The outbreak of World War I in 1914 had seen an expansion of industrial activity as demand rose among the warring powers for Spanish goods—a result of Prime Minister Eduardo Dato proclaiming Spain's neutrality in the war—but the inflow of capital produced inflation and a drop in imports, exacerbating the poverty of some areas in the country.

Food riots resulting from the shortage of basic commodities (which came to be known in Spain as motines de subsistencias), coupled with political instability resulting from the Conservative Party's split between the dominant Datist and the minor Maurist and Ciervist factions, led to the downfall of Dato's government and to the appointment of the Count of Romanones by King Alfonso XIII.

[2][3] Voting for the Cortes was on the basis of compulsory, universal manhood suffrage, which comprised all national males over 25 years of age, having at least a two-year residency in a municipality and in full enjoyment of their civil rights.

The remaining 30 were allocated to special districts comprising a number of institutions, electing one seat each—the archdioceses of Burgos, Granada, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tarragona, Toledo, Valencia, Valladolid and Zaragoza; the Royal Spanish Academy; the royal academies of History, Fine Arts of San Fernando, Exact and Natural Sciences, Moral and Political Sciences and Medicine; the universities of Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, Oviedo, Salamanca, Santiago, Seville, Valencia, Valladolid and Zaragoza; and the economic societies of Friends of the Country from Madrid, Barcelona, León, Seville and Valencia.

[20] The Spanish Constitution of 1876 enshrined Spain as a constitutional monarchy, awarding the monarch the right of legislative initiative together with the bicameral Cortes; the capacity to veto laws passed by the legislative body; the power to appoint senators and government ministers; as well as the title of commander-in-chief of the army and navy.

The monarch would play a key role in the system of el turno pacífico (English: the Peaceful Turn) by appointing and dismissing governments and allowing the opposition to take power.