Spanish Disentailment: 19th-Century Land Reform

Spanish Disentailment

The Mendizábal Disentailment (1836)

Effective and widespread disentailment took place during the 19th century under the reign of Isabella II, during the regency of her mother, Maria Cristina de Borbón. Minister Juan Álvarez Mendizábal (a progressive liberal) promoted the disentailment. Its causes included:

• The Carlist War, which obliged the state to obtain resources at a time of empty coffers and diminished foreign credit.
• Radical anti-clericalism encouraged by progressive liberals, based on the clergy's support for the Carlist side. Raids on monasteries, fires, desecration, and killings were common between 1834 and 1836.
• Pressure from wealthy purchasers of goods during the previous three years, demanding the return of their properties. These individuals formed a powerful and influential group, essential to the liberal-Christian side.

Liberal-progressive governments gradually moved towards confiscation:

• Confiscation of property from destroyed monasteries (1834)
• Reinstatement of goods to buyers from the liberal triennium (1835)
• Decree of general expropriation, declaring all clergy assets for sale. The funds were intended for:
  • Raising money for arms and troops
  • Restoring confidence in the state's credit and paying public debt
  • Creating new industries and a social sector of owners linked to the liberal regime and Isabella II
  • Reforming ownership structure to create a broad layer of medium owners, breaking with the traditional dichotomy of latifundismo/minifundismo

This large-scale seizure from the secular clergy continued during the regency of Espartero. The Holy See broke diplomatic relations with Spain. The pricing of the estates prevented major benefits for the state and hindered the real reform advocated by Flores Estrada.

The Madoz Disentailment (1855)

This disentailment established the public auction of all rustic and urban properties belonging to the state, councils, and other entities, except for those already considered amortized. It aimed to finalize the process initiated by Mendizábal's law in 1836.

Unlike the previous disentailment, the Madoz law (1855-1856) auctioned rural and urban properties with a 10% down payment and the rest in cash bonds. This aimed to cover the needs of the state, following the abolition of the consumption tax during the 1854 coup. This second disentailment eliminated communal property and what remained of Church holdings, worsening the economic situation of the peasantry.

The combined confiscations of 1836 and 1856 transferred ownership of 10 million hectares, 20% of the national territory.

Consequences of Disentailment

• Radical transformation of agrarian property and complete dismantling of church holdings
• Failure to solve the debt problem
• Substantial increase in agricultural production
• Severe deforestation
• Strengthening of existing land ownership structures
• Prevention of land ownership for poor farmers
• Worsening living conditions for the poor
• Loss of rich cultural heritage

Conclusion

The disentailments did not fulfill the expectations of deep reform or industrialization. They proved essential in consolidating the liberal regime, which was threatened by supporters of the old regime and insufficient fiscal revenues.