Spain’s 1868 Revolution: A Turning Point

Posted on Dec 2, 2024 in History

Revolution of 1868

Understanding the revolutionary explosion of 1868 requires analyzing a complex range of factors:

Political Crisis

The political system of the 1860s stifled progress and by 1868, power resided with a small clique around Queen Isabella II and her husband. The system’s decay is evident in the rise of the Progressive Democratic Party, challenging the legitimacy of the Elizabethan constitutional framework. Internal divisions within the Liberal Union and the Moderate Party further weakened the existing order, which no longer reflected the country’s social reality.

Economic Crisis

Beginning in 1865 and culminating in a collapse in 1866, an economic crisis gripped Spain. Railways, the stock market, real estate, and textiles plummeted, mirroring a European crisis. This led to unemployment and social instability. A subsequent food crisis in 1867-68 further impacted the working class, who began to see republicanism as a solution to their problems.

Development

The final two years of moderate governments saw increased use of force under Narváez’s leadership, amid growing isolation. In August 1866, the opposition united in the Ostend Pact, opposing Isabella II and advocating for universal suffrage. The revolution erupted in September 1868, led by Prim and Serrano. Revolutionary juntas seized power in major cities, defeating government forces and forcing the court into exile.

Popular participation was significant, but the various groups had differing, even divergent, interests. The more moderate Unionists and Progressives sought to stabilize the new regime, marginalizing Democrats and Republicans. This involved dismantling the revolutionary juntas.

Revolutionary proclamations generally aligned with democratic ideals: universal suffrage, freedom of the press, individual rights, religious freedom, free trade and industry, a unified tax system, and the abolition of the quintos (conscription). On October 8th, a provisional government formed under General Serrano, including progressive and unionist politicians. By October 21st, the juntas were dissolved, and the government issued a manifesto reflecting the juntas’ policies, except for abolishing conscription.

The new government faced challenges including a clash with the Church over religious freedom and the beginnings of the Cuban War of Independence with the Grito de Yara.

From January 15th to 18th, 1869, Spain held its first elections with direct universal suffrage for the Constituent Cortes. The pro-government majority faced large Republican and Carlist minorities. The Cortes’ primary task was drafting a new constitution.

Consequences

The 1868 Revolution had several key consequences:

  1. The fall of the Bourbon dynasty, with Isabella II discredited by her partisan support of the Moderates.
  2. The beginning of the tumultuous Democratic Sexenio, a period of attempting to establish democratic liberalism, culminating in the 1869 Constitution.
  3. Political instability regarding the form of government and territorial organization.
  4. The resurgence or initiation of military conflicts: the Third Carlist War, the Cantonalist revolts, and the Cuban War of Independence.

Definitions

Infant Mortality:
Number of child deaths per thousand live births during the first year of life.
Life Expectancy:
Average number of years a population lives within a specific period.
Rural Exodus:
Emigration, typically of young people, from rural areas to cities.
Urban Sprawl:
Expansion of urban areas onto surrounding land.
Neighborhood:
A group of buildings, often in a formerly rural area.
Customs Tariff:
Tax on imported or exported goods.
Market Economy:
Organization of production and consumption based on supply and demand.
Public Debt:
Debt owed by a state to individuals or other countries.
Mayorazgo:
A Castilian legal institution that linked inherited properties.
Finance Reports:
Reports from treasury or tax authorities on state finances.
Middle Class:
People in a modest economic and social environment.
Classes:
Men and women from the working class and new sectors like law.