The so called “leyenda negra” against Spain represents, since the XVI century, one of the more long-lasting stereotypes in the history of the European imaginary. This negative prejudice, firstly born in England and in France but soon spread out in all Europe and adopted also in Spain, constitutes a fundamental element in the building of the political identity of liberal élites and in the Spanish parliamentary history of the 1800's. Attested in many aspects of the institutional debate even since the constitutional assemblies of Cadiz, the influence of the “leyenda negra” played a leading role in the Spanish political language of the Restauraciòn (1876-1902) and not only as a rhetorical tool. The research aims to highlight the inheritance of that cultural negative myth, looking for traces and effects left during the turnismo’s age. With this objective, the investigation looks through different sources and moments of the parliamentarian activities, pointing out to the portrait of Cortes and deputies offered by press and political literature as well as in occasion of electoral speeches and propaganda. According with this analysis, a negative stereotype was accepted as real by the more representative Spanish politicians in the late eighteenth century and it contributed to delegitimize significantly the Spanish parliamentarian system. A general condemnation, especially after the dramatic conclusion of the century, was firstly interiorized by the Spanish national identity and than promoted by regeneracionistas and anti-democratic groups, involving dramatically the Spanish representative institutions and probably contributing to its collapse.
The “Leyenda negra” in the Political and Parliamentary Culture of Liberal Spain
AGLIETTI, MARCELLA
2011-01-01
Abstract
The so called “leyenda negra” against Spain represents, since the XVI century, one of the more long-lasting stereotypes in the history of the European imaginary. This negative prejudice, firstly born in England and in France but soon spread out in all Europe and adopted also in Spain, constitutes a fundamental element in the building of the political identity of liberal élites and in the Spanish parliamentary history of the 1800's. Attested in many aspects of the institutional debate even since the constitutional assemblies of Cadiz, the influence of the “leyenda negra” played a leading role in the Spanish political language of the Restauraciòn (1876-1902) and not only as a rhetorical tool. The research aims to highlight the inheritance of that cultural negative myth, looking for traces and effects left during the turnismo’s age. With this objective, the investigation looks through different sources and moments of the parliamentarian activities, pointing out to the portrait of Cortes and deputies offered by press and political literature as well as in occasion of electoral speeches and propaganda. According with this analysis, a negative stereotype was accepted as real by the more representative Spanish politicians in the late eighteenth century and it contributed to delegitimize significantly the Spanish parliamentarian system. A general condemnation, especially after the dramatic conclusion of the century, was firstly interiorized by the Spanish national identity and than promoted by regeneracionistas and anti-democratic groups, involving dramatically the Spanish representative institutions and probably contributing to its collapse.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
