Economic Policies and Political Turmoil in 19th Century Spain
One of the objectives of the “Glorious” was to reorient economic policy. It aimed to introduce legislation that would protect the economic interests of the national bourgeoisie and foreign investors.
The Finance Minister, Laureano Figuerola, suppressed the contribution of consumption but re-established it with a new law in 1870. Another decree established the peseta as the monetary unit in an attempt to unify and streamline the monetary system.
Public debt amounted to 22.109 billion reais, with annual interest of nearly 591 million. The railway crisis only seemed to be solved using public resources to subsidize the railroad companies. This was proposed to be solved by the Mining Act of 1871. With the proceeds of the confiscation called subsoil, they faced repayment of loans.
The Constitution of 1869 consolidated a political regime based on liberal-democratic principles, which inspired the initiators of the revolution of September 1868. However, it frustrated some of the aspirations of other political groups, especially many of the claims of a popular character.
The monarchical form of government angered those who aspired to establish a republican regime. During the Regency period (1869-1870), it was maintained throughout the administration. Urban riots protesting consumption, the fifth, and rising prices occurred. The incipient labor movement suffered a process of radicalization in demand for improved wages and working conditions.
The Republicans, because of the failure of their insurrection in 1869 and the inability to obtain popular goals, led to more radical and apolitical (international) movements.
These internationalist ideas arrived in Spain from 1868.
The expansion of ideas related to the First International (anarchism and socialism) opened a new stage and led to the organization of the proletariat and the peasantry away from traditional parties.
Prim was commissioned to survey foreign ambassadors and conduct the necessary negotiations to establish an international consensus on the most suitable candidate for the vacant Spanish throne. The refusal of the Portuguese dynasty and the opposition of France to the German suitor limited the possibilities. Amadeo’s candidacy was imposed with a democratic conception of the monarchy. The new monarch was crowned King of Spain by the Cortes in 1870 and arrived in the country via Cartagena. Prim died three days before, leaving the new king without his protector and adviser. Amedeo of Savoy was proclaimed King and dissolved the Constituent Assembly to start a new stage of democratic monarchy.
However, the new dynasty had little support, receiving only 191 votes out of 311 deputies. Progressives and unionists met, besides the king and his wife, who had the support of the aristocracy, clergy, and Isabel II.
Additionally, some unrelated military or unionists showed progressive resistance to the fidelity of the new monarch, which triggered the Carlist conflict or war in Cuba.
Once universal suffrage and political freedoms were established, the new monarch sought to consolidate a fully democratic regime. However, the two-year reign of Amadeo was marked by constant difficulties. The state’s economic problems were still pressing, and he had to resort to issuing more debt.
Amadeo I faced opposition from the moderates from the beginning. Aware of the unpopularity of Isabel, he began to organize the Bourbon restoration. Canovas del Castillo captured unionists and progressives and convinced them that the Bourbon monarchy was security and stability against the liberalism of the monarchy of Amadeo I. He was supported by the Church and the moneyed elite.
The Carlists had reorganized as a political force. Amadeo’s arrival gave arguments to a sector of Carlism to try again, and methods of armed insurrection in 1872 rose by any expectations animated to sit on the throne to Charles VII.
Amadeo I did not have the support of both Republicans and grassroots groups that were given support and aspired to a social system change. In 1872, there were new federalist insurrections; in 1868, it also began with the so-called “Cry of Yara,” a conflict on the island of Cuba (War of Ten Years).
The insurrection had popular support by promising an end to slavery on the island.
The final crisis of Amadeo resulted from the disintegration of the government coalition (unionists, progressives, and Democrats).
Finally, deprived of all support, in 1873, Amadeo resigned the throne and left Spain, leaving an impression of the country as ungovernable and contrary to a democratic monarchy.