Spain's Transformation: 1874-1930

Cultural Change 13.3: Shifting Mindsets

Education and the Press

From the late 19th to early 20th centuries, Spain experienced significant economic, social, political, demographic, and cultural advancements. Between 1874 and 1914, Spain's per capita income grew by 60%, with notable industrial and railway expansion.

Politically, the recognition of universal suffrage expanded voting rights, consolidating individual freedoms. Socially, the rise of the middle class and urban growth were evident. Madrid's population surpassed 500,000, and Bilbao's grew from 30,000 to 85,000. Citizens increasingly mobilized through labor unions, employers' associations, feminist groups, farmers' leagues, chambers of retailers, sports clubs, and cultural organizations.

Secularization increased, mortality decreased, life expectancy improved, and rural-to-urban migration accelerated. Spain's population grew by 2 million in the late 19th century, despite the 1885 cholera epidemic causing 125,000 deaths.

The 1898 disaster led to pessimism due to military defeat, loss of international prestige, and institutional distrust. The Regeneration movement and the Generation of '98 advocated for modernization and Europeanization.

However, modernization brought imbalances. Educationally, Spain lagged; in 1900, 65% of Spaniards were illiterate. State spending on public education was less than that of Paris' city council. 35% of Spanish children attended Catholic schools, and the state's subsidy to the clergy was five times its educational expenses. In 1901, Romanones included teacher salaries in the state budget, increasing education spending from 1% to 4%. At the century's end, Spain had only 18,000 university students and fewer than 30,000 in secondary schools.

By 1930, a clear divide existed between rural and urban areas. Rural Spain faced illiteracy, hardship, and isolation, with limited access to electricity and communication. Urban life was vastly different. Madrid and Barcelona had around one million inhabitants, with eight other cities exceeding 100,000. Industrial development spurred urban growth, though often with poor living conditions. Information dissemination and transportation advancements accelerated urban life. Electric trams, subway lines, and electrification expanded. By the late 1920s, many urban homes had running water, though modern bathrooms were rare. Typewriters, sewing machines, refrigerators, and spring mattresses became more common. Telephones gained wider distribution. Automobiles had limited personal use but were crucial for trucking companies.

In 1904, Hispano-Suiza was founded in Barcelona. World War I led to cheaper production and increased car ownership.