Spain's 19th Century Social and Economic Modernization
Social Transformations in Spain after Fernando VII
The period following Fernando VII's death marked a significant historical era where Spain underwent social transformations that implied a progressive modernization of the country. During these decades, the old stratified society disappeared, and liberalism imposed a new class-based society where the bourgeoisie and the proletariat took center stage. This progress occurred during the Regencies of María Cristina de Borbón (1833-1840) and General Espartero, the reign of Isabella II, and the early Democratic Sexenio leading up to the Bourbon Restoration.
Population Growth
The evolution of the Spanish population showed slow growth. The relationship between population growth and economic modernization is evident. Spain was a country with high birth rates but also high mortality rates. This high mortality was due to recurring crises, periodic epidemics, endemic diseases, coupled with a lack of hygiene, poor nutrition, inadequate or nonexistent healthcare, and poor housing conditions. In terms of migration, there was a notable displacement of populations from the north to the south and from the Central Plateau to the Mediterranean coast and the southern Atlantic. Despite emigration from the countryside to the city being significant due to agricultural and industrial revolutions, only Madrid and Barcelona reached half a million inhabitants.
From Stratified Society to Class Society
The old stratified society disappeared, giving rise to contemporary class society. The high nobility survived, but the bourgeoisie and the proletariat gained prominence. The bourgeoisie, which had held economic power for centuries, formed an upper-middle class composed of the urban oligarchy and rural chieftains. A middle class emerged, consisting of state officials, professionals, small and medium entrepreneurs, traders, and soldiers. The peasantry, in some areas of Spain, managed to become small landowners. The proletariat also emerged.
Genesis and Development of the Labor Movement
The working class originated in industrial areas such as Asturias and the Basque Country, particularly in the steel and textile industries. The situation of the workers was abysmal. The labor movement was significantly influenced by Luddism. A notable example is Catalonia and its textile industry. After Serrano authorized workers' associations, the Spanish labor movement joined the AIT (First International). A series of anarchist attacks forced Serrano to disband and disavow the AIT in Spain. Workers were divided between two ideologies: anarchism and socialism. Anarchists sought improvements in working conditions through terrorist attacks, while socialism consolidated with the founding of the PSOE by Pablo Iglesias, later linked to the UGT. Anarchism gained traction in Andalusia and Catalonia, while socialism was more prominent in Castile. In the following decades, the right to strike, universal male suffrage, and noticeable improvements in working conditions for workers were achieved.