Spain’s 18th-20th Century Industrial Revolution
The Textile Industry in 18th-Century Catalonia
Before the 18th century, textile production in Catalonia was insignificant. The rise of Indianes (printed cotton fabrics) spurred growth. A prohibition in 1860 on importing cotton yarn stimulated the proliferation of the modern textile industry. Around 1830, the mechanization process began by installing spinning machines used in Britain. In 1833, the first steam engine started operating. The mechanization of factories gained great momentum by 1860.
Between 1830 and 1860, Catalonia had no coal and had to import it from Asturias or Wales. This urged production; many industries were located near the maritime port of Barcelona, where raw materials arrived. From 1860, many industries were established on riverbanks, using hydraulic energy, creating industrial colonies.
The Mining Industry in Spain
The Spanish underground is rich in mineral deposits. Their exploitation began on a massive scale following legislation in 1868. Key deposits included lead (Linares, La Carolina), copper (Rio Tinto, becoming a major global source during World War I), mercury (Almadén), and zinc (Reocín). To alleviate Hacienda’s debt, the exploitation of many deposits was granted to French and English companies. These companies exported the minerals to Europe. The two main minerals were coal and iron. The most important coal deposits were in Asturias, which had higher quality coal than Wales. The main iron mines were in Vizcaya.
The New Ruling Classes
- The Landed Gentry: Although they had lost their feudal rights, they retained land ownership and played an important role in society. By the end of the 19th century, some aristocratic families, unable to join the new economic activities, were ruined and had to sell their estates.
- The Gentry: The nobility shared social dominance with the landed gentry and owned the new industries, large companies, and banks. They became landowners through the acquisition of land sold during the disentailments.
- The Bourgeoisie or Middle Class: This group was small and consisted of small industrialists and traders.
- The Industrial Proletariat: Due to industrial growth, many peasants migrated to cities seeking work in the new industries. They, along with artisans put out of work, constituted the industrial proletariat. Working conditions were precarious, with 12 to 14-hour workdays, low wages that barely allowed for food, no social security in case of illness or accident, unsafe premises, small, poorly ventilated houses without services, and neighborhoods with no lighting or sewers. Infectious diseases spread easily, and life expectancy barely exceeded 20 years.
Anarchism
Deeply rooted among the workers of Catalonia and the Andalusian peasantry at the end of the 19th century, anarchism advocated for the formation of autonomous groups that would challenge bourgeois and capitalist society. There were many attacks, and society entered a spiral of violence, given the strong repression exerted in response to the proliferation of the labor movement. Some anarchist groups opposed to violence founded labor unions to lead the workers’ revolution. This anarcho-syndicalist current founded the National Confederation of Labor (CNT) in 1910.
Socialism (Marxism)
Socialism had the greatest influence among the proletariat and some middle-class individuals in Madrid, Asturias, and the Basque Country. Pablo Iglesias founded the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) in 1879, and in 1888, he created the socialist union, the General Union of Workers (UGT). Socialists participated in parliamentary elections to bring workers’ voices to defend their interests and obtain favorable legislation. Despite universal suffrage (1890) opening new electoral expectations, the influence of socialism in Spain grew slowly, and the PSOE did not obtain a seat until 1910, with Pablo Iglesias.