This article gives an overview of liberalism and radicalism in Spain. It is limited to liberal and

radical Radical may refer to: Politics and ideology Politics * Radical politics, the political intent of fundamental societal change *Radicalism (historical), the Radical Movement that began in late 18th century Britain and spread to continental Europe an ...

parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having been represented in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it is not necessary that parties label themselves as a liberal or radical party.

Background

In the nineteenth century, liberalism was a major political force in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

, but as in many other continental European countries care must be taken over the use of labels as this term was used with different meanings (this is discussed in the article on

Radicalism (historical) Radicalism (from French , "radical") or classical radicalism was a historical political movement representing the leftward flank of liberalism during the late 18th and early 19th centuries and a precursor to social liberalism, social democr ...

. As in much of Europe, the nineteenth-century history of Spain would largely revolve around the conflicts ''between'' the three major liberal currents - radicalism; progressive classical liberalism, or conservative classical liberalism. While all three rejected the Catholic, traditionalist, and absolutist

Old Regime Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...

, each had a different perspective on the urgency and degree to which state and society needed reforming to modernize the values and institutions. * The term 'liberal' itself was usually used to signify classical liberalism. It had a progressive-liberal wing as represented by the Fusionist Liberal Party (more inclined towards gradual reform, and making compromises with the radical current); and a conservative-liberal wing as represented by the

Liberal Conservative Liberal conservatism is a political ideology combining conservative policies with liberal stances, especially on economic issues but also on social and ethical matters, representing a brand of political conservatism strongly influenced by li ...

Party (more inclined towards traditionalism, and compromising with the absolute-monarchist faction). Its various currents were broadly united by a set of shared beliefs: *# In political affairs, parliamentarianism, though of a socially-conservative kind (e.g., suffrage limited to property-owners); *# In economic affairs, free-market capitalism; *# In social affairs, conservatism (e.g.: rejecting full

universal suffrage Universal suffrage (also called universal franchise, general suffrage, and common suffrage of the common man) gives the right to vote to all adult citizens, regardless of wealth, income, gender, social status, race, ethnicity, or political sta ...

; or a strictly laic

separation of church and state The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular s ...

) *# In constitutional affairs, flexible towards the type of constitutional regime (monarchy or republic). * For the left-liberal and social-liberal currents, 'liberal' was rarely used as the single defining label. Instead such currents rather used labels such as ''radical'', ''democratic'' or ''republican'' (see

republicanism Republicanism is a political ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a republic. Historically, it emphasises the idea of self-rule and ranges from the rule of a representative minority or oligarchy to popular sovereignty. ...

). The shared beliefs that generally unified its various factions included: *#

Universal manhood suffrage Universal manhood suffrage is a form of voting rights in which all adult male citizens within a political system are allowed to vote, regardless of income, property, religion, race, or any other qualification. It is sometimes summarized by the slo ...

; *# Sovereignty to be vested in the people of the nation rather than in the royal parliament; *# A root-and-branch reform to remove the political influence of monarchical, religious and aristocratic patronage; *# A certain degree of

social democracy Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote s ...

, as the nineteenth century progressed; *# An active role for an administratively-centralized state in carrying out these tasks.

History

Each of the following sections describes an element of Spanish liberalism and radicalism, mostly beginning with the 19th century.

From Liberals to Liberal Fusionist Party

*1808-12: Until 1839 the Spanish liberals were not organized in a well-established party, but formed their own factions. During the

War of Independence This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence. List See also * Lists of active separatist movements * List of civil wars * List of ...

and the

Constitution of Cádiz The Political Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy ( es, link=no, Constitución Política de la Monarquía Española), also known as the Constitution of Cádiz ( es, link=no, Constitución de Cádiz) and as ''La Pepa'', was the List of Constitut ...

the term ''Liberals (Liberales, 1812-1820)'' was used to describe the diverse range of currents influenced by the Enlightenment and

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are conside ...

