La reforma del Estado Liberal. Joaquín Chapaprieta en la crisis de la Restauración

Abstract

Through the analysis of the Joaquin Chapaprieta's political activity between 1916 and 1923, we realize, from a privileged position, the crisis of the Liberal Party in the last years of the Spanish Restoration. Chapaprieta was Subsecretario of the Ministerio de Hacienda with Santiago Alba in 1916, Vice President of Izquierda Liberal—a party under Alba's leadership— between 1918 and 1923, and Ministro de Trabajo in the last constitutional Cabinet of the Restoration. On the other hand, his work during these years shows the most statalist aspect of the dinastic liberalism. With the example of the Soviet Russia at the horizon, in order to prevent the revolution, the state should become arbiter in the labour disputes and should develop the social protection over the working class. The cost of the social policy should be financied with the help of a tax reform for to strengthen the progressive taxes. This policy was resumed in one of the Chapaprieta's most significant sentences: «There is nothing more socializative than the tax». In short, a strong state, the more efficient, the more legitimate. Chapaprieta transformed his political thought in definite plans, in two moments: in 1916, from the Ministerio de Hacienda, with Santiago Alba; in 1923, from the Ministerio de Trabajo. In both occasions without success. This article also analyzes the reasons which cause the failure of the Chapaprieta's initiatives.