Spain’s Economic Evolution: Industrialization and Social Modernization
Dependence on External Factors
The contribution of external factors was crucial to the rapid growth of this phase and the consolidation of industrialized society. Technology imports revolutionized the industrial structure, alongside heavy investments and transfers. Several European countries absorbed surplus labor from agriculture. The European welfare movement generated significant tourism, with Spain as a preferred destination. Currency contributed to the influx of tourists.
Without income from tourism, emigrant remittances, and foreign investment, the Spanish economic miracle would not have occurred.
Limitations of Industrialization
In the early 1970s, Spanish per capita income was still relatively low, and a trend of rising prices emerged. The combination of inflation with job creation became a significant issue during this phase. Causes of inflation included agricultural price hikes, the rigidity of supply in the expanding service sector, and monetary policy.
Factors contributing to low employment creation included the intensity of industrialization and employment reduction in agriculture. While emigration continued, the unemployment rate remained low. The final stage was marked by limited progress in technological development, exacerbated by the limited liberalization of the financial system.
Modernization of Spanish Society
Social Transformation
Social modernization began with a large increase in population. The peripheries of large industrial cities were filled with new working-class neighborhoods. The significant development of the industrial economy led to a transformation of the socio-professional structures of the population.
As the number of employees increased, so did the number of urban liberal professionals and executives. A large mass of industrial workers appeared in some parts of the country, giving rise to trade unionism. The 1960s saw an overall increase in the volume of the middle classes. The number of staff also increased to expand the functions of the state. The rural population declined, affecting social structures in the countryside.
Behavioral Changes
Social behavior and cultural patterns also changed significantly. A major change occurred in the educational system, culminating in the General Law of Education. The population became increasingly educated, and state investments in the education system increased. The number of university students also increased.
The family began to experience changes that would deepen in the future. The incorporation of women into new productive activities was weaker. Spanish homes began to be fitted with new appliances: TVs and refrigerators. A new mentality was implemented in the religious field. Freedom of thought and religious practice was claimed, and a sector of the church began to distance itself from the regime.