and united in rejecting the absolutism of the Bourbon monarchy. *1820-39: Between 1820 and 1839 the Liberals split into two factions. The 'Radicals' (''Exaltados''), known as ''Veinteanistas'' (Supporters of 1820) were inspired by French Jacobinism and Radicalism and wished to draft a new more progressive constitution based on universal suffrage; the 'Moderates' (''Moderados''), closer to classical liberalism, were known as ''Doceanistas'' (Supporters of 1812) as they wished simply to restore the more limited constitution of 1812. *1839-1879: Finally in 1839 most of the Radicals and Moderates organized themselves into a loose parliamentary group known as the Progressives (''Progresistas'', 1839-1880), led by people like

Baldomero Espartero Baldomero Fernández-Espartero y Álvarez de Toro (27 February 17938 January 1879) was a Spanish marshal and statesman. He served as the Regent of the Realm, three times as Prime Minister and briefly as President of the Congress of Deputies ...

, Salustiano Olózoga,

Juan Prim Juan Prim y Prats, 1st Count of Reus, 1st Marquis of los Castillejos, 1st Viscount of Bruch (; ca, Joan Prim i Prats ; 6 December 1814 – 30 December 1870) was a Spanish general and statesman who was briefly Prime Minister of Spain until h ...

, Práxedes Sagasta and

Francisco Serrano y Domínguez, Duke de la Torre Francisco Serrano Domínguez Cuenca y Pérez de Vargas, 1st Duke of la Torre, Grandee of Spain, Count of San Antonio (17 December 1810 – 25 November 1885) was a Spanish marshal and statesman. He was Prime Minister of Spain in 1868–69 ...

. Out of this current various factions splintered off to form successor parties: the **in 1843, the ⇒Democratic Party **in 1854 the ⇒Liberal Union; **in 1869 the Democratic Radical Party; **in 1879 the ⇒

Democratic Progressive Party The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majorit ...

. *1880: The majority of Liberal currents united in the Fusionist (i.e. merged) Liberal Party (''Partido Liberal Fusionista''), led by Sagasta, though some more Radical factions remain outside the party *1882: A left-wing faction of the party established the ⇒

Dynastic Left The Dynastic Left ( es, Izquierda Dinástica, ID) was a Spanish political party founded in 1881 by elements from the Liberal Fusionist Party and the Democratic Progressive Party. Between 1884 and 1886 most of its members returned to the Liberal ...

, most of its members returned between 1884 and 1886 to the Liberal Fusionist Party *1890: The ⇒

Possibilist Democratic Party The Democratic Party ( es, Partido Demócrata, PD) was a Spanish political party created in 1879 by former Emilio Castelar as a split from the Federal Democratic Republican Party to contest the Spanish general election held in the same year. In ...

joined the party *1907: A left-wing faction of the party seceded as the ⇒ Monarchist Democratic Party *1918: A faction seceded as the ⇒ Liberal Left *1923: The party disappeared due to the

Miguel Primo de Rivera Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja, 2nd Marquess of Estella (8 January 1870 – 16 March 1930), was a dictator, aristocrat, and military officer who served as Prime Minister of Spain from 1923 to 1930 during Spain's Restoration era. He deepl ...

coup

Democratic Party

*1843: The left-wing of the ⇒ Progressives established the Democratic Party (''Partido Demócrata'') as a rally of left-wing liberals and moderate socialists *1868: The republican wing formed the ⇒ Federal Republican Party *1871: The party disappeared and remnants of the party continue as a monarchist party

Liberal Union

*1854: Moderate ⇒ progressives established the Liberal Union (''Unión Liberal''), led by

Leopoldo O'Donnell Leopoldo O'Donnell y Jorris, 1st Duke of Tetuán, GE (12 January 1809 – 5 November 1867), was a Spanish general and Grandee who was Prime Minister of Spain on several occasions. Early life He was born at Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canar ...

*1868: The party merged with the conservative Moderates into the Liberal Conservative Party

Federal Republican Party

*1868: The republican wing of the ⇒ Democratic Party established the

Federal Democratic Republican Party The Federal Democratic Republican Party ( es, Partido Republicano Democrático Federal, PRDF) was a Spanish political party founded in 1868 during the Glorious Revolution that was active until 1912. Its ideology was federal republicanism and pro ...

