Skip to main content
Lluís  Torro Gil
  • Departament d'Anàlisi Econòmica Aplicada
    Universitat d'Alacant
    Apartat de correus 99, E-03080 Alacant, Spain
The pre-industrial European wages study marginalises piece rates, paradoxically dominating manufacturing activities. The question is addressed through a long-term analysis of piece-rate wages in the cloth trade. This study is complemented... more
The pre-industrial European wages study marginalises piece rates, paradoxically dominating manufacturing activities. The question is addressed through a long-term analysis of piece-rate wages in the cloth trade. This study is complemented by information on the prices of manufactured goods and estimates of production costs and labour productivity. The conclusions are that selling prices depended more on the evolution of the cost of raw materials than on wages, that wages, with a counter-cyclical behaviour in real terms, tended to deteriorate and that an increase in the amount of labour input and labour productivity counterbalanced this. Piece wages made wage earners immediate beneficiaries of productivity growth. Finally, wage pressure in high inflation periods eroded profits, affecting cycle changes.

El estudio de los salarios en la Europa preindustrial margina las retribuciones por piezas que, paradójicamente, dominaban las actividades manufactureras. La cuestión se aborda analizando a largo plazo los salarios a destajo en la pañería. Este estudio se complementa con información de los precios de los bienes manufacturados y estimaciones de los costes de producción y la productividad del trabajo. Las conclusiones son que los precios de venta dependían más de la evolución del coste de las materias primas que de los salarios, que estos, con un comportamiento anticíclico en términos reales, tendieron a deteriorarse y que esto fue contrarrestado con un incremento de la cantidad de trabajo invertido y de la productividad del trabajo. Los salarios por pieza hicieron de los asalariados los beneficiarios  inmediatos del crecimiento de la productividad. Finalmente, la presión salarial en los períodos de intensa inflación erosionó los beneficios, afectando a los cambios de ciclo.
The article studies the process of proletarianization during the phase before the mining boom in the town of Linares by analysing population registers and censuses. The age and gender composition and the occupational structure, as... more
The article studies the process of proletarianization during the phase before the mining boom in the town of Linares by analysing population registers and censuses. The age and gender composition  and  the  occupational  structure,  as  well  as  the  changes  they suffered,  are characterised. It is concluded that the growth of the population of Linares before the 1840s was significant and that the reasons for this are to be found in the increase in marriage and a  positive  migratory  imbalance.  The  changes  in  the  socio-professional  structure  of  the population  before  the  mining  take-off  and  the  characterisation  of  immigration  allow  the formulation  of  hypotheses  that  connect  this  growth  with  probable  transformations  in agriculture and mining. The agricolisation process and the development of a more capitalised mining-metallurgical activity would be the foundations of these transformations.

La formación de una clase obrera minera. Una aproximación desde el caso de Linares, 1824-1842 (Resumen) El artículo estudia el proceso de proletarización durante la fase previa al boom minero en el enclave de Linares mediante el análisis de padrones y censos de población. Gracias a ellos se caracteriza la distribución por edad y género, y la estructura ocupacional, así como los cambios que sufrieron. Se concluye que el crecimiento de la población linarense antes de la década de 1840 fue significativo y que sus razones han de buscarse en el incremento de la nupcialidad y un saldo migratorio positivo. Los cambios en la estructura socioprofesional de la población en los momentos previos al despegue de la actividad minera y la caracterización de la inmigración permite la formulación de hipótesis que relacionan este crecimiento con probables transformaciones en la agricultura y la minería. El proceso de agricolización y el desarrollo de una actividad minero-metalúrgica más capitalizada serían la base de dichas transformaciones.
The article deals with the historical configuration of the rural landscape of Alcoi using some basic concepts about pre-industrial agriculture and its technical evolution. Emphasis is placed on the complementarity of the masos and the... more
The article deals with the historical configuration of the rural landscape of Alcoi using some basic concepts about pre-industrial agriculture and its technical evolution. Emphasis is placed on the complementarity of the masos and the peri-urban irrigated farmland. A scheme of the changes in the agrarian model throughout the early modern period is presented. Finally, after approaching the 19th century evolution, some lines of research are proposed as a conclusion.
L’article aborda la configuració històrica del paisatge rural alcoià partint d’alguns conceptes bàsics sobre l’agricultura preindustrial i la seua evolució tècnica. S’insisteix en la complementarietat dels masos i les hortes periurbanes. Es planteja un esquema dels canvis en el model agrari al llarg de l’època moderna. Finalment, després d’aproximar-se a l’evolució del segle XIX, es proposen, com a conclusió, algunes línies de recerca.
Els avalots luddites a Alcoi del 1821 i els anys següents han estat tradicionalment interpretats com una reacció primitiva contra els inicis de la mecanització del sector tèxtil llaner; la primera de grans dimensions, de fet, dins el... more
Els avalots luddites a Alcoi del 1821 i els anys següents han estat tradicionalment interpretats com una reacció primitiva contra els inicis de la mecanització del sector tèxtil llaner; la primera de grans dimensions, de fet, dins el context espanyol. La causa directa s’ha atribuït a la misèria generada per la desocupació dels treballadors expulsats per les màquines. Aquest article revisa aquesta interpretació gràcies a alguna nova informació sobre els fets, l’estructura productiva de la draperia a Alcoi i la seua comarca i de la conflictivitat preexistent a la seua manufactura preindustrial. En emprar un marc de referència internacional i, especialment, la comparació amb el luddisme britànic, s’arriben a noves conclusions que remarquen la continuïtat amb la conflictivitat gremial, una resposta comunitària encapçalada pels teixidors i un probable component polític contrari a la política assistencial liberal que es va tractar d’introduir durant el trienni.

The Luddite riots in Alcoy in 1821 and the following years have traditionally been interpreted as a primitive reaction against the beginnings of the mechanisation of the textile sector in Alcoy; the first of large dimensions, in fact, within the Spanish context. The direct cause has been attributed to the misery generated by the unemployment of the workers expelled by the machines. This article revises this interpretation thanks to some new information on the facts, the structure of cloth-making in Alcoy and its region and the pre-existing conflict in pre-industrial manufacturing in the area. An international frame of reference and, especially, a comparison with British Luddism, leads to new conclusions that highlight the continuity with the guild conflictivity, a community response led by the weavers and a probable political issue contrary to the liberal welfare policy that was tried to be introduced during the Liberal Triennium.
La migració occitana a l’Antic Regne de València ha estat abastament documentada per diversos autors a la ciutat de València i Nules i no tant a Alacant, Castelló de la Plana, Sogorb i Xàtiva. Tanmateix, fins ara no s’havia documentat... more
La migració occitana a l’Antic Regne de València ha estat abastament documentada
per diversos autors a la ciutat de València i Nules i no tant a Alacant, Castelló de la Plana,
Sogorb i Xàtiva. Tanmateix, fins ara no s’havia documentat una presència significativa i estructurada de ciutadans occitans a Cocentaina. En aquest article es documenta l’existència d’una important colònia d’alvernesos a aquesta vila entre els segles XVII i XVIII, les relacions familiars existents entre aquests individus i el seu perfil demogràfic.

Occitan migration in the Old Kingdom of Valencia has been extensively document-
ed by various authors in the cities of Valencia and Nules and not so much in Alicante, Castelló de la Plana, Segorbe and Xàtiva. However, so far, no mass presence of Occitan citizens in Cocentaina has been documented. This article reports the existence of an important and very well-structured colony of Auvergne people in Cocentaina between the 17th and 18th centuries, the familiar relationships between these individuals, and their demographic profile.
Research on the development of industrial capitalism often overlooks the existence of successful industrialisation processes in southern Europe. The article analyses how the cloth-mak-ing industry of the town of Alcoi responded to the... more
Research on the development of industrial capitalism often overlooks the existence of successful industrialisation processes in southern Europe. The article analyses how the cloth-mak-ing industry of the town of Alcoi responded to the difficulties that it faced during two crises that occurred almost two hundred years apart. The first arose at the end of the sixteenth century and after the expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609. The second crisis began between 1809 and 1815, in the context of the Peninsula War. Both conjunctures caused serious difficulties to manufacturing activities that were resolved with the profound changes that would fundamentally affect the sphere of production. The study clarifies certain aspects with respect to the emergence of industrial capitalism in Alcoi in the early nineteenth century.

