Early 20th Century Europe: Societal Shifts and Ideological Conflicts

Early 20th Century European Society

Industrial Growth and Social Inequality

The early 20th century in Europe witnessed significant industrial growth, enriching the privileged bourgeois classes but also creating a deep societal divide. The First World War (1914-1918) further exacerbated this crisis of values. The euphoria of economic and technological progress fueled a consumer society, sheltering the new liberal capitalist system. However, this growth also widened the gap between the wealthy bourgeoisie and the exploited working class, leading to the rise of protest movements and ideologies like Anarchism, Socialism, and Communism.

Crisis of Faith and Reason

Key ideologies challenged positivism and rational thought, denouncing the perceived failures of traditional beliefs. These included:

• Religious faith, which no longer provided satisfying answers to life's big questions.
• Faith in science, which lost its aura of infallibility.
• Faith in technology, viewed with suspicion after the horrors of wartime arms races.
• Faith in language itself, seen as a source of misunderstanding rather than communication.

Catalan Society in the Early 20th Century

Noucentisme and the Catalan Bourgeoisie

Under President Prat de la Riba, the Catalan bourgeoisie gained political power and sought to establish its hegemony through Noucentisme, a social and political movement. This period saw the rise of avant-garde artistic expressions in Catalonia, influenced by European trends, alongside more radical approaches.

Class Conflict and Social Movements

Clashes arose between the dominant industrial bourgeoisie and the working class, comprising industrial and artisan laborers. While the bourgeoisie controlled power and wealth, the proletariat formed unions, political parties, worker cooperatives, and cultural associations like the Popular Athenaeums and literacy centers. A prime example is the Modern School, founded in 1901 by Francisco Ferrer Guardia (wrongfully accused of inciting violence during the Tragic Week), which promoted rationalist and anarchist principles and advanced teaching methods.