José Antonio Primo de Rivera of one-party rule Falange preferred the formalities of a liberal democracy. The party had no formal view on religion other than to guarantee freedom of worship while at the same time acknowledging and affirming that Roman Catholicism was the historical religion of the Spanish people and its spiritual role in society was important to them. In Primo de Rivera's thinking the ultimate goal of the new political movement was the resurgence of Spain as a major power. Article 1 of the Falangist Manifesto of 1934 reads, We believe in the supreme reality of Spain. To strengthen her, to make her
José María Lamamié de Clairac 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