The Political Mobilization of Catholic Women in Spain’s Second Republic: The CEDA,1931—6

Abstract

During Spain’s Second Republic (1931—6) women gained the right to vote and joined the front lines of political debate. Catholics in particular sought to mobilize women, and the main Catholic political entity, the CEDA, was the most successful in doing so. While the CEDA’s female members never gained an equal voice with men, they had more political influence than any previous Spanish women. This article studies the role that women played in the CEDA and argues that women were integral to the electoral success of the CEDA through their participation in electoral organization, propaganda efforts, and the CEDA’s social aid program.