Spain's 18th Century: Bourbon Reforms & Enlightenment Impact

Bourbon Reforms: State Organization & Centralization

Government reform in 18th-century Spain was driven by two key principles prevalent in Europe:

• Centralization: All government actions were to originate from the monarch and his ministers.
• Uniformity: These measures were to apply equally to all nationals, aiming to curb local and provincial privileges.

Significant reforms were implemented across various sectors:

• Army and Navy: Recruitment shifted to a triple system: volunteers, compulsory levies for vagrancy, and the "quintas" (conscription).
• Fiscal System: Tax reforms were introduced.
• Economy: State-sponsored manufacturing was established.
• Infrastructure: Public works projects were undertaken.

Spanish America in the 18th Century: Bourbon Absolutism

In Spanish America, the absolutist Bourbon policy aimed to strengthen state structures, transforming the colonies into a primary source of wealth and income for the Crown.

Administrative Measures:

• Administrative restructuring marginalized Creoles.
• Immigration was revitalized.
• The Church's position was weakened.
• A standing army was created.
• Fiscal pressure was increased.
• Riots were suppressed.

Trade Measures:

Efforts were made to revive trade with the ultimate goal of making America an export center for raw materials and an importer of Spanish industrial products. Key objectives included:

• Eliminating foreign competition in the region.
• Suppressing colonial industry.
• Ending the monopolies of Seville and Cadiz.

The Enlightenment in 18th-Century Spain

The Enlightenment was a powerful intellectual current that spread throughout Europe in the 18th century. In Spain, it served as the intellectual foundation for reforms implemented by the early Bourbons, especially King Charles III.

Key Characteristics of Spanish Enlightenment:

• Emphasis on reason and critical thinking.
• Promotion of the national economy.
• Development of scientific knowledge and education.
• Dissemination of ideas related to progress and happiness.

The Enlightenment sought to reform the economic, social, and political structures of the Ancien Régime.

Official Dissemination Channels:

• Academies
• New institutions of higher education
• Royal Economic Societies of Friends of the Country
• Consulates