The Industrial Revolution: Origins, Impact, and Spanish Delay

The Industrial Revolution: Origins and Transformation

The Industrial Revolution refers to the set of profound changes that occurred in the elaboration and production of goods, beginning in England during the 18th century.

Key Causes and Consequences

• The Parliamentary Monarchy: A system where the nobility and the king shared power, limiting the privileges of the unprivileged classes.
• Population Growth: Decreased wars and pests, coupled with advances in health, led to an increase in consumers and a larger labor force.
• Agricultural Improvements: Introduction of machinery, the neglect of the barbecho (fallow system), and the implementation of enclosures (land privatization).
• Technological Advancements: Significant growth in cotton textiles and coal mining.

Metallurgy and Energy

The metallurgical sector saw improvements, producing higher quality iron. However, early processes required more costly charcoal and had less heat capacity.

The Steam Engine and Industrial Application

• Watt's Invention (1769): The application of steam power to machinery revolutionized production.
• Cartwright's Mechanical Loom (1785): Steam power was applied to the mechanical loom.
• Implications for Steel: High-quality steel was necessary for manufacturing and tuning textile machines.

The Transportation Revolution

The transportation revolution began in the early 19th century:

• Railways: The English inventor Stephenson developed the railway locomotive in 1822, capable of dragging trains. The Liverpool-Manchester line was a key early route.
• Maritime Transport: Early steam vessels, such as Fulton's *Clermont* (often referred to as the "Bacchus Vapor" in early Spanish texts), appeared in the 19th century.

Industrialization in Spain: The Delay

Spain joined the Industrial Revolution starting around 1830, but with a significant delay compared to Britain.

Causes of the Spanish Delay

• Lack of Prior Agricultural Revolution: A necessary prerequisite for industrialization did not occur.
• Economic Ruin: The war against Napoleon severely damaged the national economy.
• Demographic Stagnation: It was difficult to increase the population rapidly.
• Political Instability: The exile of liberal ideas and the implementation of absolutism hindered progress.
• Insufficient Infrastructure: The transportation network was inadequate and poorly planned.

Industrial Centers (1833)

Industrialization was concentrated in specific areas:

• Asturias and Vizcaya (Basque Country): Focused on steel production.
• Catalunya (Catalonia): Focused on textiles. These regions became the core of Spanish industrialization starting in 1833.

Cultural and Literary Influences

Dissemination of Ideas

The spread of new ideas occurred through various channels:

• Periodicals: Reflected the positions of writers like Juan Nicolás Böhl de Faber in Spain.
• The German Consul in Europe (Barcelona 1823–1824): This journal helped spread Romantic ideas, often in opposition to Neoclassicism.
• Political Shifts: Ideas were influenced by the Francophiles (after Napoleon's opening) and later by the liberals (after the restoration of absolutism under Fernando VII).

Key Figures of Spanish Romanticism

Mariano José de Larra (1809–1837)

Born in Madrid, Larra experienced personal and political failure. Coupled with his maverick and critical attitude, this made him the prototype of the tormented man. He died at 28.

• Genre: He perpetuated the literary article (essay/column), covering varied subjects.
• Themes: His 200+ articles offered a perfect insight into the society, politics, literature, and history of his time.
• Notable Work: Castellano Viejo (Old Castilian), a satirical piece ridiculing aspects of Spanish life.

José de Espronceda y Delgado (1808–1842)

Born in Almendralejo, Espronceda was the most brilliant lyrical poet of Spanish Romanticism. His life was marked by his political alignment with the liberal side, his exile, his arrest, and his passionate relationship with Teresa, a married woman 33 years old.

• Key Work: Canción del Pirata (Song of the Pirate).
• Significance: Considered the first Spanish Romantic poet, characterized by simplicity of vocabulary.

Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (1836–1870)

Born in Seville, Bécquer moved to Madrid, working for a period as a translator. His poetry is characterized by its simplicity of vocabulary, making it easily understood by the majority.

He died at 34, having contracted tuberculosis.