The 1845 Constitution & Spain’s Moderate Governments
The Constitution of 1845
The government approved the new Constitution of 1845, reflecting conservative ideals. It established joint sovereignty between the king and the courts, expanded executive power, and decreased legislative power. Voting rights were restricted, and a non-elective Senate was instituted. City and provincial councils became subject to the central government, and the National Militia was abolished. Catholicism was declared the official state religion. While maintaining most articles
Read More1836 Spanish Disentailment Decree: A Key Moment in Liberal Reform
Article 2: Exceptions to the Disentailment Decree of 1836
Government buildings used for public service, preservation of art monuments, or honoring national prowess are excluded from public sale. The government will publish a list of these buildings. (Decree of February 19, 1836).
Analysis of the Decree
1. Context and Main Ideas
This legal decree, issued by the Spanish government under Prime Minister Juan Alvarez Mendizabal in February 1836, addresses the public sale of confiscated properties from suppressed
Read MoreThe Franco Regime: A Comprehensive Overview of Dictatorship
The Franco Regime: The Construction of a Dictatorship (1939-1959)
The result of the Civil War was the consolidation of dictatorial rule that the rebels against the Republic had begun building since October 1936. The scheme introduced by Franco in Spain lasted until Franco’s death in 1975. The Franco regime was always like an iron dictatorship.
The economic losses that triggered the war slowed economic growth in Spain. The Franco regime instituted a state legitimized by the Civil War and characterized
Read MoreEnlightened Despotism and Bourbon Reforms in 18th Century Spain
Enlightened Despotism
Upon the death of his brother Fernando VI, Carlos III ascended to the Spanish throne. Having ruled in Naples, he was familiar with Enlightenment ideals, advocating for progress and rationalization, thus introducing enlightened despotism to Spain.
In 1766, the Esquilache Riots erupted, a complex uprising fueled by civil unrest, food shortages, resentment towards foreign officials (Esquilache), and discontent among the privileged who saw their power diminished by reforms. The
Read MoreCrisis of 1808: Spain’s War of Independence & Revolution
The Crisis of 1808: War of Independence and Political Revolution
The crisis of 1808 encompasses a series of events that led to the exile of the Bourbons, the division of Spain, the War of Independence, and the first liberal political revolution in Spanish history, represented by the Cortes of Cadiz.
Causes
- Economic Hardship: The old regime faced increasing economic difficulties. The rising bourgeoisie possessed wealth but lacked access to land ownership and rights.
- External Conflicts: Ongoing wars stemming
The Rise of the Bourgeoisie and Medieval Urban Life
The Emergence of the Bourgeoisie
The growth of cities transformed feudal society. Kings, nobles, and ecclesiastics granted city dwellers personal freedoms and rights, such as property ownership and self-governance. This led to the formation of a new social group, the bourgeoisie, who were not part of the privileged class. They dedicated themselves to work and crafts, independent of feudal lords. Their wealth stemmed from trade, sales, and business profits.
Within the bourgeoisie, distinctions arose
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