Venezuelan Politics: 19th & 20th Centuries
Venezuelan Politics: 19th and 20th Centuries
Liberal Party
Founder: Antonio Guzmán Leocadio.
Sectors that supported it: Estate owners, landlords, and ruined warlords left out of government.
Program:
- Breaking the exclusive political group that had taken over the government since 1830.
- Deleting commercial courts because they were those who taught, in a fast way, the execution of the debtors.
Conservative Party
Founder: José Antonio Páez.
Sectors that supported him: Loan sharks, moneylenders, trade monopoly,
Read MoreSilvela, Maura, and Canalejas: Political Turmoil in Early 20th Century Spain
Silvela and Maura (1902-1909)
The government of Silvela faced incompatibility issues addressed by two of his ministers: Polavieja (War) and Vallaverde (Agriculture). This period saw the rise of Antonio Maura within the Conservative Party, determined to initiate a program of internal renewal. This was achieved through a substantial reform of the state. Maura also stated that parties should emerge from the people and connect with their needs through active and effective politics. Maura, as president,
Read MoreSpain’s 1917 Crisis: War, Revolution, and Social Unrest
The Crisis of the Great War in Spain (1917)
The year 1917 saw significant political and social conflicts across Europe, including the Bolshevik Revolution. In Spain, growing awareness of the Restoration political system’s serious difficulties, coupled with military discontent and social conflict, sparked widespread protest.
Military Discontent
The Spanish army, strained by colonial wars, had an excessive number of officers. Moreover, inflation had diminished the real value of the already low military
Read MoreRussian Revolution and Stalinist Era: Key Events and Impacts
The Russian Revolution: A Historical Overview
In the early twentieth century, Russia was ruled by Tsar Nicholas II, an autocrat. The population consisted of landless peasants, industrial workers living in squalor, and aristocrats who owned the land and industries. In 1905, unrest forced the Tsar to concede some power to the Duma and implement social and political reforms. However, by 1915, unease grew due to Russia’s involvement in World War I.
The February Revolution (1917)
By February 1917, Russia
Seventeenth Century Crisis: Spain’s Decline and Golden Age
The Seventeenth Century Crisis in Spain
In the seventeenth century, Castile ceased to be the dominant world power. Its kings, known as the Austrians, delegated governmental tasks to their trusted confidants, shielding themselves from problems. Notable figures included Philip III’s Duke of Lerma and Philip IV’s Count-Duke of Olivares, as well as Juan Carlos II of Austria. These figures replaced organized councils, governing with the king’s confidence. This reflected the dynasty’s physical and intellectual
Read MoreRegency, Liberalism, and the Carlist Wars in Spain
The Regency, Liberalism, and the Carlist Wars
Following the death of Fernando VII, his daughter Isabel succeeded him, under the regency of his widow, Maria Cristina of Naples. The Pragmatic Sanction overturned Salic law, sparking protests from Carlist parties, staunch supporters of absolutism. This ignited the First Carlist War, fundamentally rooted in the desire to maintain absolutism.
The Ideology of Carlismo
The ideology of Carlismo centered on the unification of the throne and the altar, advocating
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