These are Spanish Civil War notes prepared for IB History Paper 2.
All possible exam questions are covered with details, including specific data and a wide range of historians.
I got a 14/15 using these notes.
THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR
CAUSES
LONG-TERM CAUSES
Socio-economic: economic inequalities and the rise of the left
- Spain was agricultural and had not industrialized as other countries. John Roberts:
situation similar to Italy, Spain was a poor country economically
- In the South: peasants vs latifundia (Córdoba: 7% of landowners controlled 52% of the
land) → Federación Nacional de los Trabajadores de la Tierra (1930) - land occupations
- Brutally suppressed by the Civil Guard
- Catholic landowners: Confederación Nacional Católico Agraria (1917)
- In the North: workers vs factory owners → PSOE (1879), UGT (1882), CNT (1910), FAI
(1927). Idea of a Bolshevik Revolution
- 1909: Tragic Week, more than 200 arrests in Barcelona and 5 leaders executed
Political: long-term failings in the political system and instability
- Long-term failings: Conservatives and Liberals, both represented landowners
- Turno Pacífico in the late 19th century: Run elections through clientelism (similar to
transformismo). This political failins also caused the emergence of new parties
- 1923: Parliamentary inquiry led by General Primo de Rivera (after defeat in Morocco)
- Military dictatorship - the King remained
- Support from PSOE and UGT (labour dispute, subsides, social justice, investment)
- The dictatorship fall, due to the Great Depression, and, according to Cristopher Ross:
Primo aligned himself with everybody
- The King appointed General Berenguer, who postponed the elections → republicanism
grew
Ideological: the Army and the Church
- Both had a privileged position in Spain (State religion since 1851 Concordat and major
financial drain of the state)
- The Church was alarmed by the growth of left-wing ideas (hostile attitude towards
religion). One of the main causes for polarisation during the Second Republic, which
meant, according to Frances Lenon, a secular order
- Military coups were not a novelty in Spain. 1923 → Primo de Rivera dictatorship
- The Army killed over 1,000 people in Barcelona 1918-1921 to restore order
- Other cause for polarisation → supported the rebellion in 1936
, Territorial: separatism
- 1850s: re-emergence in Catalonia, tried to revive Catalan language. Strong tradition also
in the Basque Country
- Self government in 1913, lost in 1925
- 1931: Formation of ERC under Lluís Companys
- Other cause for polarisation → divisions bt. left (autonomy - statute in 1932) and right
(clashed with ERC and promoted unity)
SHORT-TERM CAUSES
Socio-economic: economic reforms and social unrests
- Left republic (1931-1933): Agrarian Reform (1931), only helped 10% the 60,000 it aimed
- Peasants were disappointed: Casasviejas (1933), 26 persons killed by the Republican
government → one of the causes for the right-wing government
- Right republic (1933-1936): Reforms were reversed and public spending was cut.
Landowners dominated local tribunals, working hours and confiscated land was
returned. Unrest
- The government brutally suppressed protests. Asturias Rising (1934): 1,7000 dead
- Lerroux resigned in 1936 due to financial scandals → Popular Front. Peasants + workers
+ anarchists began to take violent actions
Political: Political instability and divisions
- The Republic caused excitement among ones and anxiety among others
- Left republic: Reforms to the Church, Agrarian Reform, Military Reform and Catalonian
Reform caused fury from the right and even divisions within the government
(Resignation of Zamora and Maura - Church reforms). Abortive coup in 1932 (led by
Sanjurjo)
- Opposition from the Church, Army and social elites → formation of the CEDA (1933)
- Right republic: Reforms were reversed, causing fury from the left. Protests were brutally
suppressed. Asturias Rising: organised by PSOE and PCE, 1700 deaths
- Emergence of Falange in 1934 and the Carlist movement
- Problems between the Radicals and CEDA + financial scandals led to elections in 1936
- Popular Front: opposition from the right (soviet state) Stanley Payne: radicalisation of
the PF as main cause. Opposed by Paul Preston and Helen Graham (the elites were not
prepared to make any concessions)
- Political violence between socialists and falangists increased in 1936 . Paul Jonhnson:
the left began, Richard Robinson: the CEDA was moderate and only responded
- Murder of José Calvo Sotelo (13 July 1936) → military coup
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