IB History IA

This paper investigates ''to what extent did the left wing political opposition lead to the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939?'' In order to reach to a valid conclusion this investigation will be focusing on the comparison of different factors that took place before an during the Spanish Civil War, such as the role of the Spanish Army and the Church, the nature of the economy and the new left wing ideologies. The method of investigation will be a detailed research of primary source evidence such as speeches, and as well reliable secondary source material. This study is worthwhile since history is being generally forgotten and specifically this war that lead to WWI.

Summary of evidence· The Spanish Civil War started when Franco and its troops invaded Spain from the Morocco, in July 1936. The aim was to overthrown the unstable Republic. There was a response from the working class, which went further that by just simple revolts in the streets. It lead to a revolution and a civil war between the fascism and the left side which included socialists, communists and anarchists.· Before the Spanish Civil War began, Spain was a passing through the Second Republic, born in 1931.

Its president was Manuel Azaña. The Second Republic was established after Primo de Rivera resignation in 1930, having not resolved any economic issue in Spain. Spain had massive debts, and after the Wall Street Crash (1929) it was even worse. After a coalition of parties between the republicans, the liberals, the socialists and the Catalans, the King Alfonso XIII exiled voluntary, leading to the Second Republic.· The Spanish Economy was based on agriculture.

At Centre and South Spain, the land was usually owned by the state. Riots were braking out in the countryside. The Church creates ''The Catholic Agrarian Federation''. It consisted on providing support to a several number of farmers in return of their rejections for the new ideologies.

As well the Spanish industrialization was very little. The workers received very low wages and very poor working conditions.4 Men suffered unemployment, due to the over productions of some factories that lead to more economic issues. The labour force, socialists and communists, blamed the middle-upper class, and looked towards Russia for guidance.· The Spanish army had a very powerful politician position. It was like the protector of the nation.

It had the right to intervene in politics if required (1820, 1871, 1923 and 1936). It was very unpopular with the people, with a reputation of brutally. People had to pay high taxes in order to maintain it. It showed ineffectiveness keeping control of Morocco (1906-1926).

The middle-upper classes defend their interests.· The Church was very rich and powerful. They had a big influence in the education, an so political and social. The Church supported the conservatism, and was opposed to modern and liberal forces.

The aristocracy was very close to the Church. Many riots were organized in urban and rural areas, by the labour force, against the Church.· Different political parties with different ideologies existed, which were opposed to the Spanish political status. This liberal movement was composed by: socialists, communists and anarchists. All these parties played a crucial role in the revolution.

· In February 1936 a progressive Popular Front was elected. The conservative forces gathered to plan resistance against it, a military raise.6· ''A country can live under a monarchy or a republic, with a parliamentary or a presidential system, under Communism or Fascism. But it cannot live in anarchy..

. we are today present at the funeral service of a democracy.'' (Gil Robles 1936)7· The Spanish Civil War was worldwide known as the war between fascism and democracy.8This paper is answering to the question: ''to what extent did the left wing political opposition lead to the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939?'' There are many factors that influenced and that caused the Spanish Civil War breakout, however this essay is focusing in 4 long run causes, more specifically: the role of the Spanish Army, the role of the Church, the nature of the economy and the new left wing ideologies.

The Spanish army had a very powerful influence in politics, due to its role in Spain's imperial past. It was likely to be compared as the protector of the nation. The Spanish army had already intervened before in politics several times, the last one in 1936, breaking out the war. It did not have an appeal on the working class, since they were very brutal, and more important, very expensive to maintain with very high taxes.

They were more likely to be related to the middle-high class, and therefore even more unlikely to cause an appeal on the Spanish labour force. For this labour force the Spanish Army was just a symbol of fascist authority. After the progressive Popular Front was selected, the middle-high class already planned a military offensive against the leftists’ ideologies.The second factor discussed is the role of the Church. The Church, as always has been, was very rich and powerful.

It had a high political influence and social influence, and it was in charge of the secondary education, at least until the Second Republic. The Church, as usual, was supported by the high-middle class, being very conservative and traditional. Therefore, they were opposed to other political ideologies that supposed reducing their power. By part of the working class, many riots were organized in rural and urban class against the Church, in order to demonstrate their ideas about it.

The role of the Church has more weigh the role of the Spanish Army because it had more repercussion and negative impacts on the working class, leading it to something stronger to be hated. An evidence of this is that 160 churches were destroyed and 269 were murdered in four months, before the war started (Gil Robles 1936), and this shows how much the role of the Church was hated.The third factor this essay is discussing is the nature of the economy. The Spanish economy was based on agriculture. It was the main source of employment; however there was still an existent lack of food and there was only seasonal employment. At the Centre and South of Spain most of the land was owned by the State, not giving the opportunity to the labour force of having their own land, to make their own profit or at least have the opportunity of having their own food supply.

The peasants were more likely to seek for alternative ideologies, such as anarchism, which were supporting the idea of land distribution. Riots were breaking out in the countryside because of the inefficiency and the low employment. In order to control some of the labour force, the Church decided to create ''The Catholic Agrarian Federation''. It consisted on providing support to a several number of farmers in return of their rejections for the new ideologies.

The industrialization was not better.It was very little and impossible to be extended and improved due to the poverty. The workers received very low wages and very poor working conditions, which would lead to more riots and make the labour force to seek for new ideologies, from the left wing side. The nature of the economy has more weigh that the role of the Church because the conditions people were living were very poor, and it had to be changed more radically. However it still can be said the role of the Church was a strong factor.

The fourth and last factor is the new left wing ideologies. Before the Second Republic Spain was leaded by a Fascist Dictator Primo de Rivera. The Second Republic was as well very conservative, however in February 1936 new ideologies raised to power with the Popular Front. These ideologies were socialism, communism and anarchism.

The three of them left wing side, however the three of them very different. Still, the working class felt very attracted for these new ideologies since they were the solution against fascism. All the left winged parties played a crucial role in the revolution. It was the way for the labour force to gain social power, and be united against the conservative government. This factor has more weigh than the nature of the economy because is the main solution for the labour force.

Is the hope for the working class to raise and revolt.