Caciquismo in Spain: 19th and 20th Century Electoral Corruption

Reduced Citizen Participation and Increased Mayoral Power

Citizen participation was reduced to only the property owner being able to take part. More than 30,000 people were appointed by the mayor of the town and the province, and local government budgets were approved.

Measures to Reduce Freedom of the Press

These are the measures taken to reduce the freedom of the press:

• Prior censorship for written materials was established in the year 2000.
• The Church was granted the power of censoring books.
• The 1879 law established the reinstatement of the printing system to attack the political and social system or to question it.

Caciquismo and Electoral Corruption

Caciquismo refers to electoral corruption. This alternative formula provided the parties with the opportunity to meet peacefully and present their programs. The main feature of the electoral process before the agreement was constant falsification. The majority parties in Madrid confirmed these steps to ensure the process, which focused on aspects that were structured provincially through caciquismo and local control.

The Role of the Civil Governor and "Kazikeak"

The Civil Governor of Madrid received the decision-making decision from the "kazikeak" (local political bosses) to falsify the results. Parliament's right to obtain a system that was already in the box was used. According to this formula, a list of candidates who supported the national government was created to face the next national elections, and these candidates were placed in the list range.

Electoral Fraud and its Consequences

Election fraud was one of the other results of the objectives set before it. There was too much pressure to change the electoral fraud, which included violence, fraud, and vote-buying. Caciquismo filled the first third of the 20th century in Spain. It appeared in socio-political events during this time.

Characteristics of "Kazikeak"

"Kazikeak" were members of the elite in a specific place or area. These were the characteristics of geography, economics, and society in a given situation that was rooted in the social key to this closing. They acted as mediators between the state and society. The responsibility of the deputy was to add up the official votes, and then they had to use the votes in exchange for favors and benefits for the donor.