Political Modernization in Spain Between 1876 and 1923

Alejandro Martínez Relanzón

doi:10.17951/k.2017.24.1.145

Abstract

The advent of democracy in most European countries was preceded by a long constitutional tradition that dates back to the early 19th century. In Spain, the process, that had begun in 1812, was interrupted in 1923 by a military coup. The democracy started eight years later with the advent of the Republic, but with a very unstable political regime in place that eventually led the country into a civil war and four decades of totalitarianism. For many historians though, the constitutional monarchy in Spain, in place since 1876, avoided modernization and democratization. Many critics insure that the mechanisms of political representation; the elections, the political parties, and the election procedure, prevented the constitutional liberalism in Spain to evolve into a full democracy. Along these lines, they claim that every election was the result of the electoral fraud. However, the analysis of the aforementioned factors refutes these assertions and dispels most of the misconceptions that have been accepted until now.

Highlights

Democracy, as we know it, is one of the most precious achievements of the Spanish People in their recent history
They affirmed that the corruption and the influence of the local bosses upon the elections were not problems exclusive of Spain, and of most European countries, including the United Kingdom, which is considered a model of Excellency in politics in Europe
Some historians have taken for granted that during the Restoration most candidates ran for deputy against no other contenders

Summary

INTRODUCTION

As we know it, is one of the most precious achievements of the Spanish People in their recent history. In those with contrasting views over the political regime; such as Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain or France, the path to democracy was troublesome and risky. In such a way that some of them shifted towards political crisis or, worse still, social confrontation. One of the main benefits of it was to enable going from a society of “notables”, to a parliamentary democracy without sharp reversal that could lead to the renunciation of the Parliament and of the civil rights, as happened in Italy, Germany or Spain In this last one, the military coup of 1923 interrupted a process that started in 1876, when a new Constitution, the longest lasting in Spain till this date, set the bases for a further political development. An analysis of the mechanisms of representation of that regime shed some light on the debate

STATE OF PLAY

THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Findings

CONCLUSIONS