Historical and cultural characteristics of Spain

Spain, located in Europe, is one of the more sparsely populated areas of the region with only 47 million people, yet has been inhabited for over a millennium (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2005). The country's history is rich with the rise and fall of power and internal conflict, and its culture is one which incorporates thousands of years of tradition. Politically, religiously, and culturally diverse, Spain is a thriving nation, whose populations have adapted to the changing political situations of our current society.

Cave paintings in the Altamira, Cova Negra, and Pinar areas of Spain have been found to date back as far as 50000 B.C., showing early habitation of the area (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2005). The first known inhabitants of Spain, however, were the Basques, who inhabited the Iberian Peninsula in the north, although it is unclear when these cultures arose. Following the Basques, the Iberian population founded culture in the valley of the Guadalquivir River in southern Spain, and early Celt, Carthaginians, and Greek civilizations formed in the north by 1200 B.C (Internet Red, 2000).

By the second century B.C, Romans had settled in Spain, and had begun to develop the groundwork for what are now the language, religions, and laws of Spain. Their empire, however, was finally demolished in the seventh century a.D. By the Visigoths. As the Moors pushed through the straits of North Africa, their armies forced the Visigoths to the peninsula in the north (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2005).

By the 11th century, religious strife began between the Christian kingdoms in the north of Spain and the Arabian kingdoms in the south. The reconquest of Spain, an attempt to regain Christian control of the region, lasted through 1492, but began to be won by the Christians in 1469, through the marriage of Isabel of Castilia and Ferdinand of Aragon. This marriage united two of the most powerful kingdoms of Spain, and the Muslims in the south quickly lost their remaining holdings, finally losing Granada in 1492 (Internet Red, 2000).

This religious win over Spain can be seen as one of the distinguishing historical characteristics of the area, in that it sparked the Spanish Inquisition. As the country became united under the King and Queen, the armies of the kingdom began to attempt to Christianize all of Spain. As a result, thousands of Moors and Jews who refused to convert were slaughtered or pushed into exile (Internet Red, 2000). While complete unification was in place by 1512 in the area, thousands of people had been killed in the process (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2005).

It was during the 16th century that Spain gained much of her power, quickly rising to be the most influential nation in Europe. Spain's wealth, gained from colonial presences in America, allowed the country to thrive (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2005). However, this power was slowly eroded by another distinguishing characteristic of the recent history of Spain, that of war and revolt.

Following numerous expensive wars and revolts, including wars in the mid-1500's with France, the Netherlands, and England, Spain began to lose their economic power over Europe (Internet Red, 2000). By the 18th century, France's King Louis XIV succeeded the throne of Spain, and as a result, Spain declared war. They were defeated, and Napoleon took power in 1808 (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2005).

Spain launched a five-year Independence War against the French, and when Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, Ferdinand VII regained the throne of Spain. In an attempt to maintain control, Ferdinand altered the law of Spain to allow his daughter to succeed the throne. In response, his brother Charles formed a rebellion, and the War of Seven Years ensured (Internet Red, 2000).

Spain again lost economic and political power. By 1898, Spain had lost the last of her possessions in the America's, following the Spanish-American war. Again, Spain fought to control her populations, but increasing political strife and vast episodes of violence sparked the Spanish Civil War in 1936. The centuries of war and internal conflict had taken its toll, and the country was left in political and economic exhaustion. It was not until the 1960's that Spain began to regain some of her previous power through the introduction of tourism and through the manufacturing sector (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2005). By 1978, a democratic constitution was in place, proving the country had finally won her democracy.

The distinguishing historical characteristics of war and religious persecution have led to a detailed, precise political system in Spain. As discussed, Spain became a parliamentary monarchy in 1978. The prime minister is overseen by the bicameral Congress of Deputies and Senate, which is elected to office by the people of Spain every four years (CIA, 2005). Ongoing efforts to decentralize the government have lead to the creation of 17 separate communities (Caruana, 2005). The executive branch of the government includes the monarch, the leader of the majority party or the majority coalition, known as the president, who is appointed by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly. Vice presidents are proposed by the president, and chosen by the monarch (CIA, 2005). The legislative branch of the Spanish government includes the bicameral Congress of Deputies and Senate, consisting of 350 members, and the National Assembly, consisting of 250 members, who are also elected by the people (CIA, 2005).

Within this structured political system, Spain has a vast listing of political parties, showing again the characteristic of conflict within the country. Parties include the Basque Nationalist Party, Canarian Coalition, Convergence and Union, the Democratic Union of Catalonia, Entesa Catalonia de Progress, Galician Nationalist Bloc, Party of Independents, Spanish Socialist Workers Party, United Left party, and many other smaller political parties (Caruana, 2005). While conflict between the parties has existed, such as in the attempted 1981 coup by the Socialist Workers Party, they have remained, for the most part, non-violent (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2005).

However, there are certainly political issues that are characteristic of the political system in Spain. In the last few decades, business and landowning interests have risen sharply, as have free labor unions, which dominate much of the Spanish workforce. The Socialist General Union of Workers, the Workers Syndical Union, and the Workers Confederation have important influence in the political process. Additionally, in recent years, the Nunca Mas, translated as "Never Again," has become a loud voice in the Spanish political system, focusing on environmental issues following and oil tanker spill (CIA, 2005).

Current leaders in the Spanish political system include Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who has helped rebuild the Spanish Socialist Worker's Party. Additional leaders include King Juan Carlos, who has helped the country's transition to democracy, and Pedro Solbes, who has been influential in the economic rebuilding of Spain (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2004). These leaders, along with many others, have helped form the political system of Spain today.

The diverse original inhabitants of Spain and the consistent theme of conflict in history and politics have come together to form one of the most varied cultural cultures in the world. One such defining cultural icon is the Flamenco, a specialized art form of Southern Spain. Flamenco exists in three separate forms, those of the song, or Cante, the dance, or Baile, and the guitar-playing style, or the Guitarra. Often associated with gypsies, one can see influences of Spain's history within the art, through Muslim and Basque representations (Internet Red a, 2000).

Another cultural characteristic of Spain is the bullfight. The Corrida, performed in a bullfighting ring, began with the Celt-influenced temples, where the original religious ceremonies of the Iberian were held. These ceremonies often involved the sacrifice of a bull to God. Greek and Roman influence turned this religious ceremony into a spectacle event. Men enter the ring with the bull, and in three stages, the men will cover the first bull, attack the second bull with banderillas, and kill the final bull using a sword (Internet Red B, 2000). This customary fight, while frowned upon by some, again displays the characteristic mesh of culture in Spanish traditions.