9 iruzkina

Industrialization was a late process that have its take off in the 1880s in Vizcaya.  in 1875 the country achieved the  political stability that this process needed,  the restoration. The economic matter divided into protectionism (supported by conservatives) of home market through import taxes and free trade (supported by liberals) that have been ruling during the Democratic 6 year.

The businessmen from Bizkaia achieved capital out of the massive exploitation and exportation of iron ore they got from mining. The capital was invested on new blast furnaces and new factories of Iron and Steel. Those furnaces could transport iron ore to pig Iron (Altos hornos de Bilbao, San Francisco). But in the 90s the new Siemens technology that allowed making steel with any iron was created. As a result the seking of the basque iron ore declined because of British and German competition.

So basque burgeoisie started concentrating on the Spanish market and protectionist policies Canovas del Castillo, the conservative minister signed a Royal Decree in 1892 increasing the import tariffs on Iron and Steel products benefiting basque industry (that way they would control all the Spanish Market). But in 1893 the new liberal goverment under Sagasta started negotiating with Germany a bilateral commercial treaty that would lower tariffs or even liberalize the importation of German products. As a result most industrialists started mobalizing and Bilbao industrialists asked a meeting to protest against the treaty and to force the goverment to annule it.

The explanation of iron in Somorrostro is dated since the Roman time. In the Middle Ages they ‘’burdinak’’ were set in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. In 1856, when the Bessemer was invented the, phosphorous free Iron of Bizkaia became the only suitable iron ore along with the Sweedish one. From 1876 , the industrialization process in viscaya began due to the end of the second carlist world and abolition of the foruak that led to the export of iron ore. In addition, the minning act of 1865 allowed foreign capital investments in local mines. 

The iron ore was extracted from open-air mines that didn’t require skilled workers, the production costs were low and the miners were located close to the moans of transport (Railways and ports). The owners of the industries (oligarchy) invested the capital they got from exploitation and expert of iron in new factories around the river Nervion like ‘’altos hornos de Bizkaia’’.

This novel. El intruso, reflects the social situation of Vizcaya at industrialization time, dated 1903. It shows the new social class born during the last years of the nineteenth Century, the proletariat. The immigration of workers with the idea of making money caused a demographic boom in the miner area of Vizcaya 

All those workers had terrible living and working conditions, long working hours more than 12 hours, low salary, lived in company barraks with no toilet and more than 100 beds, they were obligated to buy food in the owners company canteens, where the prices were very high.

One of the general strikes of workers in The Basque country took place in 1890 and ended with the Treaty of Loma:  compulsory barracks and canteens shops were closed and ten-hour work was set up.

During the second decade of the 20th century the political tendency and strategy changed to a more moderate strategy and political pragmatism with Indalecio Prieto. He extended the social base to the middle classes and he cooperated with Republicans. He achieved good results in the elections, he was a deputy in the cortes for 20 years. As the Prietism prevailed F.Perezagua was expelled from the party, because of that, in 1912 split and the Communist party was formed with some important basque radical-socialist (F. perezagua,  dolores ibarruri). However, communism couldn’t become an alternative to socialist reformist, and it became opposition during Primo de riveras dictatorship. Other minor ideologies also related to labour movements. Anarchism gained support after the moderation of socialism with Prieto, but it didn’t have a great strength in The Basque Country. Catholic trade unions were also created, but they weren’t real trade unions and they didn’t support the strikes because there were organized by owners under the Prieto’s directions.

In addition the appearance of nationalism in some parts of Europe had a great influence on the development of nationalism in The Basque Country. Sabino Arana was the father of basque nationalism.  His is ideology formed within Carlism and foralism, was that bizkaia (and later euzkadi) was a nation itself with its own characteristics: race language and historical identity. He transformed Basque history to a myth were everything was idilic and equal under the rule of the old laws, nature and customs and catholithism. ‘’we for euskadi and euzkadi for god’’.

In Aranas eyes the new Baque nation was going to be revolved around the concept of Basque race( he said that the maketos were pollutin), foruak, religion. His symbol was ‘’god and old laws’’.

Arana thought that the only defense against all evils of the modern world was to cut all links to spain reaching full independence. At first 1893-1898 the movement was radical. Arana had published several articles in ‘’Bizkaia por su independencia’’ in 1890 demanding independencia. In 1993 he presented his ideology at the Larrazabal confidence, Offering the Jel as a solution for everything. In 1894 he founded the first ‘’Euzkaldun Batzokia’’ a patriotic political organization that became a basis for the party. In 1895 EAJ-PNV was created. In 1898 some members of Euskalerria association joined the party.But in 1902-1903,Arana changed his point of view to a Pro-autonomus party and the most radicals didnt accept it. After his death, in 1903, the party was in hands of pro-Independents and nationalism began to organize themselves. In 1930 EAJ and CNV emerged and restructured JEL. (batxoki importante basque surname y born alli).