José María Lamamié de Clairac
Encyclopedia
José María Lamamié de Clairac y de la Colina ( Salamanca
, 16 August 1887 - Salamanca
27 April 1956) was a Spanish politician, lawyer, Salamancan landowner, a right-wing Catholic, a Carlist Traditionalist
deputy during the Spanish Second Republic.
Having been educated by Jesuits in Valladolid
he pursued further studies in Salamanca
and Madrid
. He was one of the founder members of the National Association of Catholic Propagandists (ACNdeP),(1908 in Madrid). This institution was part of the Church's aspiration towards " the fostering of an alternative Christian culture, offering the faithful different political, literary, and social choices from those provided by a liberal state." An uncompromisingly elitist organisation from the beginning , the Association insisted upon remaining 'a very select minority' as befitted its nature as one of 'the institutions called upon to lead'. Though hand picked by the founder Father Angel Ayala SJ
however, he left the Propagandists accusing them of betraying the Catholic cause.
Clairac espoused the cause of Catholic agrarianism, becoming president of the Salamancan Catholic-Agrarian Federation and the Castilian-Leonese-Catholic-Agrarian Union. He also sat on the CNCA ( National Catholic Agrarian Confederation) directorate from 1921. "The controlling interest of the landowners in the new confederation was clear, if generally denied."
Though Clairac was initially an enthusiastic supporter of the dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera
(1923-30) , Primo forfeited much conservative and clerical support when in November 1926 he offered the socialist union Unión General de Trabajadores
(UGT) a leading position in the reorganisation of labour relations. In common with many of those who were to emerge as leading figures on the Catholic right during the Second Republic, Clairac gained considerable political experience under Primo, sitting as a representative for the province of Salamanca in the dictator's National Assembly.
As republicanism gained ground Clairac was part of a monarchist counter-offensive in which Catholic activists predominated. The Catholic Church continued to assert its primacy over matters affecting the morality of Christian people. Pius XI's 1929 encyclical
Divini illius magistri for instance, on the Christian education of youth, said that the Church 'directly and perpetually' possessed 'the whole truth' in the moral sphere. Education was therefore, 'first and super-eminently' the function of the Church. The Spanish Church perceived its moral rights and duties to be divinely ordained and looked for the protection it felt was its due. (Despite the assurance of Leo XIII decades earlier that Catholicism was compatible with various forms of government, a preference for authoritarian rule remained deep-seated within the Spanish Church.)
Clairac introduced his new agrarian grouping Acción Castellana to an audience of 2,500 in the town of Macotera
. The flag of Acción Castellana was that of the fatherland and written on it were the principles of 'religion, family, Order, Property and monarchy.' Lamamié de Clairac, a lifelong supporter of the Carlist pretender, launched his new party in the political confusion of 1930 to promote agricultural interests and conservative social values and " seemed unperturbed by the paradoxical position of a Carlist defending the Alfonsine
incumbent of the throne. His party was dominated by Castilian
landlords and displayed the authoritarian preferences so common among the contemporary Catholic right." Acción Castellana's manifesto began with a declaration that there was no society without authority and that authority not of divine origin was not worthy of respect. Clairac's political grouping believed the idea of a republic was nothing more than an 'exotic implant'. Similarly, the possibility of a conservative republic was rejected - it would simply act as a bridge towards radicalism
and atheism
. The only true morals were Catholic ones and an absolute submission to the doctrines of the Church was essential in both private and public life. Clairac maintained that the introduction of 'false liberties and democratic absurdities' had been the 'great sin
' of Primo de Rivera's dictatorship. Though Clairac did not like the word 'party' to describe his group, Acción Castellana quickly assumed a party political role.
Between November 1934 and March 1935, the Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right
(CEDA) minister for agriculture, Manuel Giménez Fernández
, introduced into parliament a series of agrarian reform measures designed to make conditions in the Spanish countryside better. These moderate proposals provoked a bitter attack from reactionary elements within the Cortes - amongst Giménez Fernández's most vehement opponents was José María Lamamié de Clairac. He took particular exception to draft legislation giving tenants of twelve years standing the right to buy the lands they worked. "Clairac persisted in construing even the mildest agrarian reform as an attack on property, maintaining that, despite his good intentions, the efforts of the CEDA minister would have exactly the same results as the Republican reform of 1931-32." The proposed reform was not only defeated in the Cortes but also ensured a change of personnel in the ministry - "for all the social Catholic rhetoric, the extreme right had won the day."
Following the defeat of the CEDA in the elections of February 1936 and the victory of the Popular Front the Traditionalists took this for the CEDA's death knell - Traditionalist deputies severed their connections with both the CEDA and Calvo Sotelo
's Bloque Nacional to form an independent grouping under the leadership of José María Lamamié de Clairac.
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
, 16 August 1887 - Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
27 April 1956) was a Spanish politician, lawyer, Salamancan landowner, a right-wing Catholic, a Carlist Traditionalist
Traditionalist Catholic
Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions and presentations of Catholic teachings which prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council...
deputy during the Spanish Second Republic.
Having been educated by Jesuits in Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
he pursued further studies in Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
and Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. He was one of the founder members of the National Association of Catholic Propagandists (ACNdeP),(1908 in Madrid). This institution was part of the Church's aspiration towards " the fostering of an alternative Christian culture, offering the faithful different political, literary, and social choices from those provided by a liberal state." An uncompromisingly elitist organisation from the beginning , the Association insisted upon remaining 'a very select minority' as befitted its nature as one of 'the institutions called upon to lead'. Though hand picked by the founder Father Angel Ayala SJ
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
however, he left the Propagandists accusing them of betraying the Catholic cause.