La investigación sobre el desarrollo del capitalismo industrial frecuentemente menosprecia la existencia de procesos de industrialización exitosos en el sur de Europa. El artículo analiza cómo la pañería de la ciudad de Alcoi respondió a las dificultades que enfrentó durante dos crisis que ocurrieron hace casi doscientos años. La primera surgió a fines del siglo XVI y después de la expulsión de los moriscos en 1609. La segunda crisis comenzó entre 1809 y 1815, en el contexto de la Guerra de la Península. Ambas coyunturas provocaron serias dificultades a las actividades manufactureras que se resolvieron con profundos cambios que afectarían, fundamentalmente, a la esfera de la producción. El estudio aclara ciertos aspectos con respecto a la aparición del capitalismo industrial en Alcoi a principios del siglo XIX.
SME's and family businesses are central elements in Spain's modern economic growth. However, their process of internationalization has been little explored in recent research, particularly when it has been primarily aimed at emerging... more
SME's and family businesses are central elements in Spain's modern economic growth. However, their process of internationalization has been little explored in recent research, particularly when it has been primarily aimed at emerging economies. The article aims to understand and explain the internationalisation process of SME's in the Valencian region in Latin America. Through a set of cases of companies from different sectors (Metal, Machinery, Chemical, Ceramics, Textile, Furniture) it is showed that since 1990, the different Latin American countries have been increasing their presence in the preferential markets of most of the 22 companies studied. The growing role of the region in the investments of Valencian SME's shows the diversification and expansion of destination markets, including geographically not only the traditional European or Arab countries but also those of Latin America. Different reasons underlie this internationalisation: but the enterprises analysed based on a case studies approach showed different models of expansion. The common denominator being that of strategies specifically developed and adapted to the destination country's local environment: from an incremental and gradual expansion.
The protoindustrialization theories presuppose, as a cause or as a consequence, that in the proto-industrial areas there was a strong concentration of land ownership. The article addresses this issue in the environment of the... more
The protoindustrialization theories presuppose, as a cause or as a consequence, that in the proto-industrial areas there was a strong concentration of land ownership. The article addresses this issue in the environment of the cloth-leading producer at the end of the Old Regime, the Valencian town of Alcoi. The work confirms this concentration, accentuated over the time and greater depending on the size of the population. The land market is studied, with special attention to the impact of the expulsion of the Moriscos and hypotheses are raised about the influence of transmission and inheritance mechanisms. Likewise, the relations of production and the importance of wage labour in agriculture are considered. Despite the concentration of ownership, the extent of indirect management through leases and sharecropping, and a suspicion of an important salarization in agricultural activities, the English model does not seem to be reproduced by apparent absence of capitalist tenant farmers.

Las teorías de la protoindustrialización presuponen, como causa o como consecuencia, que en las áreas protoindustriales se dio una fuerte concentración de la propiedad de la tierra. El artículo aborda esta problemática en el entorno del principal núcleo productor de paños a finales del Antiguo Régimen, la villa valenciana de Alcoi. El trabajo constata dicha concentración, acentuada con el paso del tiempo y mayor en función del tamaño de la población. Se estudia el mercado de la tierra, con una especial atención al impacto de la expulsión de los moriscos y se plantean hipótesis sobre la influencia de los mecanismos de transmisión y herencia. Asimismo, se consideran las relaciones de producción y la importancia del trabajo asalariado en la agricultura. A pesar de la concentración de la propiedad, de la extensión de la gestión indirecta mediante arrendamientos y aparcerías, y de existir indicios de una importante salarización en las actividades agrarias, no parece reproducirse el modelo inglés por la aparente inexistencia de labradores arrendatarios capitalistas.
During the Spanish Civil War, in the Republican side, a social revolution broke out, led by the workers and their unions ending in many places in a business collectivization process. In the city of Alcoi, the anarchist union took control... more
During the Spanish Civil War, in the Republican side, a social revolution broke out, led by the workers and their unions ending in many places in a business collectivization process. In the city of Alcoi, the anarchist union took control over more than 100 textile family firms, going through a rationalization process which unified the production of all textile firms overcoming a previous production crisis and attending the war demand. Does the Alcoi case during the Civil War prove the possibility of a successful anarchist business organization? This article tries to understand the development of business without a capitalist organization and the role of business networks in such a development. The organizational design and the administration of the collectivization process is an example of how socialization of the property and democratization of the decision-making process in the company were not opposed with rationality and efficiency, at least during a war context. Resumen: Durante la Guerra Civil Española, en el lado republicano, estalló una revolución social, liderada por los trabajadores y sus sindicatos que terminó en muchos lugares en un proceso de colectivización empresarial. En la ciudad de Alcoi, el sindicato anarquista tomó el control de más de 100 empresas textiles familiares, pasando por un proceso de racionalización que unificó la producción de todas las empresas textiles para superar una crisis de producción anterior y atender la demanda de guerra. ¿El caso de Alcoi durante la Guerra Civil demuestra la posibilidad de una organización empresarial anarquista exitosa? Este artículo trata de comprender el desarrollo de los negocios sin una organización capitalista y el papel de las redes empresariales en tal desarrollo. El diseño organizativo y la administración del proceso de colectivización es un ejemplo de cómo la socialización de la propiedad y la democratización del proceso de toma de decisiones en la empresa no se opusieron con racionalidad y eficiencia, al menos durante un contexto de guerra. Palabras clave: Guerra Civil española; organización empresarial; distrito industrial; Alcoi; industria textil; revolución social; anarquismo 1 This text was presented in preliminary versions at various international conferences between 2006 and 2008. The version that is now published dates from 2009 and has only been subjected to a slight bibliographic update of the references included at that time.
Proto-industrialisation theory originally combined the development of rural industry with a set of changes in demographic behaviour patterns. In Spain, with some exceptions, these changes have not been studied in the proto-industrial... more
Proto-industrialisation theory originally combined the development of rural industry with a set of changes in demographic behaviour patterns. In Spain, with some exceptions, these changes have not been studied in the proto-industrial areas. There are contributions that analyse some population factors regarding the manufacturing activity, but in no case the analysis has been directed towards finding the set of hypotheses derived from the proto-industrialisation theories. The present work focuses on the verification of some of these assumptions. The issue is approached from the study of a relevant local case: the Valencian textile region of Alcoi. Using the aggregative method, an analysis is made of the changes in fertility and marriage to check whether they conform to those that Mendel, Medick and others attribute to the demographics of the proto-industrial areas.
La teoría de la protoindustrialización, originalmente, puso en relación el desarrollo de la industria rural con una serie de alteraciones en los patrones de comportamiento demográfico. Salvo excepciones, en España no se han estudiado dichos cambios en las áreas protoindustriales. Disponemos de contribuciones que analizan algunos factores poblacionales en relación con la actividad manufacturera, pero en ningún caso se ha llevado el análisis al terreno de la constatación del conjunto de hipótesis derivadas de las teorías de la protoindustrialización. El presente trabajo se centra en la verificación de algunas de esas hipótesis. La cuestión se aborda desde el estudio de un caso local relevante: la comarca textil valenciana de Alcoi. Utilizando el método agregativo, se analizan los cambios en la fecundidad y la nupcialidad para comprobar si se ajustan a los que Mendels, Medick y otros atribuyen a la demografía de las áreas protoindustriales.
This study is an approach to the analysis of agricultural labor productivity in the Valencian village of Alcoy. It is based on the rebuilding of cereal price series from the middle of the fifteenth century to the beginning of the... more
This study is an approach to the analysis of agricultural labor productivity in the Valencian village of Alcoy. It is based on the rebuilding of cereal price series from the middle of the fifteenth century to the beginning of the nineteenth century. Regarding the problem of the non-available sources, up-to-date studies about the subject are based on aggregated estimations. The option that I try to develop is set off in the assumption that prices show the value of the produced goods in terms of a precious metal in the long term. So prices basically depend on two elements: the value of this metal and the value of the goods themselves. Therefore, the variations of the prices in the medium and long terms respond to changes in labor productivity in the sector. This assumption is verified in a scenery of monetary stability and counting with no important changes in the production conditions of the metal in which the monetary system is based nor massive variations in the amount of cereal coming from abroad. From this analysis we can conclude that the changes in the agricultural sector in the village of Alcoy were important enough to feed a growing population without any increase in the prices that would threaten this growth. This fact was especially remarkable in the first phases of the singular industrialization process that began in Alcoy in the eighteenth century.

