After the abdication of King Amadeus I (February 11, 1873) The Congress and the Senate, united in the National Assembly, proclaimed the First Republic. in Spain. This regime change occurred against a backdrop of great political unrest, known as the Democratic Sexennate.
This period began with the September Revolution of 1868.during the overthrow of Isabel II. This has enabled an unprecedented expansion of citizen participation, as well as greater enjoyment of individual freedoms.
Despite the hope aroused by the proclamation of the Republic, The new regime was immediately faced with serious difficulties. The start of the war in Cuba, the Carlist conflict and growing social tensions prevented political stabilization.
The first republic
One of the reasons why The failure of the constitutional monarchy was the assassination of General Prim. This character was assassinated just before Amadeo I ascended the throne. The situation did not improve over time, since there was even an attempted attack against Amadeo himself.
The proclamation of the First Republic was carried out under dubious conditions from a legal point of view. Although the Constitution prohibits Congress and the Senate from forming the National Assembly, they did so anyway. Likewise, the unconstitutional resignation of Amédée I was another factor which precipitated the creation of the Republic.
One of the greatest problems facing the First Republic was the territorial question. There was an attempt to establish a federal model, which favored territorial fragmentation. which went beyond the initial idea of dividing the country into seventeen federal states.
This decentralization led to the proliferation of cantonalisma perspective in which regions and municipalities acted independently, challenging central power. Local tensions and lack of national cohesion were key factors in the failure of federalism.
A hostile environment
The First Spanish Republic was deeply affected by two simultaneous war conflicts: the Cuban War and the Third Carlist War. Both fronts played a decisive role in the depletion of resources and the instability of the regime.
The Cuban conflict (1868) pitted Cuban independence fighters against the Spanish army and ended in 1878 with the signing of the Peace of Zanjón. During the years of the Republic, the war bled the country. This required major financial and human efforts, particularly on the part of the popular classes mobilized to fight on the fronts.
At the same time, the republicans faced the third Carlist war (1872-1876). The Carlists managed to control large areas of the Basque Country, Navarre, Catalonia and Valencia. Both conflicts depleted the Republic’s resources and increased social discontent.
A useless effort
After almost a year of republic, marked by conflicts and with four executive presidents, the political situation has become untenable. The lack of a clear solution led to the dissolution of Parliament, although the Republic was maintained.
Power was handed over to General Serrano, who had been regent after the Glorious Revolution. The objective was to resolve territorial problems, notably cantonalism. Under his leadership, The Federal Republic is abandoned and a unitary republic is created.. However, everything ended in failure.
Political challenges
One of the main challenges of the First Republic was political fragmentation. The diversity of ideologies, ranging from federal republicanism to centralism, made it difficult to form a stable government. The lack of consensus between the different political groups led to several presidents succeeding one another in a short time, which contributed to the instability of the regime.
Furthermore, IGrowing political polarization has led to internal conflictslike the Carlist War (1872-1876), which pitted supporters of the Carlist pretender to the crown, Charles VII, against republican and liberal forces. This conflict aggravated the crisis situation and further weakened the Republican government.
Social and economic challenges
The economic situation of Spain at this time was precariouswith poorly developed agriculture and increasing industrialization that have failed to alleviate the high level of unemployment and poverty. Strikes and labor movements intensified, demanding better working conditions and social rights, leading to repression by the government.
The absence of agrarian reforms and the ineffectiveness of the implementation of policies benefiting the working classes have generated widespread discontent. Promises of modernization and progress have been disappointedwhich contributed to the climate of distrust towards the republican regime.
Conclusion
Despite the criticisms that are often leveled at The First Republic also had great merits. Among them, the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico and the formulation of the bases of a new way of understanding power. The idea that sovereignty resides in the people became clear, marking a radical change in Spanish politics.
This new approach was fundamental for the future of the country. In fact, the ground was beginning to be prepared for the return of the monarchy, but with a different vision. Since then, Spanish monarchs would no longer exercise absolute sovereignty.
Recommended Reading
The First Spanish Republic
First Republic, from utopia to chaos
