In Spanish politics during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, El Turno Pacífico (English: The Peaceful Turn ) was an informal system operated by the two major parties for determining in advance the result of a general election . The system ensured that the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party would have alternating periods in power.
22-648: The Defence Juntas (Spanish: Juntas de Defensa ) were professional associations of military officers that sprouted in Spain during the last rales of the Restoration . They were created from 1916 onward by Army officers based in Peninsular Spain disgruntled because of the comparatively quicker war-merit-based promotion of the army officers posted in Africa, underpinning the africanistas vs junteros polarization within
44-526: A bicameral legislature ( Cortes Generales ) consisting of an upper house ( Senate ) and a lower house ( Congress of Deputies ). The king held the power to appoint senators and to annul laws at his discretion. He was given the honorific title of Commander-in-Chief of the army. These were years of economic prosperity. Since the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, Spain's economy had lagged even further behind that of other European countries. During this time,
66-474: A manifesto blaming Spain's problems on the parliamentary system. Alfonso XIII supported the general and appointed him the new prime minister. Primo de Rivera suspended the constitution and assumed absolute powers as a dictator. He created the Unión Patriótica Española , the only recognized political party, and banned all others. He increased spending on businesses and public services, which led to
88-571: A revolt known as the Semana Tragica in Barcelona . The rebellion, led mainly by lower-class citizens and supported by anarchists, communists, and republicans, was a response to what they saw as unfair practices in recruiting soldiers. The government declared a state of war and sent in troops to put down the uprising, which resulted in more than a hundred deaths and the execution of Francisco Ferrer . The socialist Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) and
110-473: The Second Spanish Republic . Turno Under the turno , the incoming government would first be chosen by the king and would then "make" the election (the so-called encasillado or "pigeonholing"), ensuring victory. After a period in office, it would then be the turn of the opposition. The key to the system was the link between the minister of the interior, the provincial civil governors, and
132-470: The Liberals), retained power in alternation. Both parties upheld the monarchy and could be seen as factions of the "governing class". After almost a century of political instability and many civil wars, the Restoration of 1874 sought to achieve political stability in Spain. Under the turno , no sector of the bourgeoisie felt isolated and patronage could be doubled. It worked effectively until 1898, surviving
154-549: The Restoration attempted to establish a new political system that ensured stability through the practice of turno , an intentional rotation of liberal and conservative parties in leadership often achieved through electoral fraud . Critics of the system included republicans , socialists , anarchists , Basque and Catalan nationalists, and Carlists . The Restoration period was characterized by political instability, economic challenges, and social unrest. Key issues that defined
176-459: The anarchist Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT) attempted to organize a national general strike, but the unions were only able to mobilize urban workers. When World War I broke out in 1914, the Italian government declared its neutrality , allowing Spain to do the same. Spain's neutrality led to economic growth. In 1918-1920, the flu pandemic resulted in the death of 200,000 Spaniards (1% of
198-733: The armed forces. Jointly with the 1917 general strike and the meetings of the so-called Assembly of Parliamentarians in Barcelona, the unrest stirred by the wayward juntas (which refused to disband after an order to do so issued by the government of García Prieto in the Summer of 1917) destabilized the regime during the Crisis of 1917 . This Spanish history –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Restoration (Spain) The Restoration ( Spanish : Restauración ) or Bourbon Restoration (Spanish: Restauración borbónica )
220-491: The bankruptcy of his government. As a result of these actions, the military withdrew their support. Alfonso XIII did the same and forced him to resign in January 1930. Alfonso XIII attempted to gradually restore the previous system and bolster his prestige by enlisting General Dámaso Berenguer as Prime Minister . However, due to the king's perceived support of the dictatorship, this proved unsuccessful and led to growing calls for
242-504: The country underwent significant modernization. Domestic production was expanded in most areas, supported by a highly protectionist policy. The Liberal Party , led by Práxedes Mateo Sagasta , and the Conservative Party , led by Antonio Cánovas del Castillo , alternated in power through the controlled process of el turno pacífico . Local figures, known as caciques , manipulated the election results, fueling growing resentment of