La present contribució tracta d’aproximar-se a l’anàlisi de la productivitat del treball a l’agricultura de la vila valenciana d’Alcoi a partir d’una sèrie reconstituïda de preus dels cereals entre mitjans del segle XV i principis del XIX. Atesos els problemes de fonts, fins ara les aproximacions a aquesta qüestió s’han fet sobre la base d’estimacions agregades. L’alternativa que s’assaja ací parteix del supòsit que els preus expressen, a llarg termini, el valor dels béns produïts en termes d’un metall preciós, i, per tant, depenen, bàsicament, del valor del dit metall i del dels mateixos béns. Així, en condicions d’estabilitat monetària, i sempre que no hi haja canvis importants en les condicions de la producció del metall sobre el que es base el sistema monetari ni tampoc variacions considerables en el volum de cereal provinent de l’exterior, les fluctuacions a mitjà i llarg termini han de respondre, en essència, a canvis en la productivitat del treball del mateix sector agrícola. De l’anàlisi hom dedueix que els canvis en l’agricultura de la comarca d’Alcoi van ser suficientment significatius com per a sostenir una població en auge sense que l’increment dels preus dels aliments estrangulés aquest creixement. Aquesta contribució va ser decisiva a les primeres fases del singular procés d’industrialització que va conèixer aquesta ciutat a partir del segle XVIII.
This article examines a case study of profound agricultural transformations along the Early Modern Age. Around the protoindustrial town of Alcoi there was an intense process of substitution of cultivations that altered the physiognomy of... more
This article examines a case study of profound agricultural transformations along the Early Modern Age. Around the protoindustrial town of Alcoi there was an intense process of substitution of cultivations that altered the physiognomy of the rural activities of an area traditionally considered as poor from the agrarian point of view. The catalogue of these changes is substantial: the substitution of barley for wheat, the early introduction of corn and its strong spread, the advance of the cultivation of vine, and, finally, the adoption of crop rotations in the irrigable area that was part of a limited extension of land, though significant for a mountainous area. Throughout the text these changes are described and explained, keeping in mind the proto-industrial framework in which they appear, as well as their context in the Valencian and Spanish environment.
The historical role played by the guilds has been interpreted well as a mere obstacle to the industrialization process, or, as that of institutions whose main aim was transferring generation abilities in generation. However, the... more
The historical role played by the guilds has been interpreted well as a mere obstacle to the industrialization process, or, as that of institutions whose main aim was transferring generation abilities in generation. However, the corporations of artisans also completed another important purpose: the control and the discipline of the work-force through the application of the technical ordinances. In this exemple, focused in the pre-industrial textile manufactures in Alcoi (Spain), we can observe as the conflicts among guilds -placed in different stages of the production process- are mainly focused in technical and salary issues. Furthermore, the different positions of the different guilds expressed oposed interests between the incipient capital and the salaried workers. The persistence of very similar conflicts in the 16th as in the 18th centuries demonstrates the importance of the resolution of these problems in order to make easier the industrialization.
This article examines the line of development followed by the industry of Valencia in the course of the nineteenth century in connection with the changes undergone by society after the demise of the Ancien Régime. It looks, first, at the... more
This article examines the line of development followed by the industry of Valencia in the course of the nineteenth century in connection with the changes undergone by society after the demise of the Ancien Régime. It looks, first, at the problems of the silk industry and its relation with agricultural activities in the context of the liberal revolution. More precisely, it subjects to scrutiny the idea that the choice of an agricultural path of development by the bourgeois oligarchy was the result of an inevitable process. In its second half, the article draws a general picture of the nineteenth-century Valencian model of industrial development, dwelling on its most relevant traits. The picture rests on a series of hypotheses regarding the róle of the markets, the social origins of industry, the organizational structure of industrial enterprises, and their financing. The article ends by pointing out the main weaknesses in our present knowledge of the subject and by drawing up a corresponding research agenda.
The article is a demand-side approach to the study of Alcoi's cloth industry in the eighteenth century. This Valencian town became in that century the biggest centre of cloth production in Spain by taking advantage of its privileged... more
The article is a demand-side approach to the study of Alcoi's cloth industry in the eighteenth century. This Valencian town became in that century the biggest centre of cloth production in Spain by taking advantage of its privileged relationship with the govemment, which granted it tax exemptions and placed big orders with it, mainly for the Army. The leading role in this process of expanding production was played by the master-clothiers guild, which was granted the title of Real Fabrica in 1731. Although Alcoi specialized in middle- and low-quality stuffs, production of high-quality cloth also took on some importance at times, especially in connection with American
colonial markets, which became a crucial outlet at the beginning of the nineteenth century.
This article reproduces without any significant alteration the conclusions of my PhD thesis (Proto-industry and original accumulation of capital in the Valencian town of Alcoi, 1430-1823). The thesis is about the origins of the... more
This article reproduces without any significant alteration the conclusions of my PhD thesis (Proto-industry and original accumulation of capital in the Valencian town of Alcoi, 1430-1823). The thesis is about the origins of the industrialization process in the textile town of Alcoi and adjacent districts between the pointed out dates, paying attention to the evolution of the population, agricultural production, taxation, and, finally, manufacturing activity centered on the cloth production. The study, besides the reconstruction of a series of wool cloths production between 1569 and 1827, examines the role of guilds in the evolution of the cloth manufacture from the Middle Ages to the beginning of mechanization. The case of Alcoi is particularly significant for three reasons: (1) was the main center of production of woolen fabrics in Spain, probably between c. 1750-1830; (2) gave rise to a unique process of industrialization that can provide many lights in the understanding of the mechanisms that facilitate and / or hinder Spanish industrialization; and (3) some of its features (such as the active participation of guilds in the mechanization process) make it a outstanding case even internationally because it can become the testing ground on a number of assumptions about this issue and some others that are discussed in international forums dealing with them.
Esta aportación situa con precisión los orígenes de la mecanización, no sólo de la manufactura lanera alcoyana, sino también del conjunto de España, hacia 1793. En este año el Gremio alcoyano (La Real Fábrica de Paños) encargó a unos... more
Esta aportación situa con precisión los orígenes de la mecanización, no sólo de la manufactura lanera alcoyana, sino también del conjunto de España, hacia 1793. En este año el Gremio alcoyano (La Real Fábrica de Paños) encargó a unos artesanos locales la visita a unas máquinas de hilar (probablemente de algodón) que funcionaban en Cádiz, para que las estudiaran y las reprodujeran posteriormente en Alcoi. El
trabajo (basado en fuentes originales inéditas) contiene, asimismo, un análisis sobre las causas que la provocaron, las cuales oscilan entre razones de eficiencia técnica (modelo desafío-respuesta) y de control de los procesos de trabajo (en la línea planteada por S. Marglin y otros), inclinándose más por esta última explicación. Del mismo modo, también valora el papel de la importación de innovaciones y de la capacidad tecnológica de los artesanos autóctonos para reproducir máquinas mejorándolas y adaptándolas a las necesidades propias de la industria local.
The article is a review of the origins of industrialization of Alcoy from the theoretical assumptions of the proto-industrial model developed by Franklin Mendels, Peter Kriedte and others. Starting mainly from own research, the role of... more
The article is a review of the origins of industrialization of Alcoy from the theoretical assumptions of the proto-industrial model developed by Franklin Mendels, Peter Kriedte and others. Starting mainly from own research, the role of factors such as agriculture, demographic change (including a new analysis of the matrimonial precocity), the feudal rent and the articulation of political power or the dynamics of manufacturing, are reviewed. Although the economic development of the town in the period considered quite meets the standards defined by the model, that is ineffective when it comes to understanding the basis of industrialization. That is so, especially, by the existence of trade associations that, far from impeding the process, proved to be the main drivers. Therefore, the paradigm is insufficient even in the case where the conditions demanded for it are met.
The paper studies the evolution and structure of agricultural production in the Valencian town of Alcoy in the seventeenth century. Its source is the registers third tithe (tithe part of it remained in the hands of the lord of the town,... more
The paper studies the evolution and structure of agricultural production in the Valencian town of Alcoy in the seventeenth century. Its source is the registers third tithe (tithe part of it remained in the hands of the lord of the town, the king in this case). The study bears witness the crisis of the seventeenth century Valencian agriculture through knowledge production (basically grain, wine and oil) and agricultural prices.
See review by J. K. J. Thomson in Textile History (vol. 29, nº 1, 1998, pp. 115). He points out "what is novel in the study, and represents an original contribution to the discussion on proto-industrialization, is the demonstration of the... more
See review by J. K. J. Thomson in Textile History (vol. 29, nº 1, 1998, pp. 115). He points out "what is novel in the study, and represents an original contribution to the discussion on proto-industrialization, is the demonstration of the importance of guilds and the state in the industry's progress and in particular, in the eighteenth century boom" (p . 114). In addition, work is rated as "a most painstaking study in which the local example is throughout related to the experiences of other regions of Spain and to the general industrial experience in Europe. The inclusion of a range of documents illustrating its central argument about the crucial role of the guilds in the area's development will make it an ideal tool for graduate students ". And he concludes that "are just thus of great significance in interpreting the early stages of Spanish industrialization" (p. 115).

