Consequences of the Spanish-American War
Land
- Spain lost its colonies (Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines), which came under United States control.
- The U.S. gained maritime control.
- The Caroline Islands and the Solomon Islands were sold to Germany, becoming German property.
- The only territory that Spain retained was Equatorial Guinea, which was not claimed by the U.S. because they did not have a standard colony in Africa.
Demographic
There were 32,000 deaths in Spain. In the American War, 10% were due to fighting and 90% were due to tropical diseases (yellow fever, malaria, etc.). Qualitatively, the war in Cuba caused a significant decline in the population pyramid. A very important part of the population was humble.
Economic
Evolution of GDP:
- 1891-1894: Growth +7.6%
- 1895-1898: -1.1%
- 1899-1902: +12.6%
- 1903-1906: +2.6%
- 1906-1910: +6.9%
This growth is due to the Second Industrial Revolution. After the wars with the United States, there was a contraction of less than 1.1%. The period following the GDP growth and the loss of the colonies was not an economic disaster in Spain because, although it’s true that Spain lost business, there was a repatriation of capital, and Indian people were recovering the economy.
Moral/Intellectual
It generated a sense of failure—the impact of the loss of the colonial empire. It appears that the Generation of ’98 changed its shape to describe and think. Unamuno, Pio Baroja, and Perez Galdós are the top representatives in this section. Their pessimism is critical, realistic, etc.
Political
How does the global food system affect the younger generation? In 1897, Cánovas was killed. In 1898, Sagasta was the head of power. Cánovas died in 1897, and Sagasta resigned and finally ordered from 1898. Raised generational relief offering some new leaders. These new thoughts that regenerationist politicians defend the new political program (to change the country).
Regenerationist Intellectuals:
- Joaquin Costa: To address the future of Spain, he wanted to promote education and the economy. Need for restraint.
- Ramiro Maeztu: He was the opposite line of Costa. He wanted to retrieve the values of the past. He gave great importance to religion and said that the leader must be a military man who controls everything.
- Giner de los Rios: He founded institutions to promote secular outdoor education (trying to remove the deeply rooted religious element of society).
Francisco Silvela came with a very regenerationist program. The regenerationist league was a nationalist party that was founded in 1901. The main cause is the closure of political oligarchies that organized the restoration of power.
Following the resignation of Sagasta, Francisco Silvela rose to power. He was a complete regenerationist. He raised new programs such as:
- Elections for mayors.
- The Treasury became tax assets and the performance of indirect taxes. This means that there have been clashes between the bourgeoisie, and with that, Silvela left his party and formed the Regionalist League with others as a national party that is founded in Catalonia.
They started work without the oligarchy of power that organized the restoration, and nationalist parties formed. With all this, Silvela resigned, and his projects were put on hold and not implemented.