SECTION 10
#1732891076057264-490: The death of Alfonso XII in 1885, but then became more difficult to operate because of divisions within the major parties and the growing mobilization of sectors of the electorate. Despite being modelled on the United Kingdom, Spanish democracy lacked a responsiveness to popular opinion as (until about 1914) the outcome of elections was broadly decided in advance. Growing opposition was first apparent after Spain's defeat in
286-463: The establishment of a republic. On 17 August 1930, republican groups formed the Pact of San Sebastián , forming a revolutionary committee that would later become the leadership of the Second Spanish Republic . Berenguer eventually resigned, and the king appointed Admiral Juan Bautista Aznar in his place. On 12 April 1931, Aznar called for local elections to appease the democrats and republicans, replace
308-593: The local bosses ( caciques ). These caciques in most constituencies would instruct their clients how to vote. A similar system in Portugal was called rotativismo [ pt ] . The Turno Pacífico was put in place by Antonio Cánovas del Castillo and saw to it that the two "official" parties of the Cánovas Restoration, the Partido Conservador (or Liberal-Conservatives) and Partido Liberal (or
330-446: The local governing bodies of the dictatorship, and gradually restore the restoration. Although the monarchists still had some support, the republican and socialist parties won an overwhelming victory. Their victory led to street riots and demands for the abolition of the monarchy. On 14 April, the king fled Spain after the army announced it would not defend him. A provisional government led by Niceto Alcalá-Zamora immediately established
352-606: The loss of Spain's last major overseas colonies, including Cuba , Guam , Puerto Rico , and the Philippines . This rapid collapse devastated Spain and damaged the credibility of the government and its associated ideologies. It also nearly caused a military coup d'état led by General Camilo García de Polavieja . This event marked the beginning of the country's decline, giving rise to numerous conflicting opposition movements at local and national levels. Alfonso XIII came of age in May 1902 and
374-493: The military, who felt misunderstood as they were ordered to advance inland without adequate resources to occupy the difficult terrain. Military and civil unrest grew, amplified by fears of anarchist terrorism or proletarian revolution and the rise of nationalist movements. On 13 September 1923, Miguel Primo de Rivera , Captain General of Catalonia , staged a coup d'état and deposed Prime Minister Manuel García Prieto after issuing
396-471: The period include: On 29 December 1874, General Arsenio Martínez Campos 's pronunciamiento overthrew the First Spanish Republic and restored the monarchy, crowning Alfonso XII , son of the exiled Isabella II , as king . The Constitution of 1876 was soon established; it remained in force throughout the Restoration. This constitution established Spain as a constitutional monarchy with
418-739: The population). In 1921, conflict in Morocco escalated, beginning the Rif War . A group of Moroccan militants launched a surprise attack on the Spanish army. Led by the Moroccan chieftain Abd-Al-Krim , Moroccans nearly annihilated the Spanish forces and pushed them back toward Melilla in the Battle of Annual . The top military officers were blamed for the Spanish defeat due to poor planning. This led to lowered morale among
440-712: The system. This led to the formation of major nationalist movements and unions in Catalonia , Galicia , and the Basque Country . Alfonso XII died in November 1885 from a recurrence of dysentery . At that time, his wife Maria Cristina was pregnant. Their son Alfonso XIII was born on 17 May 1886, and a Regency was formed, headed by the Queen Mother Maria Cristina. In 1898, the Spanish–American War led to
462-827: Was crowned on 17 May 1902, ending the regency of the Queen Mother. Spain began its international rehabilitation after the Algeciras Conference of 1906. In 1907, it signed the Pact of Cartagena with France and Great Britain, a defensive alliance against the Triple Alliance . The Spanish government was able to begin rebuilding its fleet and built the España-class battleship and the Reina Victoria Eugenia-class battleship . In 1909, failed attempts to conquer Morocco led to domestic discontent, culminating in
SECTION 20
#1732891076057484-629: Was the period in Spanish history between the First Spanish Republic and the Second Spanish Republic from 1874 to 1931. It began on 29 December 1874, after a coup d'état by General Arsenio Martínez Campos ended the First Spanish Republic and restored the monarchy under Alfonso XII , and ended on 14 April 1931 with the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic. After nearly a century of political instability and several civil wars,
#56943