The book contributes to the review of one of the most widespread topics in the literature on the industrial revolution: the role of guilds as obstacles to industrialization. Analysis of the paraires (clothiers) guild's documentation shows that the image contains, along with a good dose of truth, some mystification based on a mechanical and linear conception of historical process. In fact, in the case of Alcoi the guild system not only did not stop the process of industrialization, but, largely, was the main driver. The book, along with a lengthy introduction (77 pp.) in which the long-term pre-capitalist alcoyana drapery (valuing their origins, technical changes, the markets, the internal structure of the union or the relations of production is analyzed ) contains a collection of transcripts of documents (basically guild ordinances) that illustrate this evolution between 1561 and 1798.
For a long time, the expulsion of the Moriscos was seen as one of the main causes of the Valencian industrialization delay. The work reviews this thesis that was based on the analysis of the economic transformations that suffered the... more
For a long time, the expulsion of the Moriscos was seen as one of the main causes of the Valencian industrialization delay. The work reviews this thesis that was based on the analysis of the economic transformations that suffered the places repopulated. Given that the Moriscos were a numerical minority and socially marginal (s. XVI), the consequences of expulsion are addressed in a Old Christians town. Alcoi was a property of the Crown which provided many men to the repopulation process and was considerably affected by it, without, therefore, this would affect subsequent process of industrialization. On the contrary, the analysis of demographic, political, agricultural and industrial variables (paying particular attention to the reconstruction of series of indicators) short (1600-1620) and long term (1500-1700) show that the expulsion of the Moriscos represented an essential stimulus in the tested process.
This PhD thesis is addressed on the origins of the industrialization process in the textile town of Alcoi and adjacent districts between 1430 and 1821, paying attention to the trends of population, agriculture, feudal rent, and finally... more
This PhD thesis is addressed on the origins of the industrialization process in the textile town of Alcoi and adjacent districts between 1430 and 1821, paying attention to the trends of population, agriculture, feudal rent, and finally the manufacturing activity focused on the woolen cloth production. The study, besides the reconstruction of several series, demographic, production and agricultural prices, feudal tax evolution and cloth production between 1569 and 1827, examines the role of guilds in the development of cloth manufacture from the Middle Ages until the mechanization beginnings. The case of Alcoi is particularly important for three reasons: (1) it was the main center of production of woollen cloths in Spain, probably from c. 1750-1830; (2) it resulted in a unique industrialization process which sheds lights on the understanding of mechanisms that helps and/or hinder Spanish industrialization; and (3) some of its features (as well as the active participation of guilds in the mechanization process) make it an exceptional case even on an international level.


La tesi tracta sobre els orígens del procés d’industrialització a la ciutat tèxtil d'Alcoi i els districtes adjacents entre 1430 i 1821, prestant atenció a l'evolució de la població, l'agricultura, la renda feudal, i, finalment, l'activitat de fabricació centrada en la producció de draps de llana. L'estudi, a més de la reconstrucció de diverses sèries demogràfiques, de producció i preus agraris, d'evolució de les rendes feudals i de producció de draps entre 1569 i 1827, analitza el paper dels gremis en l'evolució de la fabricació de draps des de l'Edat Mitjana fins al començament de la mecanització. El cas d'Alcoi és particularment important per tres raons: (1) va ser el principal centre de producció de teixits de llana a Espanya, probablement entre c. 1750-1830; (2) va donar lloc a un procés únic de la industrialització que proporciona moltes llums en el coneixement dels mecanismes que faciliten i/ o dificulten la industrialització espanyola; i (3) algunes de les seves característiques (con ara la participació activa dels gremis en el procés de mecanització) fan d'ell en un cas excepcional fins i tot a nivell internacional.
Research Interests:
El estudio de los salarios en la Europa preindustrial margina las retribuciones por piezas que, paradójicamente, dominaban las actividades manufactureras. La cuestión se aborda analizando a largo plazo los salarios a destajo en la... more
El estudio de los salarios en la Europa preindustrial margina las retribuciones por piezas que, paradójicamente, dominaban las actividades manufactureras. La cuestión se aborda analizando a largo plazo los salarios a destajo en la pañería. Este estudio se complementa con información de los precios de los bienes manufacturados y estimaciones de los costes de producción y la productividad del trabajo. Las conclusiones son que los precios de venta dependían más de la evolución del coste de las materias primas que de los salarios, que estos, con un comportamiento anticíclico en términos reales, tendieron a deteriorarse y que esto fue contrarrestado con un incremento de la cantidad de trabajo invertido y de la productividad del trabajo. Los salarios por pieza hicieron de los asalariados los beneficiarios inmediatos del crecimiento de la productividad. Finalmente, la presión salarial en los períodos de intensa inflación erosionó los beneficios, afectando a los cambios de ciclo.

The pre-industrial European wages study marginalises piece rates, which, paradoxically, dominated manufacturing activities. The question is addressed through a long-term analysis of piece-rate wages in the cloth trade. This study is complemented by information on the prices of manufactured goods and estimates of production costs and labour productivity. The conclusions are that selling prices depended more on the evolution of the cost of raw materials than on wages, that wages, with a counter-cyclical behaviour in real terms, tended to deteriorate and that this was counterbalanced by an increase in the amount of labour input and labour productivity. Piece wages made wage earners immediate beneficiaries of productivity growth. Finally, wage pressure in high inflation periods eroded profits, affecting cycle changes.
La comunicación estudia el proceso de proletarización durante la fase previa al boom minero en el enclave de Linares mediante el análisis de padrones y censos de población. Gracias a ellos se caracteriza la distribución por edad y género,... more
La comunicación estudia el proceso de proletarización durante la fase previa al boom minero en el enclave de Linares mediante el análisis de padrones y censos de población. Gracias a ellos se caracteriza la distribución por edad y género, y la estructura ocupacional, así como los
cambios que sufrieron. Se concluye que el crecimiento de la población linarense antes de la década de 1840 fue significativo y que sus razones han de buscarse en el incremento de la nupcialidad y un saldo migratorio positivo. Los cambios en la estructura socioprofesional de la población en los momentos previos al despegue de la actividad minero y la caracterización de la inmigración permite la formulación de hipótesis que relacionan este crecimiento con probables transformaciones en la agricultura y la minería. El proceso de agricolización y el desarrollo de una actividad minero-metalúrgica más capitalizada serían la base de dichas transformaciones.
The paper studies the process of proletarianization during the phase preceding the mining boom in the town of Linares through an analysis of population registers and censuses. The age and gender composition and the occupational structure, as well as the changes they suffered, are characterised. It is concluded that the growth of the population of Linares before the 1840s was significant and that the reasons for this are to be found in the increase in marriage and a positive migratory imbalance. The changes in the socio-professional structure of the population before the mining take-off and the characterisation of immigration allow the formulation of hypotheses that connect this growth with probable transformations in agriculture and mining. The agricolisation process and also the development of a more capitalised mining-metallurgical activity would be the foundations of these transformations.
El estudio de los salarios en la época preindustrial ha sido uno de los temas más recurrentes de la historia económica y social 1. La evolución a largo plazo de los salarios y su repercusión sobre los ingresos y los niveles de vida, así... more
El estudio de los salarios en la época preindustrial ha sido uno de los temas más recurrentes de la historia económica y social 1. La evolución a largo plazo de los salarios y su repercusión sobre los ingresos y los niveles de vida, así como las formas de retribución o las diferencias locales (entre oficios, entre niveles de cualificación o por género), regionales o internacionales, no han estado nunca fuera de las agendas de investigación. A pesar de esta recurrencia, cabe reconocer que en las últimas décadas se ha asistido a un renovado interés por su análisis debido a la centralidad que ha adquirido esta relación social en explicaciones de largo alcance sobre los orígenes del proceso de industrialización. Por un lado, las estimaciones de los salarios reales se han empleado como base para aproximarse a la magnitud y evolución del producto per cápita 2. Por otro, las diferencias en cuanto a los niveles salariales y a su evolución se han convertido en piedras angulares de diferentes teorías sobre los orígenes de la industrialización. El skill premium, por ejemplo, ha sido interpretado como
Research Interests:
Once again about the transition from feudalism to capitalism. Some notes Until the decade of 1980, the explanations of the so-called transition from feudalism to capitalism process were dominated by the Marxist historiography. Since... more
Once again about the transition from feudalism to capitalism. Some notes

