Spanish Political Systems: Costa’s Critique and PSOE’s Rise
Joaquín Costa’s Critique of the Restoration
Analysis of “Oligarchy and Despotism”
This document is a historical text and primary source, offering a direct socio-political analysis. Its author is Joaquín Costa, an Aragonese historian and jurist, known for his republican ideology and influence by Krausism.
Circumstances of Development
Joaquín Costa developed his key works between 1898 and 1902, during which he intensified his criticism of the political system of the Spanish Restoration.
Core Ideas: The Oligarchic System
Costa argued that the political system was founded on an oligarchy. Key characteristics included:
- Oligarchs: Politicians from dynastic parties, primarily belonging to the nobility and gentry, with a majority being lawyers.
- Local Bosses (Caciques): Landowners who, along with governors, served as crucial links enabling government intervention.
- Artificial System: Costa viewed it as an artificial political system, with an electoral framework manipulated by conservatives and rulers.
Historical Context: The Bourbon Restoration
The text is set against the backdrop of the Bourbon Restoration, specifically towards the end of the regency of Maria Christina. The Restoration system was based on a two-party political structure, characterized by turnismo (alternation in power) following the adoption of the 1876 Constitution. This system was sustained through despotic practices and electoral fraud, effectively excluding anti-dynastic parties.
The period was marked by the late colonial disaster (Spanish-American War), which spurred a critical movement. This context was defined by:
- Economic crisis
- Increased internal party division
- Political instability
- Radicalization of the labor movement
- Intellectual criticism from the Generation of ’98
Costa’s Assessment of Spain
For Joaquín Costa, Spain was a “disgrace” ruled by nobles, where the most learned were not necessarily the most powerful. He identified two distinct realities:
- An “official” or “fictional” Spain, represented by the ruling elite.
- The “real” Spain, comprising the majority of the country’s population, which had no access to the political system.
The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE)
Document Analysis and Authorship
This document provides a historical and political context, serving as a direct primary source. It is a public document with collective authorship, though Pablo Iglesias is recognized as the true ideologue. Iglesias later became a socialist deputy in 1910.
Formation and Early Development
Influenced by the French socialist Paul Lafargue, the PSOE was formed by a group of workers led by Pablo Iglesias. Initially, they established an association of printing workers, which later evolved into the New Madrid Federation. The PSOE was formally founded at a meeting attended by 25 people in a restaurant on Calle Tetuán.
Core Ideals and Programs
The PSOE established a comprehensive program with two main components:
Maximum Program Objectives:
- Abolition of social classes.
- Emancipation of workers.
- Acquisition of political power by the working class.
Reform Program Goals:
From a social perspective, the program aimed to:
- Establish the right to strike.
- Reduce working hours.
- Prohibit child labor for those under nine years old.
- Implement laws protecting workers’ lives and health.
- Create primary, secondary, and vocational schools.
Additionally, the program advocated for:
- Compulsory military service.
- Freedom of association.
- Universal suffrage (right to vote).
Historical Background
The PSOE emerged within the political system of the Restoration, a period marked by a significant disregard for social problems, particularly under conservative governments. This context was further characterized by economic crisis and increasingly harsh labor conditions.