Spanish Population History: 3 Demographic Stages

The natural movement of the Spanish population has experienced three stages in its history, called demographic systems.

Ancient Demographic System

This system refers to pre-industrial societies. In Spain, this system was maintained until the beginning of the 19th century.

Death rates and birth rates were both high and fluctuated rapidly according to natural events, such as drought and disease, to produce a relatively constant and young population.

• Birth rates: Family planning and contraception were virtually nonexistent; therefore, birth rates were essentially only limited by the ability of women to bear children. Children contributed to the economy of the household from an early age. There were no education or entertainment expenses. In addition, as they became adults, they became a major input to the family business, mainly farming, and were the primary form of insurance for adults in old age.
• Death rates (general and infant mortality): Emigration depressed death rates in some special cases, but overall, death rates tended to match birth rates, often exceeding 40 per 1000 per year.

During this stage, the population is essentially determined by the food supply (either positive, for example, due to technology improvements, or negative, due to droughts and pest invasions). Famines resulting in significant mortality are frequent.

In conclusion, the natural increase of the population was low.

The Demographic Transition

This transition took place between 1900 and 1975.

First Stage

This stage leads to a fall in death rates and an increase in population. First, improvements in the food supply brought about by higher yields in agricultural practices and better transportation reduce death due to starvation and lack of water. Agricultural improvements included crop rotation, selective breeding, and seed drill technology. Second, significant improvements in public health reduce mortality, particularly in childhood. These are not so many medical breakthroughs (such as the development of vaccination) as they are improvements in water supply, sewerage, food handling, and general personal hygiene following from growing scientific knowledge of the causes of disease and the improved education and social status of mothers.

A consequence of the decline in mortality is an increasingly rapid growth in population (a.k.a. "population explosion").

Second Stage

Death rates are low, and birth rates diminish, as a rule, accordingly of enhanced economic conditions, an expansion in women's status and education, and access to contraception. The cost of children to parents is exacerbated by the introduction of compulsory education acts; children are increasingly prohibited under law from working outside the household and make an increasingly limited contribution to the household.

The resulting changes in the age structure of the population include a decline in the youth dependency ratio and eventually population aging.