Political Clientelism, Elites, and Caciquismo in Restoration Spain (1875—1923)

This article focuses on the substantial academic literature on caciquismo — the proliferation of clientelist practices by local notables or caciques — in Restoration Spain (1875—1923). Caciquismo is generally considered to be the key problem in the political behaviour of Spaniards and the evolution of the Spanish political system in the Liberal era. The article shows the central relevance of caciquismo in contemporary political analysis and criticism, and the different interpretations of early historiography on the subject. It consists mainly of an overview of the prevailing historiographical tendencies — here called 'new political history' and'agrarian social history' — in the study of caciquismo, especially their opposite conceptions of caciquismo as some kind of political clientelism and their descriptions of political elites and the connections between political and economic powers. It is argued that these tendencies share a common language and conclusions which facilitate comparisons with similar phenomena in other countries. The article includes some hints of this comparative analysis, and, finally, it suggests some paths of research which may be followed in the future.