(''Partido Republicano Democrático Federal''), also known as the Republican-Democratic Party *1878: A faction joined the ⇒ Reformist Republican Party *1879: A faction seceded as the ⇒

*1891: The party absorbs a faction of the ⇒ Democratic Radical Party *1923: The party disappeared due to the Primo de Rivera coup

From Democratic Radical Party to Centralist Party

*1869: A left-wing faction of the Progressives seceded as the Democratic Radical Party (''Partido Radical Demócrata''), led by Ruiz Zorilla *1876: The party is reorganised into the Reformist Republican Party, led by Nicolás Salmerón *1878: A faction of the ⇒ Federal Republican Party joined the party *1879: A faction joined the ⇒

*1890: The party is renamed Centralist Party (''Partido Centralista'') *1891: The party is absorbed by the ⇒ Federal Republican Party

Possibilist Democratic Party

*1879: A faction of the ⇒ Federal Republican Party formed the

('Partido Posibilista'), led by Emilio Castelar *1890: The party joins the ⇒ Liberal Fusionist Party

Democratic Progressive Party

*1879: A left wing faction of the ⇒ Progressives with dissidents of the Reformist Republican Party formed the

(''Partido Progresista Democrático'') *1882: The party merges into the ⇒

Dynastic Left

*1882: A faction of the ⇒ Liberal Fusionist Party together with the

established the

(''Izquierda Dinástica''), led by Francisco Serrano and Adolfo Posada *1886: Between 1884 and 1886 most of the members returned to the ⇒ Liberal Fusionist Party

Liberal Democratic Party

*1913: A faction of the ⇒ Fusionist Liberal Party seceded and formed the Liberal Democratic Party, led by

Manuel García Prieto Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name) * Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * Manu ...

*1923: The party disappeared

Republican Union (1906)

*1906: A faction of the ⇒ Federal Republican Union seceded as the Republican Union (''Unión Republicana''), led by Nicolás Salmerón *1908: A faction seceded as the ⇒ Radical Republican Party *1923: The party disappeared due to the Primo de Rivera coup

Monarchist Democratic Party

*1907: A left-wing faction of the ⇒ Liberal Fusionist Party seceded as the Monarchist Democratic Party (''Partido Democrático Monnárquico'') of José Canalejas *1923: The party disappeared due to the Primo de Rivera coup

Radical Republican Party

*1908: A faction of the ⇒ Republican Union established the Radical Republican Party (''Partido Republicano Radical''), led by

Alejandro Lerroux Alejandro Lerroux García (4 March 1864, in La Rambla, Córdoba – 25 June 1949, in Madrid) was a Spanish politician who was the leader of the Radical Republican Party. He served as Prime Minister three times from 1933 to 1935 and held severa ...

*1929: A left-wing faction established the ⇒ Radical Socialist Republican Party *1933: Due to the development into a conservative party, the liberal wing seceded as the ⇒ Radical Democratic Party. The original party disappeared in 1939

Liberal Left

*1918: A faction of the ⇒ Fusionist Liberal Party seceded to form the Liberal Left (''Izquierda Liberal'') *1923: The party disappeared due to the Primo de Rivera coup

From Republican Action to Republican Left

*1926:

Manuel Azaña Manuel Azaña Díaz (; 10 January 1880 – 3 November 1940) was a Spanish politician who served as Prime Minister of the Second Spanish Republic (1931–1933 and 1936), organizer of the Popular Front in 1935 and the last President of the Re ...

established the Republican Action (''Acción Republicana''), as a cross-party thinktank which initially worked closely alongside the Radical Republican party. *1931: Republican Action was converted into a political party. *1934: The party merged with a politically-similar Galician regional party and the left-wing faction of the ⇒ Radical Socialist Republican Party into the Republican Left (''Izquierda Republicana'') *1939: The party is banned, though there were later attempts to revive the party after 1976

Radical Socialist Republican Party

*1929: A left-wing faction of the ⇒ Radical Republican Party established the Radical Socialist Republican Party (''Partido Republicano Radical Socialista'') *1934: The party is dissolved, members joined the ⇒ Republican Left or the ⇒ Republican Union

From Democratic Radical Party to Republican Union

*1933: Due to the development of the ⇒ Radical Republican Party, the liberal wing seceded as the Democratic Radical Party (''Partido Radical Demócrata'') *1934: The party merged with a faction of the ⇒ Radical Socialist Republican Party into the Republican Union (''Unión Republicana'') *1939: The party is banned

Democratic Convergence of Catalonia

*1974: Democrats in

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the no ...

established the

Democratic Convergence of Catalonia The Democratic Convergence of Catalonia ( ca, Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya; , CDC), frequently shortened as Convergence ( ca, Convergència; ) was a Catalan nationalist, liberal political party in Catalonia (Spain), currently still exis ...

