History courswork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

History courswork - Essay Example Rivera’s economic policies to fund public works and industrialization were unpopular and, losing army support, he resigned in 1930. The Spanish voted by a large majority for a Republic and Alfonso went into exile in 1931. In the following general election, the Left Wing parties, led by the Socialists, won a definite majority. Manuel Azana became President and introduced agrarian reforms, advocated the autonomy of Catalonia and the Basque region, deprived the powerful Roman Catholic Church of its’ privileges, nationalized many of the large Spanish Estates and attempted to reduce the military’s hold over the country. By these measures, the Republican Government alienated four powerful groups: the landowners, the church, the military and the industrialists. After a failed military coup in 1932, these groups formed a new right wing political party called the CEDA. Agitations by the extreme left against the moderate Azana Government led to the call for General Electio ns in November 1933, in which the Right Wing won a majority and CEDA formed the government under Gil Robles. The Right undermined the previous reforms, again leading to violent strikes by the opposition. General Elections were again called in February 1936 and a coalition of Left political parties came to power as the Popular Front, with Azana again the President. Infighting among the constituents of the Front seriously undermined the authority of the government. The governments’ economic policies brought about a crisis and the workers went on strike. The Right Wing groups, which had formed a coalition called the National Front, started a military coup on 19 July, 1936 led by military officers like Francisco Franco. Franco led a successful revolt in Spanish Morocco and the Spanish Civil War began. The Republican and Nationalist armies were more or less on par, but the equation changed with the start of International intervention. Germany took the first step with the dispatch of military