Spain’s Industrial and Economic Development in the 19th Century
The Industrial Revolution in Spain
Slow Industrial Expansion
Catalonia and the Basque Country established textile, food, and iron and steel industries. The textile industry played a significant role, representing over half of Spain’s total industrial output in 1856, and reaching 75% in Andalusia, Asturias, the Canary Islands, and Extremadura. Valencia profited from citrus sales, creating footwear, wood, and chemical industries. Aragon focused on milling, while Madrid developed publishing and typesetting. The gas industry expanded in Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Seville, and Zaragoza. The chemical industry produced sulfuric acid, caustic potash, and explosives for mining.
Coal and Iron Production
Increased demand for coal, driven by steam engines and steel development, propelled growth in coal mining, particularly in Asturias, due to abundant resources and easy shipping access. The arrival of Welsh coal was mitigated by protectionist tariffs. Iron mining expanded significantly with the Bessemer converter. Vizcaya’s mineral benefited from proximity to seaports, making Spain a major iron ore supplier in Europe.
The Seizure of the Underground
The 1868 mining law liberalized the sector, leading to massive exploitation of Spanish deposits. This expansion was driven by increased international demand, advancements in farming techniques, the chronic debt of the Spanish Treasury, and granting exploitation rights to foreign companies in exchange for monetary compensation. The most important mines were lead (Linares), copper (Huelva), mercury (Ciudad Real), and zinc (Cantabria).
Transport and Trade
Railway Construction
Following England’s Liverpool-Manchester line, Spain’s railway network began in 1855 with the General Law of Railways. Previously, only 475 km of lines existed, including the Barcelona-Mataro line.
Stages of Railway Construction
- Initially, foreign companies led the expansion.
- The 1866 financial crisis halted construction.
- From 1873, a new phase completed the network.
Effects on the Economy
of the railway law of 1855 would influence “ economical history of OMIC following hundred years. First was the consolidation of a radial structure with Xarc center in Madrid, which was difficult communications between zones and industrial dynamics. Then he set a track aplada greater than that of most European lines, the causes were techniques: the ability to install larger boilers to increase the power because they had to overcome steep slopes. Finally, the Act authorized the construction companies (foreign) to import free of customs duties all materials necessary for construction of the railway Xarc.
This franchise tariff has been considered as another missed opportunity for industrial growth aincentivar. 4.2.Les difficulties of the market were to repeal the unions to increase the number of farmers, were abolished taxes were eliminated and step rates and indirect taxes on comerça.Van create a transport system that permetera move goods from production areas to consumers with a fast and cost reasonable. Spain was not a good road or a Xarc Xarc hidrogrà fica.El railway was an essential tool to provide a Spanish mass transport system, cheap and quick that might promote the exchange of people and goods between different regions and increase internal trade. Navigation became a dynamic element in long distance trade, and allowed the rise of coastal and reducing the time used viatge.El problem was little industrial development in many regions of Spain. 4.3.L ‘increase Trade There are two main stages. The first (1815-1850) was creiximent modest but sustained the second (1850-1900) most influenced by increased trade expansion internacional.Les exports were more relevant oil and wine, and imports, cotton and trade relations with foreign lli.Les were altered as a result of losing the American colonies until independence in their main trading partners were of Spain. From the year 1850, Spain was gradually increasing binding to the more advanced economies of Europe and markets were replaced by colonial France and Britain. 4.4.Lliurecanvisme and protectionism. The tariff policy of successive Spanish governments evolved from a first stage of progress lliurecanvisme until 1870 to another dominated by protectionism. The Catalan textile industry, the cereal Castilian, Asturian Carboniferous sector and steel vascos pressure successive governments to protect their products. It has been argued that this protectionist policy was hindering the linkage with the international market, a provider of technologies and expertise to stop the production, so that was one of the leading causes of weak industrial development. 5.1.Hisenda public debt and fiscal reform to eliminate the tax levy and increase the revenue of the privileged on the basis of equality davnt of the tax reform was one of the limitations that were ingressons largest public finances of most advanced countries Europe. The state failed to increase revenues and income shortfalls remained a constant feature of the Spanish Treasury during the century XIX.El deficit of public finances had to finance a loan pool, making significant concessions to foreign groups fons.L change ‘was declared bankrupt before the inability to meet its obligations. 5.2.El financial system. The enactment of the Law on banks and credit societies was the starting point of the modernization of the Spanish banking system The first banks coexisted with institutions of the old regime, such as houses and bank prestecs.El largest Spanish bank in the nineteenth century was the first Spanish bank of San Fernando. s’industrialitzara factors because Spain does not fully . Position-extreme southwest of Spain meant that transport costs are higher than in most countries in Central Europe .- the low purchasing power of the vast majority of the population.
capital-received by the estate, the existence of the debt-public. unfavorable allocation of energy and raw materials.
-destabilization policy.