Spanish Land Confiscation (18th-19th Centuries): Impacts and Consequences

Posted on Oct 6, 2024 in History

The Liberal Revolution and Land Reform in Spain

The liberal revolution brought significant legal changes that transformed rural Spain, paving the way for capitalist agriculture. Key changes included:

  • Abolition of the feudal court system, converting estates into private property and vassals into free laborers.
  • Freedom to enclose land, market crops, and set prices.
  • Implementation of free trade in agriculture.
  • Abolition of the tithe.

However, the most significant change, both economically and socially, was the confiscation of church and municipal lands.

Confiscation of Church and Municipal Lands

Enlightenment thinkers in the 18th century believed that the concentration of assets in the hands of the privileged was the primary cause of agricultural backwardness. They proposed halting this accumulation, but the Bourbons refused. The Crown’s substantial debt eventually led to the confiscations.

Stages of Land Confiscation

There were two main stages of land confiscation legislation:

  1. Early Steps (Reign of Charles IV)

    In 1798, Godoy authorized the confiscation of properties belonging to the suppressed Society of Jesus and Waqf institutions (orphanages, hospitals, etc.) to address war debt. This amounted to approximately 1/6 of church property. In 1813, the Cortes of Cadiz approved a general confiscation decree (suppression of monasteries and confiscation of vacant properties). While not fully implemented, it set a precedent for later confiscations during the Liberal Triennium (1820-1823). This period also saw the unbinding of estates, making them fully private, and the abolition of feudal dues. These measures were reversed during the absolutist restoration.

  2. Main Confiscations (Reign of Isabel II)

    The most extensive confiscations occurred under the progressive governments of Mendizabal (ecclesiastical) and Madoz (civil) during the reign of Isabel II.

    • Mendizabal’s Decrees (1836-1837): Nationalized all clergy assets, which were then auctioned after being divided into lots. Public debt (significantly undervalued) was accepted as payment, with 20% in cash and the remainder deferred over 8 to 16 years. Between 1836 and 1844, over 66% of church assets were sold. The Narvárez government halted the process.
    • Madoz Act (1855): Affected municipal properties and common lands. Sales continued until the Restoration, with most occurring between 1855 and 1867, generating 4.9 billion reales. Only cash payments (10% upfront) were accepted.

Results of the Confiscations

The confiscations had various consequences:

  1. Changes in Land Ownership and Cropping Systems: Liberalized land sales, leading to shifts in cropping patterns. Subsistence polyculture was replaced by commercial monoculture (cereals in the highlands and Catalonia). The landscape was also altered through the division of lots, impacting pastures and forests, leading to deforestation and harming livestock.
  2. Increased Production, Stagnant Productivity: Production increased due to land reclamation, but productivity remained low. Modernization was limited, resulting in diminishing returns and uncompetitive prices. New owners often lacked the resources or interest to invest in improvements, relying on abundant cheap labor.
  3. Limited Impact on Public Finances: The system of accepting undervalued debt securities limited the positive impact on public finances.
  4. Failure to Create a Smallholder Class: Small farmers couldn’t afford the land, and lease terms imposed by new owners worsened conditions for tenants, often forcing them into day labor.
  5. Strengthened Liberal Support: The Carlist War and the Queen Regent’s actions consolidated liberal support for Isabel II and created a new landed aristocracy.
  6. Loss of Municipal Income: Municipalities lost income from leasing their properties, and communal lands, vital for poorer farmers, were no longer available.
  7. Minimal Change in Ownership Structure: Existing structures were reinforced. Large estates expanded in areas like western Andalusia, while small and medium holdings persisted in northern Spain. Buyers were primarily wealthy peasants, landowners, and the bourgeoisie.
  8. Loss of Cultural Heritage: Abandoned convents and churches often collapsed, and their contents, including furniture and artwork, were lost or sold.

Definitions

Public Debt:
State funds obtained by issuing securities, usually publicly traded. A compulsory part of the state budget.
Dead Wealth:
Properties (communal or inherited) that could not be sold, exchanged, or transferred due to bequest conditions or institutional rules. They belonged to the “dead hand,” remaining perpetually outside the market and often untaxed.

Historical Context: Isabel II

Isabel II reigned from 1833 to 1868. Her ascension led to the Carlist War (1833-1839). Regencies were held by her mother, Maria Cristina (1833-1840), and Espartero (1840-1843). Her reign, though controversial, was crucial for the development of the liberal state. She was deposed in the Revolution of 1868 (“The Glorious” or “Septembrina”).

Source

This information is based on the Royal Decree of February 19, 1836, which declared the sale of religious communities’ properties (excluding those dedicated to education or hospitals), published in the Gaceta de Madrid (now BOE). This decree, rather than a law, was prepared and approved solely by the government without parliamentary debate or vote, as parliament had been dissolved on January 28, 1836.