Key Concepts of 19th Century Political Economy and Social Structure

Economic Policies and Social Stratification

Free Trade and Protectionism

Free Trade: An economic policy based on the free movement of goods between different countries without customs restrictions.

Protectionism: An economic policy based on establishing customs barriers on imports of foreign products to promote domestic production.

Middle Classes

A sector of society constituted by the petty bourgeoisie and the skilled artisan classes (clases menestrales). This group included traders, government employees, professionals, and small property owners.

Popular Classes

A social group formed by the most disadvantaged sectors of society: small artisans, the peasantry, and the proletariat.

The Proletariat

A social group formed by factory workers engaged in the process of industrialization. This wage labor force constituted the working class of the nineteenth century.

Agricultural Landowners

Large landowners, including nobles and burghers, who derived their income from the profits generated by their agricultural properties.

Laborers (Landless Workers)

Landless workers hired to work on the properties of agricultural landowners. They emerged largely due to the confiscations and liberal land reforms, which left many peasants without land.

Political Parties of the Restoration

Conservative Party

The ruling political formation during the Restoration period, which alternated power with the Liberal Party. It defended the Bourbon monarchy and the interests of the bourgeoisie, the landowning oligarchy, and the clergy. Antonio Cánovas del Castillo was its primary representative.

Liberal Party

A political group that alternated power with the Conservative Party. It advocated for a liberal-leaning government and social reforms. Práxedes Mateo Sagasta was their leader.

Ideologies of the Working Class

Socialism

An ideology advocating for the emancipation of workers and their political organization. Its goal was to conquer political and economic power through revolution, establishing the dictatorship of the proletariat, which would eliminate private property and place productive assets in state hands.

Anarchism

An ideology in radical opposition to political action and the participation of the proletariat in elections. It defended the abolition of the state (rather than its conquest) and was hostile to all forms of authority (religious, civil, etc.).

Reformist Movements

Conservative Reformism under Maura

Antonio Maura implemented an electoral reform that, while not ending corruption or fully democratizing the system, made electoral fraud more difficult. He executed certain social reforms, demanded greater independence from the Crown, and granted more autonomy to municipalities, provinces, and regions.

Liberal Reformism under Canalejas

José Canalejas emphasized the separation of Church and State and reformed the financing system. He antagonized the upper classes by replacing the consumption tax with an income-based tax and introduced new employment laws. He also addressed Catalan demands with the Law of Mancomunidades (Commonwealths).