, a democratic nationalist party with liberal values, led by

Jordi Pujol Jordi Pujol Soley (, born 9 June 1930) is a Catalan politician who was the leader of the party Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya (CDC) from 1974 to 2003, and President of the Generalitat de Catalunya from 1980 to 2003. Early life Pujol was ...

Democratic and Social Centre

*1982: Former prime minister

Adolfo Suárez Adolfo Suárez González, 1st Duke of Suárez (; 25 September 1932 – 23 March 2014) was a Spanish lawyer and politician. Suárez was Spain's first democratically elected prime minister since the Second Spanish Republic and a key figure in th ...

left the Union of the Democratic Centre and established the liberal Democratic and Social Centre (''Centro Democrático y Social''). The party lost parliamentary representation in 1993, but continued to exist until 2006.

Citizens

*2005: The leader of

Citizens Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection". Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...

(''Ciudadanos'') was founded.

Union, Progress and Democracy

*2007: The leader of

Union, Progress and Democracy Union, Progress and Democracy ( es, link=no, Unión, Progreso y Democracia , UPyD ) was a Spanish political party founded in September 2007 and dissolved in December 2020. It was a social-liberal party that rejected any form of nationalism, espe ...

(''Unión, Progreso y Democracia'') became the former member of the

Spanish Socialist Workers' Party The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party ( es, Partido Socialista Obrero Español ; PSOE ) is a social-democraticThe PSOE is described as a social-democratic party by numerous sources: * * * * political party in Spain. The PSOE has been in gov ...

Rosa Díez Rosa María Díez González (born 27 May 1952) is a Spanish politician from Union, Progress and Democracy, UPyD deputy in the Congress of Deputies from 2008 to 2016. Career She was a former Member of the European Parliament for the Spanish S ...

. She created it with the philosophers

Fernando Savater Fernando Fernández-Savater Martín (born 21 June 1947 at Basque city of San Sebastián) is a Spanish philosopher, essayist and author. Early years and career Born in San Sebastián, he was an Ethics professor at the University of the Basque ...

and

Carlos Martínez Gorriarán Carlos Martínez Gorriarán is a Spanish scholar, born in San Sebastián, Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, Spain. After being a member of marxist and basque nationalist movements, he became one of the founding members and s ...

Liberal leaders

*Liberals before 1912:

Emilio Castelar y Ripoll Emilio Castelar y Ripoll (7 September 183225 May 1899) was a Spanish republican politician, and a president of the First Spanish Republic. Castelar was born in Cádiz. He was an eloquent orator and a writer. Appointed as Head of State in 1873 i ...

– José Canalejas y Mendez *Izquierda Republicana:

*Centro Democratico y Social:

Liberal thinkers

In the

Contributions to liberal theory Contribution or Contribute may refer to: * ''Contribution'' (album), by Mica Paris (1990) ** "Contribution" (song), title song from the album *Contribution (law), an agreement between defendants in a suit to apportion liability *Contributions, a ...

the following Spanish thinkers are included: *

José Ortega y Gasset José Ortega y Gasset (; 9 May 1883 – 18 October 1955) was a Spanish philosopher and essayist. He worked during the first half of the 20th century, while Spain oscillated between monarchy, republicanism, and dictatorship. His philosoph ...

(Spain, 1883-1955) *

Salvador de Madariaga Salvador de Madariaga y Rojo (23 July 1886 – 14 December 1978) was a Spanish diplomat, writer, historian, and pacifist. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the Nobel Peace Prize. He was awarded the Charlemagne Prize in ...

(Spain, 1886-1978)

References

External links

{{Liberalism in Europe

Politics of Spain