20th Century Spanish Literature: Movements and Authors
Item 8: The Preceding Narrative of ’36
1. Modernism
Valle-Inclán’s Sonatas: A series of memoirs narrated by the Marquis of Bradomín, recounting his amorous adventures. Each sonata corresponds to a season and a love affair.
2. Generation of ’98
Characteristics:
- Focus on the present, diminishing the importance of the story.
- Central character with internal conflicts.
- Emphasis on dialogue, reducing the narrator’s role.
- Internal struggles of the protagonist as the central theme.
Themes:
- Concern for Spain’s decline.
Justice: Classical & Contemporary Theories
Justice: A Deep Dive into Legal and Moral Legitimacy
Classical Theories of Justice System Legitimacy
Iusnaturalism
The legitimacy of justice lies in human nature, originating with Aristotle’s concept of man as a political animal.
Scholastic Iusnaturalism
This theory justifies using violence to change a community’s legal order when deemed unfair. Bartolomé de las Casas and Suarez advocated for the universality of laws, applying to all inhabitants of the Spanish Empire, including Native Americans.
Aristotle’
Read MoreSpanish Constitution of 1978: Key Principles and Structure
Spanish Constitution of 1978
Key Principles and Structure
The Spanish Constitution of 1978, a pivotal document in Spanish history, established the first democratically elected government by universal suffrage. Born from the efforts of a parliamentary commission representing diverse political viewpoints (UCD, AP, PSOE, PCE, and CIU, notably excluding the PNV), this constitution laid the groundwork for a modern, democratic Spain.
Core Values and Principles
Article 1 enshrines the “higher values” of law,
Read MoreSpain’s 1808 Crisis and the Dawn of Liberalism
The Crisis of 1808
In 1808, bankruptcy and political instability plagued the Old Regime in Spain. These events marked the end of the Modern Age and the beginning of contemporary Spanish history.
1. Origins of the Crisis
To defeat England, Napoleon decreed the Continental System, aiming to economically strangle his rival. Portugal, refusing to comply, was invaded by Napoleon. In 1807, the Treaty of Fontainebleau was signed between Napoleon and Godoy, allowing French troops passage through Spain to Portugal.
Read MoreAncient Latin American Crops and Domestication
Early Agriculture in Latin America
Mesoamerica
The Three Sisters and Maize
In Mesoamerica, experimentation with agriculture focused on corn, beans, and squash—the “Three Sisters.” However, agricultural development wasn’t uniform across the region. For example, maize, a cornerstone of Latin American culture, is believed to have been cultivated in Oaxaca as early as 7500 BC, in Tehuacan around 5000 BC, and in Tamaulipas by 3000 BC.
Other Important Crops
Various types of squash or pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo,
Read MoreFranco Regime Consolidation and Spanish Transformation (1950s-1970s)
Consolidation of the Franco Regime: Economic and Social Transformations
From Autarky to Development
The 1950s began with growing international acceptance of the Franco regime. The Cold War made Spain a key ally for the U.S., culminating in the 1953 U.S.-Spain agreements. Spain granted military bases in exchange for economic and military aid, leading to increased international recognition, including admission to the UN in 1955, and membership in the World Bank, IMF, and OEEC.
While maintaining its
Read MoreHuman Acts and Morality
Defining Human Acts
Human actions are categorized into two groups:
- Those performed with knowledge and freedom (human acts).
- Those lacking these attributes (acts of man).
Human activity involves the capacity to choose or refrain from specific actions, such as avoiding slander and respecting life. These choices are deemed moral acts.
Key Ethical Questions
Ethics seeks to answer fundamental questions about human behavior:
- What constitutes good or bad?
- What governs human behavior?
- How should individuals relate
Human Diseases and Health Challenges
Functional Disorders
Functional disorders occur when the body’s cells, tissues, or organs experience operational disturbances. Some dysfunctions affect metabolism, causing metabolic diseases like diabetes. Degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and cancer, cause severe structural damage to cells, tissues, or organs. Treating these diseases typically requires specialized medical intervention.
Tumors and Cancer
When the natural cellular self-destruct mechanism malfunctions, uncontrolled cell growth
Read MoreKnowledge Theory of St. Thomas Aquinas
The Theory of Knowledge of St. Thomas Aquinas
1. Realism and Idealism
Philosophical realism, also called objectivism and sometimes materialism, posits that the subjective (psychological, logical, theoretical, etc.) is subordinate to objective reality, which exists externally to the subject. Idealism, conversely, suggests that reality is a configuration of the subject, who becomes the “formarum dator” of experience.
Realism prioritizes the object over the subject, while idealism reverses this order.
Read MoreSpanish Agriculture: A Deep Dive
Agriculture in Spain
Until recent decades, agriculture was the most important sector in our country, carried out using rudimentary methods. Animal strength was fundamental, especially for traction and transport.
Since the early 20th century, a gradual abandonment of rural areas has occurred. Young people preferred the city, which offered fixed salaries (as opposed to the uncertainties of the countryside) and a higher standard of living. Simultaneously, the progressive industrialization of society
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