In the opinion of these radicals the Church ought to be deprived both of its property and of its monopoly of education.

The one should be turned over to the nation, to which it properly belonged, and should be converted into public utilities; the other should be made absolutely secular, in order to destroy clerical influence over the youthful mind.

In this program radicals and liberals concurred with varying degrees of intensity, while the moderates strove to hold the balance between them and their opponents.
Out of this complex situation civil commotions were bound to arise.
Occasionally these were real wars, but as a rule only skirmishes or sporadic insurrections occurred.

They were called "revolutions," not because some great principle was actually at stake but because the term had been popular ever since the struggle with Spain.

As a designation for movements aimed at securing rotation in office, and hence control of the treasury, it was appropriate enough! At all events, whether serious or farcical, the commotions often involved an expenditure in life and money far beyond the value of the interests affected.