Unrest 1932-33

• • biggest threat to gov from left was in winter of 1932-33, culminating in an Anarchist uprising in Barcelona in 1933.
  • unrest was caused by problems in the countryside
  • thousands of workers had not been paid by landowners
  • gov had not acted to compel the landowners to pay - led to a general strike in Salamanca in December 1932.
  • brought Salamanca to a standstill for 10 days before it was broken by gov forces
  • strike led to further divisions between the socialist gov, who called for an end to strike action, and union radicals, who believed it was their only way of getting justice
• • January 1933 - anarchist uprising across Spain's major urban centres. Uprising was suppressed in Catalonia, Seville and Madrid, but fighting continued in Casas Viejas - some of the poorest in Spain. Began a peaceful protest appealing to the civil guard and the landowners to co-operate with them and end poverty in the region. Civil guard opened fire on peaceful protestors and burned their huts, putting down the revolt with brutal violence.
• • Gov was blamed for violence and became increasingly unpopular with the left. Anarchists believed Azana was ruling the country in the interest of the m/c and accused him of ignoring the demands of the w/c