Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera

The Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera was a military dictatorship established in Spain after Captain General Miguel Primo de Rivera overthrew the government in a coup in Barcelona on September 13, 1923. It began with a promise to restore democratic rule, but the regime’s political fortunes deteriorated amid mounting economic problems and loss of support, ending with Primo de Rivera’s resignation in 1930.

Coup and promise of restored rule

On September 13, 1923, Primo de Rivera led a military coup in Barcelona, overthrew the government, and established himself as dictator. He claimed that democratic rule would return once political and economic problems had been overcome, corruption abolished, and order restored. Much of the public supported him, and King Alfonso gave him the title of prime minister. The stated aim of restoring democracy thus accompanied the creation of a dictatorship, while public backing and royal recognition initially helped sustain the new government.

Economic decline and resignation

The regime’s position weakened as Spain’s economic boom ended toward the close of the 1920s. The account links the downturn to the onset of the Great Depression, a poor harvest in 1929, and rampant inflation; many blamed government spending on public works projects. As economic conditions worsened, Primo de Rivera lost the support of both the king and the army. He resigned on January 28, 1930, bringing his dictatorship to an end.

Political aftermath

The monarchy’s authority did not recover with the dictator’s departure. The king subsequently lost the army’s support and abdicated on April 14, 1931; the Second Spanish Republic followed. Two years later, Primo de Rivera’s eldest son, José Antonio, founded the Spanish Falange. When the Spanish Civil War began in July 1936, both of Primo de Rivera’s sons were imprisoned and executed. The period’s consequences therefore extended beyond the end of the dictatorship, into the collapse of the monarchy and the political conflicts that followed.