Until the decade of 1980, the explanations of the so-called transition from feudalism to capitalism process were dominated by the Marxist historiography. Since then, the mainstream has gone situating progressively near of the “smithian” paradigm. It was acknowledged  that the logic of the capitalism -the research of individual profit- is something “natural” but institutionally constrained. The European industrialisation would represent the release of the  capitalist rationality through the markets expansion. The paper, after a brief historiographical review, examines some elements of both this approach and the Marxist or the malthusian-ricardian inceptions. It provides features that have been neglected or badly focused, showing which of them could be understood as structural elements of the feudal system. It pays special attention to structure of the feudal system itself from its origins by the year 1000, attending to the central role of the Church, the kinship structures, the space articulation of both work and settlement areas, the specific forms of surplus labour capture and some unique features of the manufacturing production. On the basis of the concept of “process” and the difficulty to isolate a primus movens, the ultimate goal is to contribute to improve the understanding of the inner logic of the feudal system behaviour and of which way contributed to the process of “primitive accumulation” of the capital.

Hasta la década de 1980, las explicaciones del proceso de la llamada “transición” del feudalismo al capitalismo estuvieron dominadas por la historiografía marxista. Desde entonces, el mainstream se ha ido situando progresivamente cerca del paradigma “smithiano”. Se acepta que la lógica del capitalismo –la búsqueda del beneficio individual– es algo “natural” que se hallaba constreñido institucionalmente. La industrialización europea representaría la liberación de la “racionalidad” capitalista mediante la expansión de los mercados. La contribución, tras un brevísimo repaso historiográfico, revisa algunos elementos tanto de ésta visión como las aportaciones realizadas desde el propio marxismo o desde orientaciones malthusiano-ricardianas. Se aportan elementos que han sido negligidos o mal enfocados, apuntando cuáles de ellos podrían entenderse como elementos estructurales del sistema feudal. Se presta una especial atención la estructura del propio feudalismo desde sus orígenes hacia el año 1000, atendiendo al papel central de la Iglesia, las estructuras familiares y de parentesco, la articulación espacial de las áreas de trabajo y de residencia, las formas específicas de captura de plustrabajo y algunas peculiaridades propias de la producción manufacturera. Partiendo de la concepción de “proceso” y de la dificultad de aislar un “primus movens”, la intención última es la de contribuir a mejorar la compresión de la lógica interna del funcionamiento del sistema feudal y de qué manera contribuyó al proceso de “acumulación originaria” del capital.
The aim of this paper is to analyse the response to the difficulties faced by the woollen industry of the city of Alcoi between two points in time separated by almost two centuries. The first one started after the agrarian crisis of the... more
The aim of this paper is to analyse the response to the difficulties faced by the woollen industry of the city of Alcoi between two points in time separated by almost two centuries. The first one started after the agrarian crisis of the late sixteenth century, which became a general crisis in the Valencian case after the expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609. The second is more difficult to determine in terms of its beginning, but its clearest manifestation would be in the context of the Napoleonic Wars, perhaps between 1809 and 1815. Both situations caused serious difficulties to the manufacturing activities that were solved with deep changes that would affect, fundamentally, the sphere of production. The paper clarifies some fundamental aspects regarding the emergence and consolidation of industrial capitalism in Alcoi in the first decades of the nineteenth century.

El objetivo del trabajo es analizar la respuesta a las dificultades por las que atravesó la pañería de la ciudad de Alcoi en dos momentos de crisis separados por casi dos siglos. El primero arranca tras la crisis agraria de finales del siglo XVI, convertida en crisis general para el caso valenciano tras la expulsión de los moriscos en 1609. El segundo resulta más difícil de precisar en cuánto a su inicio pero su manifestación más clara se situaría en el contexto de la Guerra del Francés, quizás entre 1809 y 1815. Ambas coyunturas provocaron serias dificultades a las actividades manufactureras que se resolvieron con profundos cambios que afectarían, fundamentalmente, a la esfera de la producción. El trabajo esclarece algunos aspectos fundamentales respecto a la aparición y consolidación del capitalismo industrial en Alcoi en las primeras décadas del s. XIX.
Although during the 19 th and 20 th Centuries the great modern companies grew and consolidated, the small and medium firms have played a significant role in the management and economic development of European countries, thanks to the... more
Although during the 19 th and 20 th Centuries the great modern companies grew and consolidated, the small and medium firms have played a significant role in the management and economic development of European countries, thanks to the articulation of cooperative networkworks firmly esablished in their territories. The networkwork is defined as a way or organizational form that agrees with the conditions of the environment and requires certain characteristics of internal consistency to allow its own efficiency (Jarillo, 1988; López et al. 2004: 70). The personal networks of the entrepreneurs have been specially important in the formation of the firms networkworks in those countries where the institutional environment and the rules have been less meritocratic, as was the case in Southern Europe. In general terms, social networks are defined by a group of actors (individuals and organizations) linked among them. According to Economic Sociology (Entrialgo, 2004), networkworks have evolutioned according to three key elements: the nature of the content –tangible and intangible resources its members have access to–, government mechanisms and the agent's behaviour; and, finally, the networkwork structure –the existence of direct and indirect links among the members of the network. In this model, no reference is made to the influence of the institutional environment on the level of integration of the network, and therefore, on the capacity of survival of their companies. The development of networkworks does not take place in a homogeneous/lineal way along the different stages of the creation and development of business. The treatment given in literature to the evolution of networkworks is related to the life cycle of the firm but not to the capacity of adaptation of the firm's networkworks in front of external shocks such as a revolution, a war, or a régime and institutional context change. The case of the textile companies in Alcoi (Valencia, Spain) in the previous and later years to the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939, allows to analyze the networks of entrepreneurs in a dynamic way beyond the firms life cycle and to contribute to theoretical creation. The departure hypothesis is that the textile firms of Alcoi were adapting to the market and institutional changes through variations in the degree of integration of the networkwork coordination 1. Through this work, we want to contribute to the theoretical literature on business networks and to the dense debate on the relationship between structure and efficiency.
Research Interests:
El sistema crediticio privado valenciano durante la época foral moderna-ss. XVI y XVII-estaba basado en la institución del censal o censo consignativo. La expulsión de los moriscos, una de cuyas razones fue resolver el problema de... more
El sistema crediticio privado valenciano durante la época foral moderna-ss. XVI y XVII-estaba basado en la institución del censal o censo consignativo. La expulsión de los moriscos, una de cuyas razones fue resolver el problema de endeudamiento de la nobleza, provocó un cambio en los tipos de interés de esta modalidad de instrumento encubierto de crédito. El trabajo trata de analizar el impacto inmediato de este cambio en el mercado de censales de la villa de Alcoi a principios del siglo XVII.
The Valencian private credit system during the modern foral period (ss. XVI and XVII) was based on the institution of the censal or consignative census. The expulsion of the Moriscos, one of whose reasons was to solve the debt problem of the nobility, caused a change in the interest rates of this type of covert credit instrument. The work tries to analyze the immediate impact of this change in the census market of the town of Alcoi at the beginning of the 17th century.
El present treball presenta un panorama d’allò que sabem hui sobre l’agricultura valenciana a partir de l’estudi dels delmes, i suggerir vies de recerca que puguen millorar i eixamplar aquest coneixement. Es fa una presentació crítica de... more
El present treball presenta un panorama d’allò que sabem hui sobre l’agricultura valenciana a partir de l’estudi dels delmes, i suggerir vies de recerca que puguen millorar i eixamplar aquest coneixement. Es fa una presentació crítica de la historiografia més rellevant que ha emprat els delmes com a font d’informació, particularment la de Manuel Ardit. S'analitzen les potencialitats de la informació derivada de les recaptacions del delme Finalment, després d'exposar els resultats de la recerca d’abast local com a model de contrast, se sintetitzen quines són les limitacions d’aquesta tipologia documental en el cas valencià i quines podrien ser les futures línies de recerca.

