Spanish Regionalism, Regeneration, and Labor Movement in the 19th and 20th Centuries
Regionalism in 19th Century Spain
Throughout the 19th century, Spanish regionalism, cast in the first moments of the liberal revolution, was unable to develop a strong and unified national project. This explains the persistence of local and regional identities, especially in Catalonia and the Basque Country. After 1898, the new Spanish nationalism, with its regeneracionista aspect, competed with the rise of these regional nationalisms, which were not recognized within the broader Spanish nation.
Catalan Nationalism
The origins of Catalan nationalism lie in the feelings divided between Spain and Catalonia and the Spanish reaction to Catalan nationalism. Different currents emerged, including:
- Federal Republicanism: This movement claimed sovereignty for Catalonia, with Valentí Almirall as its chief proponent.
- Corporatist Conservative Nationalism: This was spearheaded by the intellectual power of Enric Prat de la Riba, spokesman of bourgeois nationalism.
The creation of the Regional League of Catalonia, the first major party of Catalan nationalism, opened a new stage in history.
Basque Nationalism
Basque nationalism was based on three elements:
- Fuerismo (Basque charters)
- The Carlist Wars
- The process of industrialization, which prompted the arrival of immigrants from other Spanish provinces
Two main trends emerged:
- Euskaro and Euskalerríacos: These groups from Navarre and Biscay led a campaign for the Basque charters.
- Basque Nationalist Party (PNV): Founded by Sabino Arana, leader and ideologist of Basque nationalism, this party was based on race, religion, and the Basque language (Euskera).
Other Regionalisms
Other regionalisms had less weight. Galician regionalism had its maximum representatives in Alfredo Brañas, representing the traditionalist tendency, and Manuel Martínez Murguía, representing liberal democracy. It is also worth mentioning Valencian and Andalusian regionalism, the latter led by Blas Infante.
Regeneration After the Hispano-American War
The defeat in the Hispano-American War in 1898 created a new spirit: regeneration. This was a period of review carried out by intellectuals and politicians at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The bases of regeneracionismo were political dignity, education reform, and the modernization of society. Its supporters included prominent politicians like Francisco Silvela and Antonio Maura.
A government headed by Francisco Silvela sought to regenerate the country without changing the restoration system or the roles played by the crown, the army, or the political parties. Silvela favored reforms, but they were ultimately unsuccessful. The failure of the regeneracionista government showed the system’s inability to evolve.
Another regeneracionista movement emerged, led by intellectuals like Joaquín Costa, known for his work “Oligarchy and Despotism”, and writers of the Generation of ’98, such as Miguel de Unamuno, known for “On Traditionalism”. These scholars attempted to diagnose Spain’s problems and propose solutions.
The Labor Movement During the Restoration
The labor movement opposed the Restoration. In 1879, Pablo Iglesias founded the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) as a party that defended the rights of the proletariat. It combined Marxist revolutionary ideology with more realistic measures, such as participation in political life and the creation of production and consumption cooperatives.
In 1888, at a conference in Barcelona, the General Union of Workers (UGT), a socialist-oriented trade union, was founded. In 1890, the first “Casa del Pueblo” (People’s House) was established as a center for the dissemination of workers’ ideas.
Anarchism
Anarchism was the most influential working-class ideology during the Restoration. This stage focused on recruiting supporters and engaging in terrorist actions, as anarchists were heavily persecuted. Anarchism was perceived as a threat to established power. It was introduced during the democratic Sexenio by Giuseppe Fanelli, a disciple of Mikhail Bakunin.
Anarchism was most widespread during the regency of Maria Cristina. The organization “The Black Hand” struck terror in Andalusia in the 1880s, and Prime Minister Cánovas del Castillo was assassinated by an anarchist.