The extreme threat of anarchy in 1873…

The extreme threat of anarchy in 1873 had resulted in a strong conservative reaction, strengthened by the religious policies pursued since 1868.

The Constitution of 1869 for the first time had allowed complete freedom of religion.

In spite of a total failure to create political stability, the Revolution of 1868 had bequeathed to Spain the model of a modern secular state based on universal suffrage.

On the extreme left these years have seen the effective penetration of anarchism, especially in rural Andalusia and in industrial Catalonia, where the lower classes have deserted a long tradition of political action via the Democratic and Republican parties and moderate unionism.

Though anarchists are persecuted after 1873, the movement is kept alive by small groups of enthusiasts.