José Ortega y Gasset: Contextualizing 20th Century Spanish Thought

Historical Context: Spain 1898–1950

Ortega y Gasset’s life spanned the last third of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, making him a key witness to an eventful era in Spanish history. We highlight the following historical events:

• The Disaster of 1898: The loss of the Spanish colonies in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, which ended the Spanish-American War. These losses were the starting point for an important reflection on Spain and its social and economic situation by a group of intellectuals. Their objective was to promote the radical reform and regeneration of Spanish society.
• The 20th Century: This period included the turbulent reign of Alfonso XIII, the First World War, the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, the Wall Street Crash and the Crisis of 1929, and the proclamation of the Second Republic in 1931.

During the Second Republic, Ortega y Gasset became involved in politics as a deputy. Later, we must note the foundation of the Falange in 1933 by José Antonio Primo de Rivera (son of the dictator) and his cousin.

Finally, the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) meant exile for many intellectuals. Another consequence of the Civil War was the political and cultural isolation of Spain.

The era concluded with the end of World War II, the creation of the UN (in 1949, according to the original text's timeline), and Spain's eventual entry into NATO and the signing of agreements with the Holy See in the same year.

Cultural Context and Intellectual Life

In this aspect, it is interesting to note the influence of the media on the cultural life of Spain, stemming from the Press Law established in 1883.

Indeed, Ortega was an outstanding journalist whose articles were published in the newspaper El Sol, which he helped found.

Another major influence on social and cultural life that must be noted is that of the Church. This influence was often in conflict with the growing strength of Marxist materialism, communist ideas, and anarchist beliefs, which had great resonance among the population during the Second Republic.

In terms of literature, Ortega was contemporary with writers of the Generation of '98 and the Generation of '27. All these authors participated in trying to raise the cultural and scientific level of the Spanish population and transform society, although the Civil War marked the definitive brake on the regenerationist project.

Philosophical Context and European Influences

From the point of view of philosophical ideas, Ortega’s work arose from what was largely a philosophical desert in the national field.

He, however, was steeped in Neo-Kantianism during his studies in Germany and became familiar with other contemporary European trends, including:

• Husserl's Phenomenology
• Existentialism
• Neo-positivism of the Vienna Circle
• The French thought of Henri Bergson
• Marxism