Making Spaniards: Primo de Rivera and the nationalization of the masses, 1923-1930

Making Spaniards offers a student-friendly analysis of one the most unexplored yet crucial periods of modern Spanish history: the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1930). The book focuses on the official nationalist doctrine developed during the dictatorship and the process of 'nationalization and the masses' undertaken by the state. It argues that the intellectuals of the primorriverista regime outlined the principles of an extreme-right nationalism that eventually became the doctrinal bases of the Franco dictatorship following the Spanish Civil War. On 13 September 1923 General Miguel Primo de Rivera staged a military coup, bringing the Restoration parliamentary system to an end. With the support of King Alfonso XIII, Primo de Rivera established a dictatorship that was to last more than six years and dramtically change the course of Spanish history. The military regimen combined a widespread repression of liberals, republicans, anarchists and Catalan nationalists with patriotic propaganda designed to promote an authoritarian view of Spain among the masses. Inspired by Mussolini, Primo de Rivera tried to mobilize and indoctrinate the population in nationalist values in an attempt to halt the advance of democratic ideas. Making Spaniards examines how the regime created a nationalist doctrine, rituals and symbols and how these were transmitted throughout Spanish society. In doing so, the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera developed many of the political ideas that eventually became key principles of the Franco dictatorship Cover 1 Contents 6 List of Illustrations 7 Foreword 9 Acknowledgements 11 List of Abbreviations 12 Introduction 14 1 The Roots of National-Catholicism 19 2 The Military Directory (1923–1925): Discourse, Propaganda and Repression 45 3 The Civil Directory (1926–1930): National-Catholicism and the New State 68 4 School of Patriots: the Army’s Indoctrination of Soldiers 90 5 The Apostles of the Fatherland: the Army’s Nationalization of Civilians 106 6 The Nationalization of Schools: Primary Education 123 7 The Catholic Trap: Secondary Education and the Battle for Catalonia 142 8 Somatén Nacional: Paramilitaries and Cheerleaders 159 9 Unión Patriótica: the Official Party 178 10 Conclusion: From Negative Integration to Negative Nationalization 196 Notes 202 Bibliography 228 Index 244 A 244 B 244 C 244 D 245 E 245 F 245 G 245 H 245 I 245 J 245 L 245 M 245 N 246 O 246 P 246 R 247 S 247 T 247 U 247 V 247 W 247 Y 247 Z 247 The regime of Primo de Rivera in Spain was one of the major dictatorships of the interwar period. Making Spaniards examines how the military regime created nationalist doctrine, rituals and symbols and how these were transmitted throughout Spanish society in an attempt to 'make' new authoritarian Spaniards and halt democratic reform. The regime of Primo de Rivera in Spain was one of the major dictatorships of the interwar period. This book examines how the military regime created nationalist doctrine, rituals and symbols and how these were transmitted throughout Spanish society in an attempt to 'make' new authoritarian Spaniards and halt democratic reform.