Spain’s Political and Economic Landscape in the 19th Century
Spain’s Political History in the 19th Century
The Democratic Sexenio (1868-1874)
The democratic period of Spain’s 19th-century political history is divided into several phases:
- Revolutionary and Constitutional: The Constitution of 1869, the first democratic constitution in Spanish history, established universal male suffrage. The monarchy was ultimately chosen as the form of government.
- The Search for a King: After a search, Amadeus of Savoy was chosen as king.
- The Democratic Monarchy of Amadeus I: Amadeus I’s reign began with significant difficulties. Progressives were divided into two factions: the Constitutionalists and the Radicals. In February 1873, the king abdicated and left Spain.
- The Federal Republic: The First Republic was proclaimed, and a constitution was drafted but never enacted. The Cantonal Revolt emerged in the south and east of the country.
- The Authoritarian Republic: A coup dissolved the Cortes, and General Serrano exercised power in an authoritarian manner. A subsequent declaration proclaimed the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy.
Political Currents: Democrats and Republicans
During this period, two main political currents developed: Democrats and Republicans. The Republicans were further divided into supporters of a unitary state and those who favored a federal republic (a federal state is formed by different regions or particular areas in which regional authorities have considerable autonomy).
The Spanish Economy in the 19th Century
Spain was predominantly an agrarian country. The delay in economic development was due to several factors:
- Technical backwardness, leading to high dependence on weather conditions and forcing labor-intensive practices.
- The failure of liberal reforms.
There were scarcely any surpluses to support the growth of capital cities or reinvest in industry.
Industrialization Efforts
The most industrialized region was Catalonia, where the cotton industry flourished. The first steel industry developed in Andalusia but ultimately failed. The rugged terrain and lack of waterways obstructed transport and trade. The railroad presented an opportunity to overcome these obstacles, but its implementation was slow, and the radial layout was detrimental.
Spanish Society in the 19th Century
Demographics
Population growth was low. Life expectancy was very low due to several factors: wars, chronic malnutrition, and poor sanitation.
Social Structure
The abolition of entailment did not diminish the power of the nobility; it was accompanied by the conversion of their estates into private property. A new oligarchy (a minority group of people with great power who heads an organization) was formed, comprised of businessmen. The Spanish bourgeoisie was more speculative than invested. There was a small industrial bourgeoisie and a large group of middle-class individuals. The regular clergy suffered a sharp reduction following wars and secularization. The situation of the peasantry worsened with the seizure and conversion of lordships into private property. The industrial proletariat was only predominant in Catalonia.