Bourbon Reforms: Centralization, Uniformity, and State Control
Reforms in the Organization of the State
Centralization and Uniformity
The monarchy’s government reform was based on two main principles: centralization and uniformity. Centralization meant that government action should originate from the king and his ministers. Uniformity implied that these measures should apply equally to all subjects. Both principles aimed to prevent local and provincial privileges, requiring a series of reforms to be implemented.
Relegation of the Habsburg System
The traditional Habsburg system was relegated. The Council of Castile became the royal council of the kingdom. Secretaries and ministers became indispensable in the Bourbon government.
Abolition of Eastern Realm Privileges
During the War of Succession, the eastern realms rebelled against Philip V. He ordered the removal of their institutions and privileges. This was implemented through the Decrees of New Plant in Valencia, Aragon, Mallorca, and Catalonia. These decrees abolished the jurisdictions, courts, and councils, including the government, local councils, the Chief Justice, fiscal and monetary systems of each kingdom, and the Council of Aragon. Instead, they imposed the laws, institutions, and offices of Castile. Viceroys were suppressed, and the Catalan language was confined to private life and prohibited in official acts. However, equality between the kingdoms was not total, as the eastern kingdoms retained much of their civil law and customs. The Basque Country and Navarra kept their privileges and customs. Navarra also maintained its Courts and its Viceroy.
New Territorial Administration
New administrative and political figures were created to represent authority in territories away from Madrid: the governors and captains general. The mayor controlled a district of average size and resided in its capital, with administrative powers. Captains General were placed in more sensitive areas from a defensive point of view, replacing the Viceroys in the eastern kingdoms. They had military functions and judicial authority.
The Courts
During the seventeenth century, the Courts established a unique representation from all the territories of Spain, except Navarre, with two attorneys for each of the 36 cities with the right to representation. After the War of Succession, the Courts were convened only three times. The prosecutors’ requests were often forgotten or denied.
Reforms in the Army and Navy
The aim was to create an army for the defense of Spain. Recruitment was done through voluntary enlistment, mandatory levies, and the fifth system. A large guard was formed by Spanish and Flemish (Walloon) soldiers, considered loyal to the crown. This action initiated the creation of a genuine national army. A strong navy was essential to defend the route to the Indies and Spanish interests in the Mediterranean. However, the number of Spanish sailors was small and they had little experience in combat.
Control of the Church
Bourbon Spain also intervened in the Church, culminating in the Concordat with the Holy See. The Concordat gave the Crown the right to universal Patronage: the King presented candidates to the Pope for bishops and almost all ecclesiastical offices in their dominions.
Intervention in the Economy
The prevailing economic thought in Spain was mercantilism, which gave the state a major role in driving the economy. The objective of the Bourbon economic policy was not only the welfare of its subjects but also the increase of fiscal resources. To increase their bonds, the Bourbon governments carried out fiscal reforms and created and promoted state-owned manufactures.
Fiscal Reform
Measures were taken to solve the state deficit problem. In addition to the single tax established in the eastern realms, Ensenada tried to create a single income tax applicable to all estates in Castile. To this end, a census, the Ensenada Cadastre, was created to record existing resources and wealth creation in Castile.
State Manufacturing
State-owned manufacturing, also called Royal Factories, were profitable workshops imitated by the private sector. They produced luxury goods for the King and the Court, such as tapestries (Royal Factory of Santa Barbara), porcelain (Real Fábrica del Retiro), and glass (Royal Factory of La Granja de San Ildefonso).
Construction of Public Works
Ensenada is considered the prime mover of public works in modern Spanish history. His goal was to promote trade and industry by improving transport and communication from the periphery to the interior of Castile. Key projects included:
- Canal de Castilla
- Carretera de Guadarrama
- The path of Reinosa