Spain in the 20th century experienced the reign of King Alfonso XIII, the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera from 1923-1930, and the Second Republic from 1931-1939 which established rights for both genders and separation of church and state. A civil war from 1936-1939 resulted in victory for rebel forces led by Franco, beginning a dictatorship until 1975. Franco centralized power under a single authoritarian regime that prohibited opposition and favored Catholicism. In the 1970s, protests increased and upon Franco's death in 1975, Spain transitioned to a democratic constitutional monarchy through a process known as the Transition.

1. 20th Century Spain

2. Reign of Alfonso XIII
• He maintained the political system of the
Restoration
• The Rif War in Morocco occurred
• General Primo de Rivera came to power through a
military coup

3. Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1930)
• He suspended the Constitution
and prohibited political parties and unions
• He started censorship of the press
• Students and intellectuals opposed his government

4. The Second Republic (1931-1939)
• President of the Republic: Alcalá Zamora
• President of the Government: Manuel Azaña
• Constitution of 1931:
--established civil rights
--voting rights for both genders (men and women)
--separation of the state and church
--autonomy of regions

5. The Civil War (1936-1939)
• Franco and other generals rebelled against the Republic
• Germany and Italy helped the rebels with weapons and soldiers
• It ended with a rebel victory in 1939
• Franco ended the Republican democracy and began a dictatorship

6. Franco’s dictatorship (1939-1975)
• General Franco centralised all state powers.
• He prohibited political parties and favoured the church.
• Catholicism became the official religion.
• This period can be divided into two phases:
--The self-government phase
--The development phase

7. The self-government phase
• A period of international isolation
• It lasted until the 1950s
• Spain had to produce all its own goods, and that led to scarcity and
rationing.
• Cruelty against political opponents was very intense (jail sentences
and executions)

8. The development phase
• During the 1960s and 1970s
• Ended the isolationism
• Good for economic development
• Foreign tourism helped modernise social customs
• After the 1970s, there were many worker strikes and student
protests, which were severely punished.

9. The Transition
• The Transition was a process of political change
that occurred in Spain after the death of General Franco.
• It created a democratic state.
• Franco named King Juan Carlos as his successor.
• The King named Adolfo Suárez the President of the government.
• In 1978 the Constitution was approved through a referendum.

10. The Constitution of 1978
• Organises Spain as a democratic state
• Guarantees the rights and liberties of its citizens
• It establishes:
--The power of the State residing with the people
--The autonomy of nationalities and regions
--The recognition of Spanish as the official language

11. Rights and obligations
• Can you name three rights in the current
Constitution?

12. Timeline
DEMOCRACY IN SPAIN
1978
Today