What would it take for Spain to be on the same economic/military/political level as France or Germany? Or Italy, for that matter.
Spanish history between 1788 and 1960 can be roughly summarized as: everything got worse. Pretty much anything could have happened and left Spain in better shape.
The two more obvious culprits are Fernando VII the fucktard and the french invasion. Fernando VII singlehandedly caused 150 years of political turmoil and failed experiments in liberal democracy, and the french invasion, besides causing the loss of the colonies (it would have happened at some point in the century anyway) killed Spain's nascent industrial revolution in the cradle, causing a delay of several decades in Spain's industrialization that put the country hopelessly behind the rest of Europe for the remainder of the 19th century.
Even more importantly, Spain's population growth was unique in that it followed pre-industrial patterns of very low growth until the 1950's. Even if France's population is famous for having a very slow growth during the 19th century, Spain's was even lower. An earlier industrialization would have evened things out.
Or Italy, for that matter.
Cook, with facts like that, you'll never get on the History ChannelIt might be worth noting that the GDP per capita of Spain and Italy is almost identical, Spain’s is actually marginally higher.
What if Don Carlos and reactionaries defeat Isabella, with reactionary Spain as a stabilizing factor in society it would butterfly away liberal monarchy and leftist governments and maybe even Franco who came hundred years later, thus possibly giving far needed stability for any future development. She would still be the mightiest neutral state in both WW's and this time without a civil war and various uprisings.
Had the French revolution not taken place, Carlos IV may have go on with the "moderate reformism" of his father, Carlos III. This may have allowed a slow growing of the country. However, Carlos IV wasn't better than his f***** son Fernando, and having Godoy around will f***k everything, sooner or later. In fact, sooner THAN later.
So, we might butterfly the French Revolution and good old Bony's attempt to unify Europe (forgive the joke) or we might butterfly Carlos IV and have his elder brother Fernando -who became king of Naples in OTL- and hope that he's raised up properly and don't become the silly fool he did turn out to be.
Frankly, once we reach 1788, I see no "logical" way to avoid the rest of the dreadful chain of events. So, kill Carlos IV in his child days, so his brother Fernando isn't wasted in Italy and hope that the manages to do something right.
Delicate question; are the regional minorities's nationalisms hindering Spain? Catalonia and the Basques... Catalonia is a reasonably strong economical motor, at least.
Delicate question; are the regional minorities's nationalisms hindering Spain? Catalonia and the Basques... Catalonia is a reasonably strong economical motor, at least.
At this respect I would add: if you could avoid an Habsburg becoming king of Spain and thus avoiding the European entaglement and keeps any possible Spanish king saying "No pienso, ni quiero, ser señor de hereje" (I don't want to be king of some heretics), everything may go even better: the American gold isn't wasted in futile wars and, above all, it may remain here, and not in Genova et al.
Am I going too back in time?I think so.
PD: a tots alcança"![]()
I'm not sure if you answered the question, but would a definitive union of Portugal with Spain hinders or helps Spain in the long run?
I'm not sure if you answered the question, but would a definitive union of Portugal with Spain hinders or helps Spain in the long run?
It would be like an extra Catalonia but without any industrial might, so I doubt the extra population and resources would make any meaningful difference.
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And economically I do not see democratic Spain being better than after 60´s dictatorship ... of course socio-culturally is another thing, but the OP talks about economic/military/politic "power"...