Cantonalism, mainly prevalent in the late 19th century and early 20th century

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") , ...

, is a political option which aims to divide the

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into highly autonomous cantons. It advocates

federalism Federalism is a combined or compound mode of government that combines a general government (the central or "federal" government) with regional governments (provincial, state, cantonal, territorial, or other sub-unit governments) in a single po ...

with a radical character (including redistribution of wealth, improvement of the working classes etc.). Its goal is to establish a confederation of towns or cities (cantons) as a federation of independent units. It has a resemblance in some ways to the

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, due to both being systems of individual towns or cities, ruled by citizens, which make up the overall confederacy. Cantonalism was predominantly a phenomenon of the petty bourgeoisie, but also had a great influence on the nascent

labor movement The labour movement or labor movement consists of two main wings: the trade union movement (British English) or labor union movement (American English) on the one hand, and the political labour movement on the other. * The trade union movement ...

, and constituted a precedent for

anarchism in Spain Anarchism in Spain has historically gained some support and influence, especially before Francisco Franco's victory in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939, when it played an active political role and is considered the end of the golden age of cl ...

Spain

there have been two eras when cantonalism has come to the forefront.

First period

The first of these events took place during the

First Spanish Republic The Spanish Republic ( es, República Española), historiographically referred to as the First Spanish Republic, was the political regime that existed in Spain from 11 February 1873 to 29 December 1874. The Republic's founding ensued after th ...

, on July 12 of 1873 in Cartagena, when an insurgency took place declaring the Canton of Cartagena. In the following days it spread through many regions including,

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(especially

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El Imparcial. Madrid. 22 de diciembre de 1873, p. 2), and in the provinces of

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and

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, all of them in places that came to articulate cantonalism. It can also be noted, the attempt to establish cantons took place in

Extremadura Extremadura (; ext, Estremaúra; pt, Estremadura; Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is an autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, ...

, Coria, Hervás and

Plasencia Plasencia () is a walled market city in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Western Spain. , it has a population of 41,047. Situated on the bank of the Jerte River, Plasencia has a historic quarter that is a consequence of the city's stra ...

. Pi y Margall, seeing that cantons declared independent by the tardiness of the taxation of improvements, resigned from his post to be succeeded by Nicolás Salmerón who worked to defeat the cantonal movement.

Second period

The second period when this phenomenon took place, despite not being in an ideological manner as above, corresponds to the end of the

Second Spanish Republic The Spanish Republic (), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (), was the form of government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931, after the deposition of King Alfonso XIII, and was dissolved on 1 ...

, which was developed during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlism, Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebeli ...

and the so-called Spanish Revolution, when for five months committees were established. Dozens of municipal and district councils of autonomous power, independent from the

, with their own notes and coins, were established. In some cases, independent municipalities or provinces communicated this decision to the

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Asturias Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensi ...

and Leon declared sovereignty in late August 1937 with the formation of the .

References

Digital copy of ''El Cantón Extremeño''
{{in lang, es

External links

a group making a

historical reenactment Historical reenactment (or re-enactment) is an educational entertainment, educational or entertainment activity in which mainly amateur hobbyists and history enthusiasts dress in historic uniforms or costumes and follow a plan to recreate aspect ...

of the canton of Cartagena. Federalism Cantons Cantonalism in Spain

Spain

First period

Second period

See also

References

External links