Class Formation and Labor Movements in 19th Century Spain
Emergence of Class Society in 19th Century Spain
Economic Principles of Capitalism
The division of society shifted towards classes based on ownership and economic roles: owners, middle classes, and workers. New economic relationships emerged:
- Mutual Agreement: Formalized through contracts.
- Wealth Distribution: Through wages, profits, and rent.
- Income Sources: Rent from land (landowners), return on investment (capitalists), and wages from labor (salaried workers).
The New Ruling Class Structure
- Nobility: Preserved its heritage and influence throughout the 19th century, closely linked to the monarchy (especially during Elizabeth II’s era).
- Bourgeoisie: Included landowners and business owners gaining proximity to power. Industry was diverse and less tied to traditional power structures compared to land ownership.
- Middle Classes: Smallholders, urban professionals, and merchants formed a generally conservative group aspiring to social advancement.
Popular Classes
Urban Groups
- Service workers, officials, and office workers often bordered the line between the middle and popular classes.
- Artisans: Increasingly joined the ranks of the proletariat.
- Groups losing importance included domestic workers and traditional tradespeople, often facing low wages and long hours.
- Industrial Proletariat: The industrial working class experienced low wages, long working hours, an unprecedented work pace, and harsh living conditions in degraded urban neighborhoods.
Peasantry
- Landowners: Cultivated their own land.
- Tenants: Rented land to cultivate.
- Sharecroppers: Farmed land in exchange for housing and a share of the harvest (e.g., contracts tied to the life of a vineyard).
- Day Laborers (Jornaleros): Paid for working the land daily or seasonally, with no control over the land itself.
The First Trade Unions (1840-1868)
Early trade unionism involved workers organizing to defend and improve their living and working conditions.
Features of Early Unionism (circa 1840)
- Formation of trade-specific unions.
- Establishment of mutual protection associations.
- Focus primarily on labor-related claims (wages, hours).
Arrival of Internationalism (1868-1874)
The democratic period following the 1868 Revolution facilitated the spread of international labor movement ideas into Spain, particularly those of the AIT (International Workingmen’s Association).
AIT Branches in Spain
- Anarchist: Influenced by Giuseppe Fanelli, advocating the abolition of the state and collectivization.
- Marxist: Influenced by Paul Lafargue, advocating for workers to conquer state power.
The AIT was declared illegal in Spain in 1874.
Anarchism and Socialism (1874-1898)
Anarchist Currents
Rooted strongly in Catalonia and Andalusia, Spanish anarchism divided into factions:
- Supporters of union struggle (influenced by Bakunin).
- Supporters of direct action or ‘propaganda by the deed’ (influenced by Kropotkin).
These movements faced severe repression, leading to a dynamic of action and reaction.
Socialist Organizations
Socialism took root primarily in Madrid and Biscay.
- The Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) was founded in 1879 by Pablo Iglesias. It followed Marxist ideology but pursued a reformist agenda, fighting for political and trade union rights.
- The Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), a mass trade union affiliated with the PSOE, was established in 1888.
Women in the New Industrial Society
Women were generally not viewed as independent individuals in 19th-century society.
- Legal Status: Lacked political rights and were legally dependent on men (fathers or husbands).
- Education: Compulsory primary schooling existed (Moyano Law, 1857), but secondary and university education were rare for women.
- Work: Women’s labor was common in rural areas (subsistence farming) and industry. Industrial work was often considered complementary to men’s, paid less, and offered little chance for promotion due to educational limitations.
- Participation: Despite limitations, an active minority of women participated in labor movements and trade unions.
- Professions: Access to liberal professions was largely restricted, with teaching (Magisterio) and domestic service being common fields.