Agrarian Reform & Industrialization in 19th Century Catalonia & Spain
The Effects of Agrarian Reform in Spain
The abolition of señorios and jurisdictional rights did not mean the loss of all rights for former landlords. Many farmers opposed these measures, seeking ownership of the land they cultivated. However, the courts often favored the nobility, and while some farmers were freed from lordly incomes, their overall situation saw little improvement.
The separation of land and disentailments resulted in thousands of buildings and land parcels changing ownership. The hoped-for outcome of widespread land ownership for small and medium farmers did not materialize. Despite this, the process achieved some goals, such as funding the Carlist Wars and justifying railway construction.
Further Property Reforms in Catalonia
In Catalonia, the impact on property transfer was less significant than in other parts of Spain due to lower church and municipal holdings. Providing farmers access to censuses and property redemption proved challenging. However, long-term cultivation contracts allowed tenant farmers to gain substantial ownership of their products. This contributed to Catalonia’s superior agricultural development. Key contract types included leasehold, sharecropping, and rabassa morta.
Limits to Growth in Spanish Agriculture
Liberal agrarian reforms led to expanded cultivation, particularly of grains, vineyards, corn, and potatoes. Increased production came from expanding cultivated areas rather than modernizing techniques. Slow productivity growth was attributed to an unfavorable natural environment, smallholder ownership structures, and large estates focused on maximizing profit rather than productivity.
Catalan Agricultural Expansion
Catalonia’s agricultural growth stemmed from specialization and intensified land use, leading to improved productivity. This agricultural prosperity played a crucial role in the region’s industrialization. Wine sales to the rest of Spain and phylloxera’s impact on French vineyards created high demand and prices. Cereal and legume production saw less growth, leading to a food deficit and the creation of the Canal d’Urgell.
Population Growth and Migration in 19th Century Spain
Spain’s population grew from 11.5 million to 18.5 million during the 19th century, aided by reduced epidemics, improved diets, and crop expansion. However, high birth and mortality rates, particularly infant mortality from cholera, tuberculosis, and yellow fever, limited overall growth. Poor harvests easily caused food shortages.
Catalonia experienced higher economic and population growth due to better nutrition and reduced mortality. Birth rates increased, and infant mortality decreased.
Rural Exodus and Urban Growth
Despite a predominantly rural population, cities grew steadily. From 1860 onwards, rural exodus fueled urban growth, particularly in Madrid (the political center) and Barcelona (the industrial core). This accentuated the rural-urban divide.
In Catalonia, migration flowed from rural areas to Barcelona and other industrial centers, often located near the coast.
Transoceanic Migrations
Limited opportunities at home drove many Spaniards to migrate overseas, primarily to America, seeking better living conditions. Steam navigation facilitated travel, attracting many, especially Galicians.
Catalan Industry and Mechanization
Catalonia’s modern industry began with cotton textiles, evolving from fàbriques indianes with increased production and mechanized spinning.
Process of Mechanization
Steam power drove industrialization. Spinning mechanization was spurred by labor shortages, rising wages, and the need for increased production and lower costs. Tariff protection and cotton replacing wool further fueled demand. From 1874, weaving was mechanized, and hydraulic power was incorporated.
Characteristics of the Textile Industry
Catalonia’s industry was primarily textile-based, growing through reinvestment of profits. Two key limitations were the scarcity of coal and the weak Spanish market with its limited purchasing power among the peasantry. This necessitated protectionism. Factories located near ports for coal access and, after 1869, for hydraulic power from rivers.