Roots of Divisions
Spain is a culturally rich and varied nation, comprised of many different sub-groups and people, calling themselves Castilians, Aragonese, Andalusians, Catalans or Basques. Some speak their own language and all have their own traditions and customs, due partly to history and partly to geography. Regardless of the cause of these differences, the deep seeded divisions invoked the same independent attitude of a desire for self-governance, being separate from each other and from Spain; a major contributing factor in Spain’s unstable situation. Adding to Spain’s multitude of problems is the backward nature of the country; old-fashioned in ideas and practices due to Church influence and lack of progress in trade and industry, and consequentially Spain was left behind by other fellow European nations which developed alongside the industrial revolution. This was because agriculture was no longer the main source of a nation’s wealth and hence, the Spanish peasant was as poor as his ancestor in the Middle Ages and the Spanish worker received far less than his European brothers[1]. Such backwardness not only affected Spanish people psychologically as well as physically, evident as when Spanish Liberals started talking about greater liberty and more fairness, little general support was received as the starving people were more concerned with gaining a good meal than having greater rights such as to vote. The workers and peasants of all regions ignored the few middle class liberals who wished to help them, fuelling divisions in the nations and feeding government hatred.
[1] ‘The Causes of the Spanish Civil War’, History Learning Site, <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/causes_spanish_civil_war.htm>