The state-builders: Spanish engineers and public power in the European context (1840-1900)

Abstract

Engineers represent one of the most prominent examples of professional elites in Spain. Their rise is closely linked to the state-building process. This article first outlines the main traits that have characterised engineering as a field of expertise and as a profession in Spain since the 18th century. The following section provides a synthetic vision of the paradoxes in the slow process of construction of the Spanish state, paying particular attention to the ambiguous role of engineers and to the limits of their action. Finally, it discusses the concept of ingenierismo [engineerism], which is understood both a) as an inclination to judge public (state) intervention in terms of carrying out public works; and b) as the aspirations of the engineers to socio-professional and political leadership and the public acknowledgement of such leadership. Engineerism can be seen as a cultural construct, in itself a legacy of the 19th century social representation of the existence of a close relationship among public policies, technical change and engineering as a profession.