Spains

Spains is a term used in historical and literary contexts to refer to the idea of a divided Spain, often summarized as the Two Spains. The phrase denotes a perceived dichotomy between rival social and political blocs that have shaped Spain's modern history: one associated with modernization, secularism, urban centers, and liberal reform; the other linked to tradition, Catholic values, rural life, and conservative politics.

Origins and development: The expression Las dos Españas (The Two Spains) is commonly traced to Antonio Machado, a key figure in early 20th‑century Spanish literature, and came to prominence during the Second Spanish Republic and the Spanish Civil War as a shorthand for the country's polarized politics. Over time, the concept has been used by historians to describe conflict from the late 19th century through the 1930s, and by political commentators to frame subsequent debates about national identity, regional autonomy, and social policy. The phrase is not a formal political category but a rhetorical device.

Context and evaluation: While influential, the Two Spains framework is criticized for oversimplifying a complex geography of opinion that includes regional variety (Catalonia, Basque Country, Galicia) and class divisions that do not fit a single binary. Some scholars emphasize multiple fault lines—urban-rural, secular-religious, center-periphery—instead of a fixed dichotomy. In recent decades, the term is used mainly in historical analysis and literary studies to describe past tensions rather than as a current political descriptor.

Related topics include Las dos Españas, the Spanish Civil War, and Antonio Machado.