The Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed in 1931 after municipal elections resulted in a Republican victory. King Alfonso XIII went into exile and a provisional government led by Alcala Zamora was formed. Educational, military, and labor reforms were implemented. A new constitution was approved in 1931, establishing a left-wing republic with separation of church and state. Francisco Azaña's government advanced regional autonomies but faced opposition from industrialists, landowners, and the Catholic Church. After right-wing victories in 1933, reforms were rolled back and repression increased, radicalizing workers and sparking the failed 1934 revolution. The Popular Front's 1936 victory led to a resumption of reforms and further tensions, setting the stage for

1. Second Republic
1931-1936

2. Proclamation of the Republic
Municipal elections were hold on April 1931
Republican victory
Proclamation of the Republic  Alphonse 13th went
to the exile
Formation of a provisional government:
 Alcala Zamora was its president
 Members: those who had signed San Sebastian Pact

3. Proclamation of the Republic
Measures of the provisional government:
Call for Constituent Courts
Military reforms:
 Close of the General Military Academy
 Elimination of ranks on the basis of war merit
 Jurisdiction law was abolished
 Creation of the Assault Guard

4. Proclamation of the Republic
Educational reforms:
 Religious education is not compulsory any longer
 About 6,000 new schools were created
 Increase of teachers’ wages
Labour reforms:
 Mix juries created in Rural Work
 Compulsory to contract for work local peasants without
land.

5. Constituent Courts
Centre-left won the electoral polls
Creation of a commission to elaborate the constitution
Provisional government continues but now under
Azaña’s presidency
December: approval of the constitution and new
government:
President of the Republic: Alcalá Zamora
President of the Republican Government: Azaña

6. 1931 Constitution
The main characteristics of the constitutional text
are:
Left wing republican, not socialist
Separation Church / State
One chamber
Universal suffrage
Opens the possibility for a state of autonomies.

7. Reforms of the first two-years and
opposition
Azaña formed government with:
Republicans
Socialists
Measures:
Development of autonomies:
 Catalan statute approved  Macià first president of the
Generalitat
 Approval of Basque statute delayed

8. Reforms of the first two-years and
opposition
Agrarian reform:
 Expropriations
 Slow speed in the application of the law
Secularization:
 Jesus Company dissolved
 Law of religious congregations

9. Reforms of the first two-years and
opposition
Opposition:
CNT and UGT consider the reforms too slow
Strikes and incidents Casas Viejas
Unrest among industrialist and landowners due to
the reforms
Church did not accept secularization measures
Part of the Army did not accept the Republican
government  Sanjurjo’s failed coup d’ etat.

10. Syndicalism in 1931
Unidad
15 La Segunda República (1931 – 1936) Imagen 5 HISTORIA DE ESPAÑA - 2º BACHILLERATO
SINDICALISMO EN 1931
Afiliados a la UGT
Afiliados a la CNT

11. Radical-Cedist two-year
Azaña’s government dissolution due to:
World crisis that aggravated
Bad economic situation:
 High inflation and reduction of exports
 Factory closing
 Urban and rural unemployment increase
 Frequent strikes and social protests.

12. Radical-Cedist two-year
Elections were hold in 1933 victory of the
Radical Party and CEDA
Lerroux formed government:
First measures:
 Stop the reforms of the first two-year
 Right wing generals are put in key sectors
 Unions’ work is made more difficult
 Basque Country’s statute is bloked.

13. Radical-Cedist two-year
Consequences:
 Increase of political radicalization  peasants and
workers agitation
 Revolution of October 1934
• General strike failed in several areas
• Catalonia marked independent's aims  harsh repression
• Real revolution in Asturias where the general strike organised by
CNT and UGT ended in repression.

14. Popular Front and social radicalisation
Prestige of the Radical Party faded away due to:
Estraperlo scandal
Strong repression of the strikes
Consequences:
 Lerroux’s dimission
 Elections called for February 1936
 Left wing parties united for the polls.

15. Popular Front and social radicalisation
Victory of the Popular Front:
Violent confrontation among left and right followers
Part of the Army tried a coup d’etat failed  Civil War
Azaña led the government until made president of the
Republic Casares Quiroga directed government
Measures taken:
Amnesty for political prisoners
Retake the reforms of the first two-years
Preparation of the statures of Basque Country and Galicia
Restoration of the Generalitat.