TWO CONCEPTS OF STATE IN THE SPANISH CONSTITUTIONAL DEBATE OF 1931

This article enquires into the arguments held by the constituent members about the structure of the state. For that, MPs turns occurred between August and December 1931 are analysed. It is argued that the two rival views on the state within the Constituent Cortes of the Spanish Second Republic are to a great extent those alternatives held by the government and the opposition. Both portray the ideological disputes about, on the one hand, a model of Social Rule of Law, defended by the first coalition government; and, on the other hand, a proposal opposed to broadening social rights in the constitutional text, whereas in favour of strengthening basic individual rights in the consecution of the Liberal Rule of Law to reform the Constitution of 1876.