Tancament de caixes

Quick Facts: Who was Tancament de caixes?

Subject:

Tancament de caixes

Known for:

A significant tax strike in Barcelona (1899) by merchants against new taxes.

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Origins & Early Life

The tancament de caixes ("closing of the cashboxes") was a tax strike in the period of July to November 1899 in Barcelona by merchants and industrialists against tax hikes put in place by the Francisco Silvela cabinet and his minister of the Treasury, Raimundo Fernández Villaverde in order to pay for the expenses of the Spanish–American War. The protest consisted of shutting down business and industrial establishments as a form of hartal which allowed them to stop paying tax without it being illegal. The protest was led by the mayor of the city, Dr. Bartomeu Robert. The shutting of the cashboxes was caused by the colonial crisis of 1898, which led the Spanish government to impose some restrictive budgets along with an increase in taxation to compensate for the deficit.

Career & Major Achievements

The protest was primarily against the corporate and personal income tax, and that on personal bonds, which had higher rates in Barcelona than in Madrid. That created a feeling of having been betrayed among the Catalan bourgeoisie, as they had fought alongside the dynastic parties. The board of the Industrial & Commercial League of Defense issued a call to protest.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

A Permanent Union Board was chosen, representing more than fifty Barcelona guilds. The government declared a state of emergency. The protest extended to Sabadell, Mataró, Manresa and Villafranca del Penedes, and some business-owners were arrested for not paying taxes.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1898: 1898 Milestone — The shutting of the cashboxes was caused by the colonial crisis of 1898, which led the Spanish government to impose some restrictive budgets along with an increase in taxation to compensate for the deficit.
2. 1899: 1899 Milestone — The tancament de caixes ("closing of the cashboxes") was a tax strike in the period of July to November 1899 in Barcelona by merchants and industrialists against tax hikes put in place by the Francisco Silvela cabinet and his minister of the Treasury, Raimundo Fernández Villaverde in order to pay for the expenses of the Spanish–American War.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Tancament de caixes

True or False: “The tancament de caixes was solely a protest against the Spanish–American War itself.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While related to war expenses, the protest specifically targeted tax hikes on corporate and personal income tax rates.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adnan Menderes — Historical peer (Born in 1899) (1899): Turkish politician who served as Prime Minister of Turkey from 1950 to 1960.
• Al Capone — Historical peer (Born in 1899) (1899): Notorious American gangster and businessman during the Prohibition era.
• Albert Luthuli — Historical peer (Born in 1898) (1898): Pioneering anti-apartheid activist and leader of the ANC in South Africa.
• Alexander Calder — Historical peer (Born in 1898) (1898): Pioneering American sculptor celebrated for kinetic mobiles and monumental abstract forms.

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