Acción Española
Encyclopedia
Acción Española or AE was a Spanish
far right
Alfonsist
monarchist organisation active before and during the Spanish Civil War
, and a political magazine of the same name, published by the former. The group was heavily influenced by Action Française
both in its name and its ideology
.
(CEDA) was too moderate in its approach. The journal was edited by Ramiro de Maeztu
. Drawing in followers of the former Prime Minister
Antonio Maura and the ultra-conservative wings of Social Catholicism and Carlism
, the group that developed around this journal promised to revive a strong Catholic
monarchy. AE soon adopted an antisemitic discourse in imitation of similar movements in Europe. It soon built up contacts abroad, notably with Action Française
, the Integralismo Lusitano
and National Syndicalist
movements in Portugal
, and individual members of the National Fascist Party
of Italy. The group's close links with Portuguese groups were driven by a strong belief in Hispanidad and a desire to see a return to the values of La Raza
, which they felt had been abandoned in Spain. They also established a front political party, Renovación Española, in March 1933.
and corporatist
in nature. It has been argued that the ideas of AE, rather than the Falange
, had the strongest influence on Francisco Franco
, as his eventual state featured a corporatist Cortes
, a reliance on the military and the continuation of existing elites as promoted by the AE.
AE attracted some leading figures in Spanish society, with members of the group including the poet José María Pemán
, the militarist Jorge Vigón Suero-Díaz and the film-maker Ernesto Giménez Caballero
.
Members of AE set up a 'conspiratorial committee' in late 1932, meeting at the regularly at the Biarritz
home of Juan Antonio Ansaldo
to plan a restoration coup. A substantial amount of money was spent stockpiling arms, whilst Lieutenant-Colonel Valentín Galarza Morante
was given responsibility for building up subversive cells in the army. However, despite continuous plotting, no coup was ever launched by the group.
was deprived of his seat on the FET y de las JONS National Council, leading to less co-operation between the AE and the regime. Vegas Latapie and Ansaldo were involved in plotting against Franco around 1940 and 1941, although the AE as a group was not involved.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
Alfonsist
Alfonsism
The term Alfonsism refers to the movement in Spanish monarchism that supported the restoration of Alfonso XIII of Spain as King of Spain after the foundation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931...
monarchist organisation active before and during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, and a political magazine of the same name, published by the former. The group was heavily influenced by Action Française
Action Française
The Action Française , founded in 1898, is a French Monarchist counter-revolutionary movement and periodical founded by Maurice Pujo and Henri Vaugeois and whose principal ideologist was Charles Maurras...
both in its name and its ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
.
Formation
AE began life in December 1931 as a journal of the same name organised by doctrinaire monarchists who believed that the Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous RightSpanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right
The Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right was a Spanish political party in the Second Spanish Republic. A Catholic conservative force, it was the political heir to Angel Herrera Oria's Acción Popular and defined itself in terms of the 'affirmation and defence of the principles of Christian...
(CEDA) was too moderate in its approach. The journal was edited by Ramiro de Maeztu
Ramiro de Maeztu
Ramiro de Maeztu y Whitney was a Spanish political theorist, journalist, literary critic, occasional diplomat and member of the Generation of '98....
. Drawing in followers of the former Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Spain
The President of the Government of Spain , sometimes known in English as the Prime Minister of Spain, is the head of Government of Spain. The current office is established under the Constitution of 1978...
Antonio Maura and the ultra-conservative wings of Social Catholicism and Carlism
Carlism
Carlism is a traditionalist and legitimist political movement in Spain seeking the establishment of a separate line of the Bourbon family on the Spanish throne. This line descended from Infante Carlos, Count of Molina , and was founded due to dispute over the succession laws and widespread...
, the group that developed around this journal promised to revive a strong Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
monarchy. AE soon adopted an antisemitic discourse in imitation of similar movements in Europe. It soon built up contacts abroad, notably with Action Française
Action Française
The Action Française , founded in 1898, is a French Monarchist counter-revolutionary movement and periodical founded by Maurice Pujo and Henri Vaugeois and whose principal ideologist was Charles Maurras...
