Labor and Political Movements in 19th-Century Europe and Spain
Labor Movement in 19th-Century Europe
The labor movement emerged as a response to the struggles of the working class seeking to improve their working conditions. It began in England around 1780.
Luddisme
The first labor movement was characterized by the destruction of machinery. Initially, participants were prosecuted and punished with the death penalty.
Unions
Unions are organizations that demand improved labor rights and better living conditions. Initially, they were illegal and organized clandestinely. In England, they were legalized in 1825, leading to the formation of the first major trade union, the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union (1834). In Barcelona, the Association of Weavers of Barcelona was formed in 1840 but remained illegal. Unions engaged in mass demonstrations and fought for better wages. There were two types of unions: those linked to political parties and those advocating for revolutionary actions, such as a general strike.
Social and Political Theories of the 19th Century
Socialism
Socialism is a social, political, and economic theory that criticizes the capitalist system and bourgeois society. While most people lived poorly, the bourgeoisie enjoyed a comfortable life due to private property. Socialists advocated for an egalitarian society without classes or significant differences, aiming to dismantle the capitalist system and private property. This movement originated in Europe (England and France) in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In the second half of the 19th century, anarchism and Marxism emerged as prominent socialist theories.
Marxism
Marxism is a socialist theory developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It criticizes private property and bourgeois exploitation. Marxists proposed a new kind of egalitarian society and supported the creation of worker-led political parties to achieve a revolution. They believed that through revolution, workers could seize power and establish a new state, which they termed the “dictatorship of the proletariat,” where private property would become state property, leading to a communist society without class distinctions.
Anarchism
Anarchism is a social, political, and economic theory that criticizes the capitalist system and bourgeois society. Anarchists believed that most people lived poorly while the bourgeoisie thrived due to private property. They advocated for an egalitarian society without classes or significant differences. Their slogan was “Neither God nor master nor king,” emphasizing freedom above all else. They proposed that land and factories should be owned by the workers and opposed political parties and parliamentary participation. Key figures in anarchist theory include the Russians Mikhail Bakunin and Peter Kropotkin.
Differences and Similarities Between Anarchism and Marxism
Both anarchism and Marxism emerged in the second half of the 19th century in Europe. They shared the same goals of criticizing and dismantling the capitalist system and bourgeois society. However, they differed in their approaches to property, political participation, and the nature of revolution.
Political Systems in 19th and Early 20th Century Spain
Constitutional System
A constitutional system is a political system based on a set of constitutional laws that protect the rights and freedoms of the people. These laws are typically established by a parliament.
Restoration (1875-1931) and Primo de Rivera Dictatorship (1923-1931)
System of the Restoration
The system was liberal until 1840 and then transitioned into a flawed democracy (1875-1931).
Liberal System
A liberal system is a political system with the following characteristics:
- It is based on a constitution drafted by elected representatives.
- It features restricted or census suffrage (only male property owners could vote).
- It includes three branches of power: legislative, judicial, and executive.
- The head of state was the king, forming a constitutional monarchy.
- It recognizes the rights of citizens.
Characteristics of the Restoration System
- It was based on the Constitution of 1876.
- The king held significant power.
- The parliament was bicameral.
- Catholicism was the state religion.
- Only two legal parties existed: liberal and conservative.
- In 1887, the Law of Associations was passed.
- In 1890, universal male suffrage was introduced.
However, the democratic system was flawed due to caciquismo.
Caciquismo
Caciquismo was a political practice that involved manipulating votes through threats and coercion of voters. Caciques were usually wealthy individuals upon whom workers depended. This practice aimed to ensure the power of the liberal and conservative parties, undermining free elections.
Situation of Women
Women could not vote and were legally subordinate to men, as institutionalized by the Napoleonic Civil Code of 1889. They were under the authority of their husbands, fathers, or sons. This situation persisted until 1931, with a brief return between 1939 and 1975.
Catalan Political Movements
Origins
The cultural movement of Renaixença and the Jocs Florals, along with Valentí Almirall’s writings, laid the groundwork for Catalan nationalism.
Causes
In 1898, Spain lost its colonies of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, impacting Catalan products and fueling nationalist sentiments.
Definition
Catalan nationalism is a cultural and political movement that emerged in Catalonia during the 19th century. It distinguishes between a nation-state and a human community with shared rights, history, and religion. The Commonwealth of Catalonia, formed by the union of four provincial councils, had limited administrative powers and was not self-governing.
Solidaritat Catalana (1907)
Solidaritat Catalana was a coalition of all Catalan nationalist parties that participated in the 1907 elections. It was formed in response to a law allowing the army to suppress Catalan magazines and newspapers.
Tragic Week (1909)
The Tragic Week was a revolt marked by the burning of churches and convents. The army suppressed the revolt, leading to executions without trial, including that of Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, in Barcelona in the early 20th century.
Bourbon Absolutism
Bourbon absolutism is a political system with the following characteristics:
- The king held absolute power, concentrating executive, legislative, and judicial authority.
- The king was above the law.
This system emerged in 17th-century France and was implemented in Spain in the early 18th century, specifically in 1714, after the War of the Spanish Succession. The Nueva Planta decrees decentralized administration, eliminated Catalan laws and institutions, and banned the Catalan language. On September 11, 1714, Philip V won the war, and by 1717, Barcelona, heavily punished for its resistance, fell. This date, September 11, is now commemorated as the National Day of Catalonia.