Spanish Caciquism: Chronicle of an Underdevelopment Foretold?

This paper asks whether the Spanish economic development history has been characterized by a model of a cacique or despotic (under)development. This underdevelopment has four main features: authoritarianism, nepotism, fetishism and totalitarianism. The purpose of this analysis is to describe the main elements of caciquism, specially its economic growth model that defines and culminates the socioeconomic underdevelopment process in Spain and, specifically, in Extremadura (region in South-West of Spain). In this regard, the despotic processes that support and promote the social and economic underdevelopment are revised and analyzed, as well as its ecological aversion. In addition, a theoretical analysis framework is proposed and some evidences in Extremadura are analyzed. To conclude, it is explained that it is necessary a social and ecological revolution that leads the economic democracy to the very depths of caciquism.