This paper provides an overview of what we know today about Valencian agriculture derived from the study of tithes, and suggests research paths that can improve and expand this knowledge. A critical presentation is made of the most relevant historiography that has used the tithes as a source of information, particularly that of Manuel Ardit. Information derived from tithing collections is analysed in its potential. Finally, after presenting the results of the local research as a contrast model, the limitations of this documentary typology in the Valencian case are summarised and future lines of research are discussed.
Work (a comparison of the two main valencian textile sectors until the eighteenth century, drapery and silks) highlights the weakness of knowledge about the Valencia pre-capitalist industry. It follows an oversimplification of the... more
Work (a comparison of the two main valencian textile sectors until the eighteenth century, drapery and silks) highlights the weakness of knowledge about the Valencia pre-capitalist industry. It follows an oversimplification of the explanations for the absence, delay or characteristics (according to different interpretations) of the Valencian industrialization. The tendency point to agriculture as responsible (for better or worse) is undoubtedly the most obvious of all. To know and understand the genesis of capitalist industry in Valencia therefore need to focus on some aspects underserved to date as the role of demand and flexible specialization in different sectors. In addition, the preferential analysis center must be the subordination process of labor to capital and the technical environment in which takes place, that question depends on the industrial dynamics itself and must be addressed with (local or sectorial) microanalytical scale.
Research Interests:
It is a review of the book stated in the title.
Although during the 19 and 20 Centuries the great modern companies grew and consolidated, the small and medium firms have played a significant role in the management and economic development of European countries, thanks to the... more
Although during the 19 and 20 Centuries the great modern companies grew and consolidated, the small and medium firms have played a significant role in the management and economic development of European countries, thanks to the articulation of cooperative networkworks firmly esablished in their territories. The networkwork is defined as a way or organizational form that agrees with the conditions of the environment and requires certain characteristics of internal consistency to allow its own efficiency (Jarillo, 1988; López et al. 2004: 70). The personal networks of the entrepreneurs have been specially important in the formation of the firms networkworks in those countries where the institutional environment and the rules have been less meritocratic, as was the case in Southern Europe. In general terms, social networks are defined by a group of actors (individuals and organizations) linked among them. According to Economic Sociology (Entrialgo, 2004), networkworks have evolutioned according to three key elements: the nature of the content –tangible and intangible resources its members have access to–, government mechanisms and the agent’s behaviour; and, finally, the networkwork structure –the existence of direct and indirect links among the members of the network. In this model, no reference is made to the influence of the institutional environment on the level of integration of the network, and therefore, on the capacity of survival of their companies.
This article describes what we know about the professional career of a local craftsman who carried out some technological adaptations in the Alcoi cloth-making industry at the beginning of the mechanization process.
SME's and family businesses are central elements in Spain's modern economic growth. However, their process of internationalization has been little explored in recent research, particularly when it has been primarily aimed at... more
SME's and family businesses are central elements in Spain's modern economic growth. However, their process of internationalization has been little explored in recent research, particularly when it has been primarily aimed at emerging economies.  The article aims to understand and explain the internationalisation process of SME's in the Valencian region in Latin America. Through a set of cases of companies from different sectors (Metal, Machinery, Chemical, Ceramics, Textile, Furniture) it is showed that since 1990, the different Latin American countries have been increasing their presence in the preferential markets of most of the 22 companies studied. The growing role of the region in the investments of Valencian SME's shows the diversification and expansion of destination markets, including geographically not only the traditional European or Arab countries but also those of Latin America. Different reasons underlie this internationalisation: but the enterprises ana...
El present treball presenta un panorama d’allò que sabem hui sobre l’agricultura valenciana a partir de l’estudi dels delmes, i suggerir vies de recerca que puguen millorar i eixamplar aquest coneixement. Es fa una presentació crítica de... more
El present treball presenta un panorama d’allò que sabem hui sobre l’agricultura valenciana a partir de l’estudi dels delmes, i suggerir vies de recerca que puguen millorar i eixamplar aquest coneixement. Es fa una presentació crítica de la historiografia més rellevant que ha emprat els delmes com a font d’informació, particularment la de Manuel Ardit. S'analitzen les potencialitats de la informació derivada de les recaptacions del delme Finalment, després d'exposar els resultats de la recerca d’abast local com a model de contrast, se sintetitzen quines són les limitacions d’aquesta tipologia documental en el cas valencià i quines podrien ser les futures línies de recerca. This paper provides an overview of what we know today about Valencian agriculture derived from the study of tithes, and suggests research paths that can improve and expand this knowledge. A critical presentation is made of the most relevant historiography that has used the tithes as a source of information, particularly that of Manuel Ardit. Information derived from tithing collections is analysed in its potential. Finally, after presenting the results of the local research as a contrast model, the limitations of this documentary typology in the Valencian case are summarised and future lines of research are discussed.
Work (a comparison of the two main valencian textile sectors until the eighteenth century, drapery and silks) highlights the weakness of knowledge about the Valencia pre-capitalist industry. It follows an oversimplification of the... more
Work (a comparison of the two main valencian textile sectors until the eighteenth century, drapery and silks) highlights the weakness of knowledge about the Valencia pre-capitalist industry. It follows an oversimplification of the explanations for the absence, delay or characteristics (according to different interpretations) of the Valencian industrialization. The tendency point to agriculture as responsible (for better or worse) is undoubtedly the most obvious of all. To know and understand the genesis of capitalist industry in Valencia therefore need to focus on some aspects underserved to date as the role of demand and flexible specialization in different sectors. In addition, the preferential analysis center must be the subordination process of labor to capital and the technical environment in which takes place, that question depends on the industrial dynamics itself and must be addressed with (local or sectorial) microanalytical scale.
La investigación sobre el desarrollo del capitalismo industrial frecuentemente menosprecia la existencia de procesos de industrialización exitosos en el sur de Europa. El artículo analiza cómo la pañería de la ciudad de Alcoi respondió a... more
La investigación sobre el desarrollo del capitalismo industrial frecuentemente menosprecia la existencia de procesos de industrialización exitosos en el sur de Europa. El artículo analiza cómo la pañería de la ciudad de Alcoi respondió a las dificultades que enfrentó durante dos crisis que ocurrieron hace casi doscientos años. La primera surgió a fines del siglo XVI y después de la expulsión de los moriscos en 1609. La segunda crisis comenzó entre 1809 y 1815, en el contexto de la Guerra de la Península. Ambas coyunturas provocaron serias dificultades a las actividades manufactureras que se resolvieron con profundos cambios que afectarían, fundamentalmente, a la esfera de la producción. El estudio aclara ciertos aspectos con respecto a la aparición del capitalismo industrial en Alcoi a principios del siglo XIX.
... Page 3. Lluís Torró Gil "... siendo el más considerable de ellos el poder asegurar su desempeño sin la contingencia de las hilanderas, y el que no se les extraiga la lana. " (p. 27) Esta preocupación era una auténtica... more
... Page 3. Lluís Torró Gil "... siendo el más considerable de ellos el poder asegurar su desempeño sin la contingencia de las hilanderas, y el que no se les extraiga la lana. " (p. 27) Esta preocupación era una auténtica pesadilla ...
RESUMENLa presente investigación muestra un caso local en el que las transformaciones agrícolas a lo largo de la Edad Moderna tuvieron un gran alcance. Alrededor del núcleo protoindustrial de Alcoi se produjo un intenso proceso de... more
RESUMENLa presente investigación muestra un caso local en el que las transformaciones agrícolas a lo largo de la Edad Moderna tuvieron un gran alcance. Alrededor del núcleo protoindustrial de Alcoi se produjo un intenso proceso de sustitución de cultivos que alteró la fisonomía de las actividades rurales de una zona tradicionalmente conceptuada como pobre desde el punto de vista agrario. El catálogo de estos cambios es sustancial: la sustitución de la cebada por el trigo, la introducción temprana del maíz y su fuerte difusión, el avance del cultivo de la vid y, finalmente, la adopción de rotaciones de cultivos en el regadío, que conoció una extensión modesta, pero significativa para un área montañosa. A lo largo del texto se describen y tratan de ser explicados estos cambios, teniendo en cuenta el marco protoindustrial en el que se inscriben, así como su contextualización en el ámbito valenciano y español.
Unidad didáctica sobre el proceso de industrialización, entendiendo que este da lugar a unos cambios importantes en las relaciones sociales de producción y consumo, en la organización espacial y en la vida cultural. Contiene un capítulo... more
Unidad didáctica sobre el proceso de industrialización, entendiendo que este da lugar a unos cambios importantes en las relaciones sociales de producción y consumo, en la organización espacial y en la vida cultural. Contiene un capítulo introductorio de actualización sobre este proceso histórico. Se hace un análisis del proceso de industrialización a nivel mundial, en España, Valencia y Alcoi, demostrando que la oposición entre lo universal y lo local es falsa. Se presentan las consideraciones metotológicas y didácticas, realizadas de acuerdo con la legislación educativa. La tercera parte expone las partes fundamentales del libro del alumno; las actividades uno y dos se han hecho a partir de ideas espontáneas de alumnos sobre la industrialización, lo que permite plantear hipótesis iniciales. En las actividades tres a ocho se plantea el estudio de los elementos que definen el proceso de industrialización: cambios demográficos, transformaciones agrarias, innovaciones técnicas, proceso...
Research Interests:
Art
El papel historica de las gremios se ha interpretada bien cama un mero obstaculo al proceso de industrializacion, o bien, coma el de instituciones cuyo fin primordial era el de transferir habilidades de generacion en generacion. Sin... more
