength. These movements were led by the majority Socialists, and although the CNT did not participate directly, since it did not support the strike, the Barcelona city was totally paralyzed.

The October 6, Companys and all his advisers proclaimed the Catalan Republic, since they said that the Lerroix government was closer to the monarchy and fascism than to the republic. Immediately, the central government responded by applying the Public Order Law of 1933, that is, the state of war, making the General Batet take command of the situation in Catalonia.

After this, a series of guerrilla clashes began in the city of Barcelona, ​​which resulted in the lives of civilians and soldiers. On October 7, he was arrested Companys and the rest of the Catalan government, as well as other politicians, who were taken to prison on the ship Uruguay.

The last stage focuses on loss of autonomy on December 14, 1934 due to the act of rebellion carried out by the government of the Generalitat. On the other hand, the Lerroix government carried out a harsh repression on the parties and unions related to the independence movement.

In April 1935 the State of War was lifted in Catalonia, returning part of the autonomy to the Generalitat, although Public order continued to belong to the Government for fear that the events previously occurred would reoccur mentioned.

Shortly after the Spanish Civil War would break outwhere Catalonia played a fundamental role in defense of the Spanish Republic.

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