Clairac espoused the cause of Catholic agrarianism, becoming president of the Salamancan Catholic-Agrarian Federation and the Castilian-Leonese-Catholic-Agrarian Union. He also sat on the CNCA ( National Catholic Agrarian Confederation) directorate from 1921. "The controlling interest of the landowners in the new confederation was clear, if generally denied."
Though Clairac was initially an enthusiastic supporter of the dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera
Miguel Primo de Rivera
Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja, 2nd Marquis of Estella, 22nd Count of Sobremonte, Knight of Calatrava was a Spanish dictator, aristocrat, and a military official who was appointed Prime Minister by the King and who for seven years was a dictator, ending the turno system of alternating...
(1923-30) , Primo forfeited much conservative and clerical support when in November 1926 he offered the socialist union Unión General de Trabajadores
Unión General de Trabajadores
The Unión General de Trabajadores is a major Spanish trade union, historically affiliated with the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party .-History:...
(UGT) a leading position in the reorganisation of labour relations. In common with many of those who were to emerge as leading figures on the Catholic right during the Second Republic, Clairac gained considerable political experience under Primo, sitting as a representative for the province of Salamanca in the dictator's National Assembly.
As republicanism gained ground Clairac was part of a monarchist counter-offensive in which Catholic activists predominated. The Catholic Church continued to assert its primacy over matters affecting the morality of Christian people. Pius XI's 1929 encyclical
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
Divini illius magistri for instance, on the Christian education of youth, said that the Church 'directly and perpetually' possessed 'the whole truth' in the moral sphere. Education was therefore, 'first and super-eminently' the function of the Church. The Spanish Church perceived its moral rights and duties to be divinely ordained and looked for the protection it felt was its due. (Despite the assurance of Leo XIII decades earlier that Catholicism was compatible with various forms of government, a preference for authoritarian rule remained deep-seated within the Spanish Church.)
Clairac introduced his new agrarian grouping Acción Castellana to an audience of 2,500 in the town of Macotera
Macotera
Macotera is a village and municipality in the province of Salamanca, western Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile-Leon. It is located 50 kilometres from the capital city of Salamanca.-Local Festivities:...
. The flag of Acción Castellana was that of the fatherland and written on it were the principles of 'religion, family, Order, Property and monarchy.' Lamamié de Clairac, a lifelong supporter of the Carlist pretender, launched his new party in the political confusion of 1930 to promote agricultural interests and conservative social values and " seemed unperturbed by the paradoxical position of a Carlist defending the Alfonsine
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
incumbent of the throne. His party was dominated by Castilian
Castilian people
The Castilian people are the inhabitants of those regions in Spain where most people identify themselves as Castilian. They include Castile-La Mancha, Madrid, and the major part of Castile and León. However, not all regions of the medieval Kingdom of Castile think of themselves as Castilian...
landlords and displayed the authoritarian preferences so common among the contemporary Catholic right." Acción Castellana's manifesto began with a declaration that there was no society without authority and that authority not of divine origin was not worthy of respect. Clairac's political grouping believed the idea of a republic was nothing more than an 'exotic implant'. Similarly, the possibility of a conservative republic was rejected - it would simply act as a bridge towards radicalism
Radicalism (historical)
The term Radical was used during the late 18th century for proponents of the Radical Movement. It later became a general pejorative term for those favoring or seeking political reforms which include dramatic changes to the social order...
and atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
. The only true morals were Catholic ones and an absolute submission to the doctrines of the Church was essential in both private and public life. Clairac maintained that the introduction of 'false liberties and democratic absurdities' had been the 'great sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
' of Primo de Rivera's dictatorship. Though Clairac did not like the word 'party' to describe his group, Acción Castellana quickly assumed a party political role.
Between November 1934 and March 1935, the Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right
Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right
The Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right was a Spanish political party in the Second Spanish Republic. A Catholic conservative force, it was the political heir to Angel Herrera Oria's Acción Popular and defined itself in terms of the 'affirmation and defence of the principles of Christian...
(CEDA) minister for agriculture, Manuel Giménez Fernández
Manuel Giménez Fernández
Manuel Giménez Fernández was a Spanish professor of canon law and politician most famous as Minister of Agriculture in the government of Alejandro Lerroux....
, introduced into parliament a series of agrarian reform measures designed to make conditions in the Spanish countryside better. These moderate proposals provoked a bitter attack from reactionary elements within the Cortes - amongst Giménez Fernández's most vehement opponents was José María Lamamié de Clairac. He took particular exception to draft legislation giving tenants of twelve years standing the right to buy the lands they worked. "Clairac persisted in construing even the mildest agrarian reform as an attack on property, maintaining that, despite his good intentions, the efforts of the CEDA minister would have exactly the same results as the Republican reform of 1931-32." The proposed reform was not only defeated in the Cortes but also ensured a change of personnel in the ministry - "for all the social Catholic rhetoric, the extreme right had won the day."
Following the defeat of the CEDA in the elections of February 1936 and the victory of the Popular Front the Traditionalists took this for the CEDA's death knell - Traditionalist deputies severed their connections with both the CEDA and Calvo Sotelo
Calvo Sotelo
Calvo Sotelo can refer to:* José Calvo Sotelo, Spanish politician assassinated in 1936* Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo, Spanish prime minister from 1981 to 1982...
's Bloque Nacional to form an independent grouping under the leadership of José María Lamamié de Clairac.