Zusammenfassung der Ressource
6. Jovellanos, a Spanish Enlightenment thinker
- The agrarian issue in spain
- At the beginning of the 18th century, Spain remained a largely rural societu with low.
- To spread their new ideas and promote the development of agriculture, manufacturing and trade, Enlightenment thinkers
created the Sociedad Económicas de Amigos del País.
- They proposed reforms that would lead to better land distribution and increase in production, trade and wealth, which
would stimulate population growth.
- Englightened reformism
- Charles III (1759-1788) ruled as an absolutist king but undertook a series of reforms.
- However, the reform process in Spain was limited by the absence of a large
bourgeoisie and the enormus influence of the Catholic Church
- 18 th- Century growth
- The 18th century was a period of population growth and economic expansion.
- The incrase in population led to incrased demand and simulated the production of goods.
- A number of agricultural improvements led to an increase in agricultural production.
- The protection of manufacturing stimulated an increase in production.
- The liberalisation of trade allowed its overseas expansion by commercial companies.
- Weak demand due to the povertyof the peasantry continued to be the main obstacle to economic growth.