19th Century Spanish Intellectual Movements: Krausism, Positivism, Darwinism
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19th Century Spanish Intellectual Movements
Cultural Trends. During the nineteenth century, three new schools of thought were introduced in Spain: Krausism, positivism, and Darwinism.
Krausism
Krausism arrived from Germany in 1874. It emphasized:
- The primacy of reason
- The defense of freedom of conscience
- The importance of experimental sciences
- Liberalism and tolerance
- Austere morality
- The importance of discipline
- Individual performance of duty
- Optimism in nature
- Anticlericalism
- Mystical-pantheistic spiritualism
Krausists argued that the Church and the Inquisition were responsible for Spain's backwardness and that the lack of freedom had limited scientific progress. They advocated for the Europeanization of the country, the incorporation of women into education, reform of customs, and confidence in education and pedagogy. This led to the creation of the Institution of Free Education in 1876.
Positivism
Positivism involved applying scientific methods to other fields of knowledge, such as sociology, anthropology, and history (Altamira).
Darwinism
Darwinism was very influential. Darwin's ideas were spread in Spain by González Linares, who faced strong opposition from the Church. Darwin was appointed as a tenured professor at the Institution of Free Education.
Education
Education had enjoyed considerable freedom during a six-year democratic period, but censorship was reintroduced with the Restoration of the monarchy and the Church. However, the Institution of Free Education continued to use cutting-edge pedagogy. The Church controlled education with over 50,000 clergy dedicated to primary education. There were 50 institutes in Spain that educated young people from wealthy families. The traditional mindset of the ruling classes contributed to the continued delay in educational progress.
The Press
The press was the main vehicle for expression and opinion creation throughout the century, in addition to promoting Europeanization. During the liberal triennium, there were more than 50 newspapers. In the 1830s, newspapers became nationally syndicated. During the Elizabethan era, liberal newspapers such as La Epoca, La Iberia, The Public Outcry, and Democracy were prominent. In the 1860s, the press matured and became more pluralistic, with general newspapers like The Fair and Spain's Correspondence, as well as magazines like The Spanish and American Illustration (1869), appearing.