El papel historica de las gremios se ha interpretada bien cama un mero obstaculo al proceso de industrializacion, o bien, coma el de instituciones cuyo fin primordial era el de transferir habilidades de generacion en generacion. Sin embargo, las corporaciones de artesanas tambien cumplian otra finalidad de enorme trascendencia: el control y la disciplina de la fuerza de trabajo a traves de las ordenanzas tecnicas y su aplicacion. En este ejemplo, centrado en la paneria preindustrial alcoyana, podemos observar cama los conflictos entre gremios situados en posiciones distintas del proceso de produccion se centran, fundamentalmente, en cuestiones tecnicas y salariales. Asimismo, los posicionamientos de estas diferentes gremios expresaban intereses contrapuestos entre el incipiente capital y las trabajadores asalariadas. La persistencia de enfrentamientos muy similares en contextos temporales tan alejadas cama los siglas XVI y XVIII demuestran la importancia de la resolucion de estas pr...
Larticle saproxima a lestudi de Ia draperia alcoiana del segle xviir des del vessant de la demanda. Alcoi va esdevindre al llarg daquell segle el principal centre productor de draps dEspanya. Aquesta posicio es va obtindre gracies a les... more
Larticle saproxima a lestudi de Ia draperia alcoiana del segle xviir des del vessant de la demanda. Alcoi va esdevindre al llarg daquell segle el principal centre productor de draps dEspanya. Aquesta posicio es va obtindre gracies a les seues privilegiades relacions amb la monarquia absoluta, que li va proporcionar tant exempcions fiscals com comandes adrecades, basicament, a lexercit. En aquest proces hi va intervindre decisivament la corporacio gremial controlada pels parairesfabncants, que va rebre el titol de Reial Fabrica ben aviat (1731). Tot i que es va especialitzar en la produccio de qualitats mitjanes i baixes, la fabricacio de draps fins tambe va assolirhi una relativa importancia en alguns mercats com lamerica, que, en diversos moments (sobretot a inicis del segle xix), va resultar una destinacio clau per als draps alcoians.
This study is an approach to the analysis of agricultural labor productivity in the Valencian village of Alcoy. It is based on the rebuilding of cereal price series from the middle of the fifteenth century to the beginning of the... more
This study is an approach to the analysis of agricultural labor productivity in the Valencian village of Alcoy. It is based on the rebuilding of cereal price series from the middle of the fifteenth century to the beginning of the nineteenth century. Regarding the problem of the non-available sources, up-to-date studies about the subject are based on aggregated estimations. The option that I try to develop is set off in the assumption that prices show the value of the produced goods in terms of a precious metal in the long term. So prices basically depend on two elements: the value of this metal and the value of the goods themselves. Therefore, the variations of the prices in the medium and long terms respond to changes in labor productivity in the sector. This assumption is verified in a scenery of monetary stability and counting with no important changes in the production conditions of the metal in which the monetary system is based nor massive variations in the amount of cereal coming from abroad. From this analysis we can conclude that the changes in the agricultural sector in the village of Alcoy were important enough to feed a growing population without any increase in the prices that would threaten this growth. This fact was especially remarkable in the first phases of the singular industrialization process that began in Alcoy in the eighteenth century. La present contribució tracta d’aproximar-se a l’anàlisi de la productivitat del treball a l’agricultura de la vila valenciana d’Alcoi a partir d’una sèrie reconstituïda de preus dels cereals entre mitjans del segle XV i principis del XIX. Atesos els problemes de fonts, fins ara les aproximacions a aquesta qüestió s’han fet sobre la base d’estimacions agregades. L’alternativa que s’assaja ací parteix del supòsit que els preus expressen, a llarg termini, el valor dels béns produïts en termes d’un metall preciós, i, per tant, depenen, bàsicament, del valor del dit metall i del dels mateixos béns. Així, en condicions d’estabilitat monetària, i sempre que no hi haja canvis importants en les condicions de la producció del metall sobre el que es base el sistema monetari ni tampoc variacions considerables en el volum de cereal provinent de l’exterior, les fluctuacions a mitjà i llarg termini han de respondre, en essència, a canvis en la productivitat del treball del mateix sector agrícola. De l’anàlisi hom dedueix que els canvis en l’agricultura de la comarca d’Alcoi van ser suficientment significatius com per a sostenir una població en auge sense que l’increment dels preus dels aliments estrangulés aquest creixement. Aquesta contribució va ser decisiva a les primeres fases del singular procés d’industrialització que va conèixer aquesta ciutat a partir del segle XVIII.
Durant molt de temps, ha estat admes que l'expulsio dels moriscos era una de les principals causes del retard de la industrialitzacio valenciana. Aquesta tesi, sotmesa actualment a revisio, prenia suport en l'analisi de les... more
Durant molt de temps, ha estat admes que l'expulsio dels moriscos era una de les principals causes del retard de la industrialitzacio valenciana. Aquesta tesi, sotmesa actualment a revisio, prenia suport en l'analisi de les transformacions que van coneixer els llocs repoblats
See review by J. K. J. Thomson in Textile History (vol. 29, nº 1, 1998, pp. 115). He points out "what is novel in the study, and represents an original contribution to the discussion on proto-industrialization, is the... more
See review by J. K. J. Thomson in Textile History (vol. 29, nº 1, 1998, pp. 115). He points out "what is novel in the study, and represents an original contribution to the discussion on proto-industrialization, is the demonstration of the importance of guilds and the state in the industry's progress and in particular, in the eighteenth century boom" (p . 114). In addition, work is rated as "a most painstaking study in which the local example is throughout related to the experiences of other regions of Spain and to the general industrial experience in Europe. The inclusion of a range of documents illustrating its central argument about the crucial role of the guilds in the area's development will make it an ideal tool for graduate students ". And he concludes that "are just thus of great significance in interpreting the early stages of Spanish industrialization" (p. 115). The book contributes to the review of one of the most widespread topics in the literature on the industrial revolution: the role of guilds as obstacles to industrialization. Analysis of the paraires (clothiers) guild's documentation shows that the image contains, along with a good dose of truth, some mystification based on a mechanical and linear conception of historical process. In fact, in the case of Alcoi the guild system not only did not stop the process of industrialization, but, largely, was the main driver. The book, along with a lengthy introduction (77 pp.) in which the long-term pre-capitalist alcoyana drapery (valuing their origins, technical changes, the markets, the internal structure of the union or the relations of production is analyzed ) contains a collection of transcripts of documents (basically guild ordinances) that illustrate this evolution between 1561 and 1798.
La tesi tracta sobre els origens del proces d’industrialitzacio a la ciutat textil d'Alcoi i els districtes adjacents entre 1430 i 1821, prestant atencio a l'evolucio de la poblacio, l'agricultura, la renda feudal, i,... more
La tesi tracta sobre els origens del proces d’industrialitzacio a la ciutat textil d'Alcoi i els districtes adjacents entre 1430 i 1821, prestant atencio a l'evolucio de la poblacio, l'agricultura, la renda feudal, i, finalment, l'activitat de fabricacio centrada en la produccio de draps de llana. L'estudi, a mes de la reconstruccio de diverses series demografiques, de produccio i preus agraris, d'evolucio de les rendes feudals i de produccio de draps entre 1569 i 1827, analitza el paper dels gremis en l'evolucio de la fabricacio de draps des de l'Edat Mitjana fins al comencament de la mecanitzacio. El cas d'Alcoi es particularment important per tres raons: (1) va ser el principal centre de produccio de teixits de llana a Espanya, probablement entre c. 1750-1830; (2) va donar lloc a un proces unic de la industrialitzacio que proporciona moltes llums en el coneixement dels mecanismes que faciliten i/o dificulten la industrialitzacio espanyola; i (3...
Aquest article analitza la trajectoria de la industria valenciana al segle xix a partir dels canvis que va coneixer la societat denca de la crisi de IAntic Regim. Prtherament, hom pren en consideracio els problemes de la sederia... more
Aquest article analitza la trajectoria de la industria valenciana al segle xix a partir dels canvis que va coneixer la societat denca de la crisi de IAntic Regim. Prtherament, hom pren en consideracio els problemes de la sederia valenciana i de les seues relacions amb les activitats agraries, en el context de la revolucio liberal. Es reconsidera la definicio duna via agrarista de desenvolupament per part de loligarquia burgesa com el resultat dun proces inevitable. A la segona part de larticle, sofereix un quadre general dels trets mes rellevants del model industrial valencia del huit-cents. La caracteritzacio es fonamenta en una serie dhipotesis sobre el paper de1s mercats, els origens socials de la industria, aixi com lestructura organitzativa i de financament de les empreses industrials. Finalment, sassenyala eI que son les principals debilitats en el coneixement sobre la realitat industrial valenciana daquest periode i es proposa una agenda de recerca.
Unidad didáctica sobre el proceso de industrialización, entendiendo que este da lugar a unos cambios importantes en las relaciones sociales de producción y consumo, en la organización espacial y en la vida cultural. Contiene un capítulo... more
Unidad didáctica sobre el proceso de industrialización, entendiendo que este da lugar a unos cambios importantes en las relaciones sociales de producción y consumo, en la organización espacial y en la vida cultural. Contiene un capítulo introductorio de actualización sobre este proceso histórico. Se hace un análisis del proceso de industrialización a nivel mundial, en España, Valencia y Alcoi, demostrando que la oposición entre lo universal y lo local es falsa. Se presentan las consideraciones metotológicas y didácticas, realizadas de acuerdo con la legislación educativa. La tercera parte expone las partes fundamentales del libro del alumno; las actividades uno y dos se han hecho a partir de ideas espontáneas de alumnos sobre la industrialización, lo que permite plantear hipótesis iniciales. En las actividades tres a ocho se plantea el estudio de los elementos que definen el proceso de industrialización: cambios demográficos, transformaciones agrarias, innovaciones técnicas, proceso...
Research Interests:
Art
This article describes what we know about the professional career of a local craftsman who carried out some technological adaptations in the Alcoi cloth-making industry at the beginning of the mechanization process.
The article describes the reaction of local authorities facing the threat of grain shortage. The measures taken to deal with them (similar to those described in Great Britain in the classic works of E. P. Thompson) are part of what the... more
The article describes the reaction of local authorities facing the threat of grain shortage. The measures taken to deal with them (similar to those described in Great Britain in the classic works of E. P. Thompson) are part of what the British historian described as 'moral economy of the crowd'.

