Army Rule
It was not only the power of the Church that played a part in the downfall of Spain, but also the power of the military. During the 19th century Spain was ruled by Queens Cristina and Isabella, however the true rulers were the army and its generals. In a sense it was a political party with weapons. Spanish troops were defeated in many foreign campaigns, such as General O’Donnell’s second military adventure in Santo Domingo, due to out of date equipment, poor supplies, dishonest generals and dishonest politicians. Consequently, Spain’s nineteenth century army of 90,000 men cost as much as the 500,000 strong armies of France and Italy[1]. The peasants and workers did not support these efforts and could see little point in heavy taxes for expensive armies and wasteful wars. These ordinary men also hated the army as it was used in the towns to hold down the starving peasantry. When trouble threatened, a province would be put under military control where ruthless officers would execute or imprison all who demanded better conditions. A presence that would continue to hold great power until the Civil War, the army and Civil Guard were the price the country had to pay for its unfair land system, causing bitter resentment towards both the army and the government it so strongly influenced.