Understanding State, Power, and Governance
What is a State and its Essential Elements?
A state is a political organization that exercises power and governance over a population living within a defined territory. The essential elements of a state are:
- Territory: The defined geographical area over which the state exercises its control.
- Population: The people living within the state’s territory, subject to its authority.
- Power (Sovereignty): Each state possesses sovereign power over its territory and population, meaning it has supreme authority
Spain’s 19th-Century Social and Labor Transformations
Social Behaviors in Liberal Spain
Social Life and Forms of Entertainment
The influence of the Catholic Church continued to be very important, and religious festivals, processions, weddings, and baptisms marked the rhythm of social life. The weight of money allowed the bourgeoisie to express a way of thinking and feeling characteristic of the elite. Big houses, fine clothes, and receptions demonstrated this hierarchy. Forms of leisure and entertainment entered the market and became a product available
Read MoreLand Ownership and Reform in Spain’s Old Regime
The Heritage of the Old Regime
The land of the Old Regime was characterized by the dominance of land ownership by the nobility and the Church.
- The nobility, thanks to the institution of primogeniture, had established real estate and farms removed from free trade.
- The Church owned large tracts of land as a result of numerous donations. The ground was frozen and turned into “dead hands” (manos muertas).
- Municipalities were landowners whose holdings originated in royal concessions during the Reconquista.
Global Geopolitics: Blocs, Cold War, and Decolonization
New Global Geopolitics: World Divided into Blocs
The Formation of Blocs (1947)
The United States and the USSR became adversaries due to their radically different political and economic systems, forming two blocs of countries.
Capitalist Bloc (USA)
Included countries of Western Europe and Japan, characterized by parliamentary democracy and a capitalist economy. This bloc was strengthened by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Communist Bloc (USSR)
Included countries of Central and Eastern Europe
Read MoreKey Concepts: Bourgeois Republic, Marxism, Anarchism & Labor Movements
The Bourgeois Republic
After the fall of the Jacobins, the third phase of the Convention began. It adopted a new constitution that restored censitary suffrage. The Directory harshly repressed popular uprisings led by the most leftist elements. Napoleon Bonaparte staged a coup and seized power, initiating the Consulate.
Marxism
Marxism takes its name from Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who described early utopian socialist thought and developed a theory that served as a program of action to change
Read MoreRepublican Zone: Revolution, Collapse, and Governments
The Republican Zone and the Revolution
The Collapse of the Republican State
To prevent the uprising, the Republican government had to organize a military force. It decided to deliver arms to the militias of the parties and trade unions. State power suffered a crash and was replaced by revolutionary organizations. Councils, committees, and juntas emerged. These united to form Regional Councils. The establishment of the Central Committee of Antifascist Militias was also important.