Spain After 1898: Regenerationism and Consequences
The Aftermath of 1898: Spain’s Pacific Territories and the Unequal War
Several islands remained in the Pacific: the Marianas, Carolines, and Palau. Another key issue is why Spain accepted such an unequal war. Some possible causes were:
- The press fostered a false patriotism among the public and underestimated American military power.
- All political groups favored going to war, except the Feds and the Socialists, who also opposed the conscription system that allowed exemption from military service upon payment of a certain quota, benefiting the wealthy.
- The Basque and Catalan regions wanted to keep the American market.
- The Church had economic interests in the Philippines, where many religious orders owned land.
Regenerationism: A Response to the Crisis
The colonial crisis fueled the development of cultural and political movements critical of the Restoration system, advocating for social and political modernization. After 1898, a widespread awareness of national disaster spread through the press and the *Turno* parties. Francisco Silvela, a prominent conservative leader, wrote a popular article titled “Without Pulse”, comparing the national situation to a terminal illness.
Regenerationism was a school of thought deeply critical of Spanish reality, sometimes suggesting an inferiority to other nations. In an international context of colonial expansion, Spain had lost the last remnants of its empire, relegated to a second-rate power in Europe. Regenerationists denounced the corrupt political system, economic backwardness, and high illiteracy.
Prominent Regenerationist authors included Lucas Mallada and Macías Picavea, but the most important was Joaquín Costa, with works like *Reconstruction and Europeanization of Spain* and *Oligarchy and Caciquism as the Current Form of Government in Spain*. Costa believed that modernizing the economic system was necessary to end Spain’s problems. He proposed that the Chambers discuss measures for various productive sectors. Politically, he favored a temporary authoritarian ruler, an “iron surgeon.”
Regenerationism directly influenced literature, specifically the Generation of ’98. Its authors (Baroja, Azorín, Unamuno, Machado) shared a common concern for the historical essence of Spain and its Europeanization.
Political and Economic Repercussions
We can distinguish between immediate and long-term consequences. The immediate consequences were:
- After the defeat, a change of government occurred. The discredited Sagasta executive and Queen Regent Maria Cristina gave power to the new Conservative leader, Francisco Silvela. The incoming government, called “regenerationist,” included representatives of different tendencies, such as the Catalan regionalist Durán y Bas and the soldier Polavieja. A policy reform began, including administrative decentralization and army reorganization. However, the new government failed. New tax increases to address war debts generated protests, and projects were not implemented. Patronage and electoral distortions demonstrated resilience to any attempted change.
- In the initial moments after the disaster, trade declined.
In the longer term, several trends emerged:
- The Spanish economy did not enter a crisis. In the following years, trade recovered, and significant capital repatriation increased investment.
- A clear link existed between the defeat of 1898 and the expansion of political movements.