Década moderada
This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2010) ) |
Década moderada | |||
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3 May 1844 – 19 July 1854 | |||
Monarch(s) | Isabella II | ||
Prime Minister(s) | The Duke of Valencia The Marquess of Miraflores Francisco Javier de Istúriz The Marquess of Casa Irujo Joaquín Francisco Pacheco Florencio García Goyena The Count of Clonard Juan Bravo Murillo The Count of Alcoy Francisco Lersundi The Count of San Luis The Marquess of Mendigorría The Duke of Rivas | ||
Key events | Spanish tax reform of 1845 Spanish Revolution of 1854 | ||
Chronology
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In the history of Spain, the década moderada (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈdekaða moðeˈɾaða], "moderate decade") was the period from May 1844 to July 1854, during which the Moderate Party continuously held power.
Rise to power
The Moderate Party, like the Progressive Party it displaced, identified itself as liberal, but it was considerably more conservative than the Progressives. Whereas the Progressives had little ground for compromise with Carlism, the Moderate Party was in more of a position to cooperate with moderate elements from among the losing side of the First Carlist War, and the Convention of Vergara had allowed many of the latter to return to participation in government and politics.
When the Moderate Party under General Ramón María Narváez first took power in May 1844, they inherited the progressive Spanish Constitution of 1837, and promptly set about revising it to be more in line with their principals. They wished to have a system that allowed certain liberties, but above all they wished to establish a centralized government and economic liberalism that they believed would lead to transformation and economic growth.
Policy
At the beginning of the década moderada, Queen
The Moderates inherited the organization of Spain into provinces and municipalities, established by Javier de Burgos in the 1833 territorial division of the country. Each province was given a centrally appointed Civil Governor, and he, in turn, named the heads of the municipalities. In practice, this gave the Moderates a monopoly of power at all levels and control of all institutions of governance and administration. Their desire for order required a certain respect for the fueros that granted special rights to some of the provinces. Nevertheless, some of the provinces were disgruntled with the increased centralism, as shown by events such as the Solís Uprising of 1846.
Constitution of 1845
The Moderate Party established the
Religion
The Moderates set out to resolve the conflict with the
This process of improved relations with the Church established a basis for general tranquility in religious matters, which was fundamental to establish any general civil peace.
Economy
The Moderates attempted a major reform of taxation along more rational lines. They eliminated innumerable old, narrow taxes and attempted to make those that remained more just and controllable. Finance minister
The original intent of the new system of taxation was a
See also
Sources
- José Luis Comellas García-Llera, Los moderados en el poder, 1844-1854, Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 1970. ISBN 84-00-01958-X.
- Carlos Seco Serrano, "La década moderada", in La ingeniería del agua en España en el siglo XIX : ciclo de conferencias, Fundación Canal de Isabel II, 2002, p. 19-38.