Clientelas y poder en la Alta Andalucía durante la crisis de la Restauración

Abstract

This paper is structured into three sections: firstly, it is a review of the traditional view of caciqueism and clientelism held by a good part of the Spanish modern historiography concerned with the study of the political construction of the modern State in Spain. Secondly, and on the basis of the former, the paper discusses some of the theoretical and methodological problems posed by the above mentioned traditional view: illiteracy, ruralism, political mediation,... Finally, it draws up the guidelines for a tentative redefinition not only of caciqueism and clientelism in the contemporary Spanish political culture, but also of the role played by the local powers in the political construction of nineteenth century Spain during the restoration.