Causes of the Spanish Civil War

Causes of the coup of 1936

Mistakes made by the supporters of the Republic

• THROUGH THEIR MISTAKES AND INCOMPETENCE ENCOURAGED THE ATTEMPTED COUP. RATHER THAN TRY AND ESTABLISH A DEMOCRATIC CONSENSUS, THE REPUBLICAN'S DOCTRINAIRE POLICIES ALIENATED MANY MODERATES AND SPURRED ON RIGHT WING EXTREMISTS. THE LEFTWARD SWING OF THE REPUBLICS' SUPPORTERS DESPITE THEIR LACK OF A COHERENT PLAN OF HOW THEY WERE GOING TO CARRY OUT SOCIAL REVOLUTION IS NOTEWORTHY IN ITS EFFECT OF ENCOURAGING THE ATTEMPTED COUP. 
  The republican constitution was a sound document,providing for full civil liberties and representative rights. It is fair to say that its supporters wanted to modernize Spain and create a more egalitarian society. 
• Some of the Republic's aims, whilst upsetting the right, were broadly supported. There was recognition amongst many Spaniards, for example, of the need for agrarian reform. 
• The government had one goal which was incompatible with the building of a strong consensual regime. Whilst the supporters of the Republic can not be blamed for the attacks on churches carried out by anarchists in 1931 it was clear to all that the government was intensely anti-clerical. 
• It threw down the gauntlet to Catholic Spain which was still a formidible force. It…