L'article descriu la reacció de les autoritats locals davant l'amenaça de la fretura de grans. Les mesures preses per a fer-hi front (mot semblants a les descrites a Gran Bretanya als treballs clàssics d'E. P. Thompson) s'emmarquen dins allò que l'historiador britànic va qualificar com 'economia moral de la multitud'.
This paper describes the main characteristics (trades, gender, wages) of the spinning wool sector in Alcoi in the 1930s. The analysis is based on a comparative study of the employers' organization with the spinning of the Catalan town of... more
This paper describes the main characteristics (trades, gender, wages) of the spinning wool sector in Alcoi in the 1930s. The analysis is based on a comparative study of the employers' organization with the spinning of the Catalan town of Sabadell.

Aquest treball descriu els trets fonamentals (oficis, gènere, salaris) de la filatura del sector draper a Alcoi a la dècada de 1930. L'estudi es basa en un estudi comparatiu de l'organització patronal amb la filatura de la localitat catalana de Sabadell.
One of the historical landscape features of Valencian dry farming is the presence of heavily capitalized large farms called 'masos'. This brief contribution offers some key points of their origins and their characteristics based on the... more
One of the historical landscape features of Valencian dry farming is the presence of heavily capitalized large farms called 'masos'. This brief contribution offers some key points of their origins and their characteristics based on the study of the seventeenth century Alcoi's notarial records.

Una de les característiques històriques del paisatge agrari del secà valencià és la presència de grans explotacions fortament capitalitzades anomenades 'masos'. Aquesta breu contribució apunta alguna de les claus dels seus orígens i les seues característiques a partir de l'estudi de la documentació notarial de l'Alcoi del segle XVII.
Xarrada sobre el luddisme realitzada el 17 de desembre de 2021 a l'auditori de la Fundació Mútua Levante, patrocinada per aquesta entitat i el Club d'Amics i Amigues de la UNESCO d'Alcoi. [Hi ha uns minuts inicials sense so però a partir... more
Xarrada sobre el luddisme realitzada el 17 de desembre de 2021 a l'auditori de la Fundació Mútua Levante, patrocinada per aquesta entitat i el Club d'Amics i Amigues de la UNESCO d'Alcoi.
[Hi ha uns minuts inicials sense so però a partir del minut 3' 54'' s'escolta sense problemes]

“...y reducidas a cenizas las máquinas”. Reconsiderando el ludismo en Alcoi 200 años después
Charla sobre el ludismo realizada el 17 de diciembre de 2021 al auditorio de la Fundación Mutua Levante, patrocinada por esta entidad y el CAUA (en catalán).
[Hay unos minutos iniciales sin sonido pero a partir del minuto 3' 54'' se escucha sin problemas]

“...y reducidas a cenizas las máquinas” ["...and the machines reduced to ashes"]. Reconsidering Luddism in Alcoi 200 years later
Conference on ludism held on 17 December 2021 in the auditorium of the Fundación Mutua Levante, sponsored by this entity and the CAU (in Catalan).
[There are a few initial minutes with no sound but from 3' 54'' onwards you can hear it].
Research Interests: