Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Social sciences for Baccalaureate

The Regency of Maria Christina (1833-1840)

Initial Challenges and Reforms

Upon the death of Ferdinand VII, his widow, Maria Christina, assumed the regency. She appointed a cabinet presided over by Francisco Cea Bermúdez. Necessary reforms were carried out by Javier de Burgos. The same year Ferdinand VII died, absolutist sectors conspired in favor of Carlos, the late king's brother, leading to the outbreak of the First Carlist War.

The Royal Statute of 1834

The onset of civil war forced the regent to heed calls for a convocation of the Cortes. Martínez de la Rosa was called upon to form a new government, composed of prominent politicians from the Liberal Triennium. This government conceived the Royal Statute of 1834, a constitution granted as...

Language Families and Multilingualism

Language families are different groups that categorize languages according to their characteristics and the areas where they are spoken. Monolingualism occurs when a person or a community speaks a single language. If, on the contrary, they speak different languages, this refers to a multilingual society, as is the case in Spain.

Types of Multilingualism

The phenomenon of multilingualism can be categorized as follows:

• Individual: A person who speaks several languages.
• Collective: A country, region, or area that uses several languages.

Bilingualism and Diglossia

Bilingualism is the coexistence of two languages in a region or community. Diglossia indicates that community members are aware that inequalities exist...

Renaixença and Popular Culture

The Renaixença was a cultural movement that began in Catalonia in the 1830s, advocating for the public use of the Catalan language and culture. In 1859, the celebration of the Floral Games commenced. The Renaixença Popular was a cultural movement of a popular character that promoted the use of Catalan through platforms such as theater. Key figures included Anselm Clavé, Abdó Terrades, and Frederic Soler.

Origins of Catalanism and Federalism

The origins of Catalanism emerged from protest movements against the centralization of the liberal state. Federalism, promoted by Abdó Terrades, led to the creation of the Federal Democratic Republican Party. In 1869, a group of federal Catalans signed the Federal Pact of

Defining Imperialism and the Scramble for Africa

Imperialism is defined by the economic needs of developed nations during the industrial era. European expansionism was primarily driven by the urgent search for new markets. The late 19th-century economic crisis exacerbated these pressures, leading to a shift from free trade to protectionist policies. Marxist theorists interpreted this as a fundamental necessity of capitalist expansion. Furthermore, modern historical studies have questioned the profitability of these empires, noting that the high costs of maintenance often outweighed the benefits of colonial investments.

Defining Liberalism, Nationalism, and Class Society

Liberalism and Nationalism

On July 4, 1776, the thirteen American colonies...

Victorian England: A Historical Perspective

England was the first country to lead the Industrial Revolution and establish a liberal democracy.

Economic and Territorial Expansion

The reign of Queen Victoria, spanning from 1837 to 1901, is known as the Victorian Era. During this period, the nation reached its maximum territorial expansion and consolidated its political institutions and economic development. The era was characterized by remarkable stability, remaining largely free from the revolutions that affected the European continent.

The economy experienced a crisis between 1873 and 1895 due to the free trade policies established in 1846. While these policies favored industry, they harmed agriculture. As farming declined, the rural population...

Basic Characteristics of European States in the Late Liberal Era

Form of State

• Constitutional Monarchy: A representative system where the monarchy progressively lost executive functions to parliamentary government.
• Republicanism: Consolidated primarily in France and Switzerland.

Type of State

Centralizing and Secular: States tended toward a concentration of power and a reduction or elimination of the Church's influence.

Economic Policy

Protectionism: High tariffs were imposed on foreign products to stimulate domestic consumption and industrialization (with the exception of England).

Social Policy

Interventionalism: Liberal governments began regulating working conditions and participating in education, notably in Bismarck's Germany.

Type of Suffrage

• Censitary

Election Expenses and Subsidies: Campaign Finance Regulations

Campaign Administrators and Appointments

General representatives of parties, federations, or coalitions contesting elections must register with the Electoral Board. They are responsible for designating a general manager and representatives for each candidacy with the appropriate Board. Any adult citizen in full possession of their civil and political rights may be appointed to these roles, except those facing a final judicial decision.

Campaign Fund Accounts and Transparency

Administrators are authorized to open accounts for fundraising from the date of their appointment in any bank or savings bank. The details of these accounts must be communicated within 24 hours to the relevant Electoral...

Ideological Bases of the Labor Movement

Utopian Socialism

Karl Marx criticized what he saw as an ignorance of the social struggle between employers and workers, which prevented a peaceful solution to class conflict. Utopian Socialism is based on:

• Small communities with collective ownership.
• A welfare state, acting as the protector of collective experiences.
• An economy designed to meet the needs of each community.
• Peaceful political tactics.
• Solidarity, philanthropy (positive relationships between people), and brotherly love.
• Equalizing social organization: all people with equal rights in small, self-sufficient communities.

Marxist Socialism

It was developed by Karl Marx (1818-1883) and his friend and patron Friedrich Engels (1820-1895). Marxism attempted...

Analysis of "Catalan Nationality" (1906)

The text presented for analysis is a political and historiographical work from 1906, written during the Spanish Restoration. This analysis constitutes a secondary source, as it was written in 1987 about the original 1906 document. The title, Catalan Nationality, reflects the political thinking of the era and articulates a principle of Catalan nationalism. It outlines two distinctive forms of this nationalism, differentiated by the relationship proponents believed Catalonia should have with Spain. It is important to distinguish this political nationalism from Catalanism, which primarily advocates for the preservation of Catalan culture and language.

The movement emerged during the Regency period in Spain,...

Caciquismo and Electoral Fraud

The caciquismo was a phenomenon that occurred in all regions of Spain, but it reached its highest development in Andalusia, Galicia, and Castile. The adulteration of the vote was a common practice in all elections, achieved through the restoration of census suffrage.

The party calling the elections—having been asked to form a government—would ensure victory through the falsification of results. This electoral triumph allowed for the creation of a large parliamentary majority for the ruling party.

The Role of the Warlords

The caciques (warlords) were prominent figures, mainly wealthy rural landowners who provided employment and held significant influence over local social and political life. These chieftains manipulated...