Inequality In The Spanish Empire

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The inherent inequality within Spanish society was a primary reason for the dismantling of the Spanish Empire by the year 1898. With colonial powers becoming more problematic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines grew eager for their independence from Spain. The Empire was met with strong resistance by rebel fighters from each nation, influencing a greater event known as the Spanish American War. The unfair and often racist treatment of lower-class-mixed-race citizens under the Spanish Empire ignited many rebellions that separated not only Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, but the country of Spain as well.
Cuba was the one of the first few nations to struggle for their own independence from the Spanish Empire. Jose Marti, a leader of the Cuban Revolutionary Party who paved the way for Cuban rebels in their fight against local and international …show more content…

Not only were the lower-class citizens at a disadvantage when it came to political power and overall satisfaction with their lives, but the wealthy Filipino families also faced inequalities with Spain. Jose Rizal was a member of the wealthy “Mestizo” family and disliked the Empires stronghold on their potential upper mobility. Even though he and his family had the financial stability to live lavishly, Spain insisted on having only those of pure Spaniard blood to hold political power (in-class film, S.A.W.) We can see that even with money (which is what Spain cares about the most, it seems), Political power belongs to the Spanish Empire and its descendants. The inequalities between the poor and wealthy seem to be all relative in this sense that regardless of the family trust funds, Spaniard blood is top priority for politics and governance. The Philippines would go through a number of revolutionary leaders, and end up having to rely on the United States in the end to claim their independence from

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