19th Century Social Structure and Ideological Shifts

Class Organization

The nineteenth century was characterized by strong tensions between conservative forces and liberal abolitionists regarding the privileges of the past. New political ideas and principles centered on equality and justice sought to abolish the privileges that concentrated power within the clergy and the nobility. This led to a new social organization:

The Nobility

The nobility and the bourgeoisie integrated, though the former was stripped of many assets. The desamortización (confiscation) process began with the Cortes of Cádiz (1812) and continued during the Liberal Triennium (1820–1823).

The Clergy

The clergy also suffered the loss of their assets through the Mendizábal desamortización. The auction of church property benefited the new ruling class and the wealthy landowners, rather than the peasants who worked the land. These assets moved into the hands of the bourgeoisie and large landowners, creating a new class: the landowning oligarchy.

The Bourgeoisie

The bourgeoisie emerged as the new ruling class, holding both economic and political power. Their lifestyle mirrored that of the old nobility, showing little concern for the conditions of the working class, who maintained their own revolutionary demands.

Active Population

The working population consisted of two main groups: jornaleros (day laborers) who worked the land, and the proletariat who worked in factories.

Current Ideological and Scientific Trends

Ideological Currents

The nineteenth century was dominated by several key doctrines:

• Positivism: Proposed by Auguste Comte, it opposed romantic idealism and suggested scientific methods based on observation and experimentation.
• Marxism: Karl Marx viewed history as a struggle between classes with the objective of transforming society.
• Krausism: Based on the philosophy of Karl Christian Friedrich Krause, it emphasized a harmonious relationship between the spirit and the material world. In Spain, this movement sought to foster active, free, and integral individual training. Despite these pedagogical efforts, Spain struggled with cultural backwardness, with over 60% of the population remaining illiterate at the end of the century.

Scientific Developments

From a scientific perspective, the most notable advancements were Darwin's theory of evolution and the laws of Mendelian inheritance.