Acción Republicana
Encyclopedia
Republican Action was a Spanish
left-wing republican
party between 1930 and 1939.
The AR was founded in 1925 under the name Acción Política ("Political Action") by Manuel Azaña
and José Giral
. Political Action became a political party in 1930 under the name Republican Action. The party was anticlerical, and supported decentralization
, agrarian reform
and military reform.
As a member of the republican alliance, the AR was a signatory of the Pact of San Sebastián
to overthrow the monarchy of Alfonso XIII and was later involved in the construction and consolidation of the Second Spanish Republic
. It was a member of the provisional government which governed Spain after the King fled in April 1931.
The party's left-wing faction, led by Marcelino Domingo split off from the party to form the Radical Socialist Republican Party
in 1931.
The party won 30 seats in the 1931 election
and soon became, despite its small size, an integral part of governments until 1933 notably under its leader Manuel Azaña
. After the defeat of the left in the 1933 election
, during which the AR won only 10 seats, it merged with the Autonomous Galician Republican Organization
(ORGA) and Domingo's Radical Socialist Republican Party
in 1934 to form the Republican Left
(Izquierda Republicana).
The AR was a typical leftwing liberal
party. It attracted the support of the small bourgeoisie
, like teachers, lawyers and shopkeepers.
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...
left-wing republican
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
party between 1930 and 1939.
The AR was founded in 1925 under the name Acción Política ("Political Action") by Manuel Azaña
Manuel Azaña
Manuel Azaña Díaz was a Spanish politician. He was the first Prime Minister of the Second Spanish Republic , and later served again as Prime Minister , and then as the second and last President of the Republic . The Spanish Civil War broke out while he was President...
and José Giral
José Giral
José Giral y Pereira was a Spanish politician during the Second Spanish Republic.He had degrees in Chemistry and Pharmacy from the University of Madrid. In 1905 he became professor of chemistry in the University of Salamanca. He founded Acción Republicana with Manuel Azaña...
. Political Action became a political party in 1930 under the name Republican Action. The party was anticlerical, and supported decentralization
Decentralization
__FORCETOC__Decentralization or decentralisation is the process of dispersing decision-making governance closer to the people and/or citizens. It includes the dispersal of administration or governance in sectors or areas like engineering, management science, political science, political economy,...
, agrarian reform
Agrarian reform
Agrarian reform can refer either, narrowly, to government-initiated or government-backed redistribution of agricultural land or, broadly, to an overall redirection of the agrarian system of the country, which often includes land reform measures. Agrarian reform can include credit measures,...
and military reform.
As a member of the republican alliance, the AR was a signatory of the Pact of San Sebastián
Pact of San Sebastián
The Pact of San Sebastián was a meeting led by Niceto Alcalá Zamora and Miguel Maura, which took place in San Sebastián, Spain on August 17, 1930. Representatives from practically all republican political movements in Spain at the time attended the meeting. Presided over by Fernando Sasiaín , the...
to overthrow the monarchy of Alfonso XIII and was later involved in the construction and consolidation of the Second Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
. It was a member of the provisional government which governed Spain after the King fled in April 1931.
The party's left-wing faction, led by Marcelino Domingo split off from the party to form the Radical Socialist Republican Party
Radical Socialist Republican Party
Radical Socialist Republican Party , sometimes shortened to Radical Socialist Party , was a Spanish radical political party, created in 1929 after the split of the left-wing in Alejandro Lerroux's Radical Republican Party...
in 1931.
The party won 30 seats in the 1931 election
Spanish general election, 1931
-Background:General Primo de Rivera, who had run a military dictatorship in Spain since 1923, resigned as head of government in January 1930. There was little support for a return to the pre-1923 system, and the monarchy had lost credibility by backing the military government...
and soon became, despite its small size, an integral part of governments until 1933 notably under its leader Manuel Azaña
Manuel Azaña
Manuel Azaña Díaz was a Spanish politician. He was the first Prime Minister of the Second Spanish Republic , and later served again as Prime Minister , and then as the second and last President of the Republic . The Spanish Civil War broke out while he was President...
. After the defeat of the left in the 1933 election
Spanish general election, 1933
Elections to Spain’s legislature, the Cortes Generales, were held on 19 November 1933 for all 473 seats in the unicameral Cortes of the Second Spanish Republic. Since the previous elections of 1931, a new constitution had been ratified, and the franchise extended to more than six million women...
, during which the AR won only 10 seats, it merged with the Autonomous Galician Republican Organization
Autonomous Galician Republican Organization
The Autonomous Galician Republican Organization was a Spanish left-wing republican and Galician nationalist party in Galicia. It was founded in October 1929 in La Coruña by Santiago Casares Quiroga and Antón Vilar Ponte with the participation of the Irmandades da Fala.In March 1930, it organized...
(ORGA) and Domingo's Radical Socialist Republican Party
Radical Socialist Republican Party
Radical Socialist Republican Party , sometimes shortened to Radical Socialist Party , was a Spanish radical political party, created in 1929 after the split of the left-wing in Alejandro Lerroux's Radical Republican Party...
in 1934 to form the Republican Left
Republican Left (Spain)
The Republican Left was a Spanish left-wing republican party founded in 1934.The party was founded in 1934 following the left's defeat in the 1933 election, by the merger of Manuel Azaña's Republican Action, part of Marcelino Domingo's Radical Socialist Republican Party and Santiago Casares...
(Izquierda Republicana).
The AR was a typical leftwing liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
party. It attracted the support of the small bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
, like teachers, lawyers and shopkeepers.
Action Republicana Ministers
- Manuel AzañaManuel AzañaManuel Azaña Díaz was a Spanish politician. He was the first Prime Minister of the Second Spanish Republic , and later served again as Prime Minister , and then as the second and last President of the Republic . The Spanish Civil War broke out while he was President...
- José GiralJosé GiralJosé Giral y Pereira was a Spanish politician during the Second Spanish Republic.He had degrees in Chemistry and Pharmacy from the University of Madrid. In 1905 he became professor of chemistry in the University of Salamanca. He founded Acción Republicana with Manuel Azaña...
- Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz y MenduiñaClaudio Sánchez-Albornoz y MenduiñaClaudio Sánchez-Albornoz y Menduiña was an eminent Spanish medieval historian, statesman, and a leader of the Spanish Republican government in Exile during the rule of Francisco Franco.- Education and Early Career :...