, the Integralismo Lusitano
Integralismo Lusitano
Integralismo Lusitano was a Portuguese integralist political movement, founded in Coimbra in 1914, that advocated traditionalism but not conservatism. It was against parliamentarism; instead, it favored decentralization, national syndicalism, the Roman Catholic Church, and the monarchy...
and National Syndicalist
National Syndicalists (Portugal)
The National Syndicalists were a political movement that briefly flourished in Portugal in the 1930s, and an influence on the Spanish Falange....
movements in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and individual members of the National Fascist Party
National Fascist Party
The National Fascist Party was an Italian political party, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of fascism...
of Italy. The group's close links with Portuguese groups were driven by a strong belief in Hispanidad and a desire to see a return to the values of La Raza
La Raza
In the Spanish language the term Raza translates to "race". Its meaning varies amongst various Spanish-speaking peoples. For instance, in Spain, "Raza" may denote specifically Spanish and often of a something or someone of a European Christian heritage. The Francoist film Raza, from 1944, which...
, which they felt had been abandoned in Spain. They also established a front political party, Renovación Española, in March 1933.
Development
The group committed itself to a new Catholic monarchy based on the principle of instauración or installation, where the new monarchy would be strongly authoritarianAuthoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a form of social organization characterized by submission to authority. It is usually opposed to individualism and democracy...
and corporatist
Corporatism
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
in nature. It has been argued that the ideas of AE, rather than the Falange
Falange
The Spanish Phalanx of the Assemblies of the National Syndicalist Offensive , known simply as the Falange, is the name assigned to several political movements and parties dating from the 1930s, most particularly the original fascist movement in Spain. The word means phalanx formation in Spanish....
, had the strongest influence on Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, as his eventual state featured a corporatist Cortes
Cortes
Cortes is surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin. Cortes or Cortés may also refer to:-Institutions:* The Cortes , the national legislative assembly of Spain...
, a reliance on the military and the continuation of existing elites as promoted by the AE.
AE attracted some leading figures in Spanish society, with members of the group including the poet José María Pemán
José María Pemán
José María Pemán y Pemartín, KOGF was a Spanish journalist, poet, novelist, essayist, and right-wing intellectual....
, the militarist Jorge Vigón Suero-Díaz and the film-maker Ernesto Giménez Caballero
Ernesto Giménez Caballero
Ernesto Giménez Caballero , also known as Gecé, was a Spanish writer, film director, diplomat and pioneer of fascism in the country difficult to classify as an European citizen and philosopher as he can be thought as one of the Spanish surrealists not far from Russian- Polish-Italian- "French"...
.
Members of AE set up a 'conspiratorial committee' in late 1932, meeting at the regularly at the Biarritz
Biarritz
Biarritz is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers....
home of Juan Antonio Ansaldo
Juan Antonio Ansaldo
Juan Antonio Ansaldo y Vejerano was a Spanish aviator and monarchist activist and conspirator. A great admirer of Charles Maurras and Action Française, he flirted with various shades of far right politics before and during the Spanish Civil War....
to plan a restoration coup. A substantial amount of money was spent stockpiling arms, whilst Lieutenant-Colonel Valentín Galarza Morante
Valentín Galarza Morante
Colonel Valentín Galarza Morante was a Spanish officer and right wing politician. He was associated with the monarchist tendency within the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional-Sindicalista and was critical of the Falange.-Conspiracies:An early supporter of José...
was given responsibility for building up subversive cells in the army. However, despite continuous plotting, no coup was ever launched by the group.
Under Franco
Because the AE was not a political party, it was not absorbed into the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional-Sindicalista, although it was closely associated with that movement and AE members held leading positions within the group. A conflict broke out in April 1938 when leading AE member Eugenio Vegas LatapieEugenio Vegas Latapie
Eugenio Vegas Latapie was a Spanish monarchist writer, activist and conspirator who was noted for the extremism of his monarchist beliefs...
was deprived of his seat on the FET y de las JONS National Council, leading to less co-operation between the AE and the regime. Vegas Latapie and Ansaldo were involved in plotting against Franco around 1940 and 1941, although the AE as a group was not involved.