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El objetivo de este texto es analizar el proceso de politización que experimentó la sociedad rural en Mallorca durante la consolidación del Estado liberal en España entre 1850 y 1923. Se parte de la hipótesis que el Estado, a través de sus diferentes niveles administrativos, tuvo capacidad de interrumpir las dinámicas propias del absolutismo y posibilitó una nueva politización de la sociedad y el inicio de un proceso democratizador. El trabajo estudia una serie de municipios representativos de las distintas realidades socioeconómicas de Mallorca. Lógicamente, su base documental son fuentes de carácter local, especialmente actas municipales. El resultado del estudio confirma plenamente la hipótesis de partida. La legislación liberal, la extensión del sufragio, el recambio en las élites políticas y el nuevo papel de la administración local como delegada del Estado central y representante de la comunidad, fueron factores de una nueva situación políticoinstitucional. Junto con la penetración de ideologías como el republicanismo y el socialismo o la transformación de las relaciones de producción y la integración capitalista del medio rural, este nuevo escenario cambió las expectativas de la población y su relación con la política y la administración pública. Los vecinos convertidos en ciudadanos lejos de desmovilizarse, se dirigieron cada vez más a las instituciones y políticos locales para mejorar su nivel de vida, eliminar injusticias o solucionar problemas de toda índole. ; The aim of this paper is to analyse the process of politicisation experienced by rural society in Mallorca during the consolidation of the liberal state in Spain, between 1850 and 1923. We begin with the hypothesis that the state, through its various administrative levels, was able to put an end to the dynamics of absolutism and foster a new politicisation of society, initiating a process of democratisation. This article examines a number of municipalities that are representative of the various socioeconomic realities of Mallorca. Logically, the documentary bases of this article derive from local sources, especially municipal records. The results of our comparative study confirm the initial hypothesis. Liberal legislation, the extension of suffrage, changes among the political elites and the new role of local government as delegate of the central government and representative of the community became relevant elements in the new political‐institutional context. Moreover, the penetration of ideologies such as republicanism and socialism, as well as the transformation of the relations of production and the capitalist integration of rural areas, altered the expectations of the population and its relationship to politics and public administration. As local inhabitants became citizens, rather than becoming demobilised, they increasingly turned to local politicians and institutions to improve their living standards, eliminate injustices or resolve problems of all kinds.

AbstractIt is customary to consider population censuses (and statistics in general) as exclusive to the modern State, appearing in the second half of the eighteenth century but being developed and spreading in the West during the nineteenth century. Indeed, censuses help to strengthen and legitimize such states. However, in Spain, just as in Europe and the United States, the first population censuses considered modern were the result of, on the one hand, the directives and general and provincial coordination provided by the new state statistical institutions, such as the Statistics Commission or the Institute of Geography and, on the other, municipal personnel and the previous knowledge of local conditions held by the councils and other agents, such as the clergy, intellectuals, and notables. The media were also availed of for the cause. Let us recall that the municipalities were an explicit part of the state apparatus, therefore their relevance in carrying out censuses is not an indication of failure or weakness on the part of the Spanish State regarding the process of "bottom‐up nation‐building", but rather a way to imagine the nation through which collective involvement would build the nation from the locality.

It is customary to consider population censuses (and statistics in general) as exclusive to the modern State, appearing in the second half of the eighteenth century but being developed and spreading in the West during the nineteenth century. Indeed, censuses help to strengthen and legitimize such states. However, in Spain, just as in Europe and the United States, the first population censuses considered modern were the result of, on the one hand, the directives and general and provincial coordination provided by the new state statistical institutions, such as the Statistics Commission or the Institute of Geography and, on the other, municipal personnel and the previous knowledge of local conditions held by the councils and other agents, such as the clergy, intellectuals, and notables. The media were also availed of for the cause. Let us recall that the municipalities were an explicit part of the state apparatus, therefore their relevance in carrying out censuses is not an indication of failure or weakness on the part of the Spanish State regarding the process of ¿bottom-up nation-building¿, but rather a way to imagine the nation through which collective involvement would build the nation from the locality.

Never before the nineteenth century had Europeans, especially in the south, adopted cordons sanitaires in such great numbers or at such a fast rate. This article aims to analyse the process of the rationalisation and militarisation of the cordons sanitaires imposed in the fight against epidemics during the nineteenth century on the Mediterranean island of Majorca (Spain). These cordons should be understood as a declaration of war by the authorities on emerging epidemics. Epidemics could generate sudden and intolerably high rises in mortality that the new liberal citizenship found unacceptable. Toleration of this type of measure was the result of a general consensus, with hardly any opposition, which not only obtained the support of scientists (especially in the field of medicine) but also of most of the local and provincial political elite, and even of the population at large.

Never before the nineteenth century had Europeans, especially in the south, adopted cordons sanitaires in such great numbers or at such a fast rate. This article aims to analyse the process of the rationalisation and militarisation of the cordons sanitaires imposed in the fight against epidemics during the nineteenth century on the Mediterranean island of Majorca (Spain). These cordons should be understood as a declaration of war by the authorities on emerging epidemics. Epidemics could generate sudden and intolerably high rises in mortality that the new liberal citizenship found unacceptable. Toleration of this type of measure was the result of a general consensus, with hardly any opposition, which not only obtained the support of scientists (especially in the field of medicine) but also of most of the local and provincial political elite, and even of the population at large.

Cet article présente l'épidémie de peste survenue à Majorque, de mai à décembre 1820, en la replaçant dans un double contexte. D'une part, son impact sur la société majorquine et d'autre part son lien avec les propositions qui sont formulées dans le domaine de la santé publique, en particulier à cette période où l'État commence à s'impliquer dans la gestion de la santé publique et où se développent de nouveaux paradigmes en médecine. L'article est organisé en quatre parties : les caractéristiques principales de l'évolution de cette épidémie, l'analyse des controverses sur la nature de la maladie, la description des politiques sanitaires développées pour faire face à son expansion, et l'impact de l'épidémie en dehors de l'île. La documentation utilisée provient de trois sources : les écrits des médecins qui ont été confrontés à l'épidémie, l'information fournie par la presse de l'époque (de Palma et de Barcelone). La correspondance des consuls français aux îles Baléares, déposée aux archives du Ministère des Affaires Étrangères (La Courneuve, France). Notre travail montre que la peste de 1820 marque le début de la mise en œuvre d'une politique de santé publique moderne à Majorque, anticipant de quelques décennies une création que les historiens ont attribué au choléra dans le reste de l'Europe.